The Merriman Hotel is a 32 bedroomed, three star hotel in heart of the village of Kinvara, Co Galway at the Gateway to the Burren.

It is an iconic building being the largest thatched roofed structure in Ireland. It was named after the famous local poet Brian Merriman who wrote a racy, word rich, bawdy poem called The Midnight Court in 1780…..(worth a read!)

The hotel is well known for its wonderful food, Our Head Chef Dariusz Dawidek has given our menus a gentle nod to the Atlantic ocean which is on our doorstep and also promotes locally sourced ingredients …Dariusz also has a Sunday carvery lunch which is very popular with locals and tourists with families traveling from all over the Burren region to enjoy this weekly feast in our fine dining room. We also host weddings both big and small (marquee area at back of hotel)

We have a dedicated drying room for all our active walkers and cyclists who are exploring the WAW. We have bikes available, free of charge, so guest can explore the many hidden gems of the area, Our staff will provide you with a map and point out all the areas not to be missed. We also provide electric car charging points for our patrons free of charge.

When you return to the hotel and need a relax you can sit in our Library area with its wonderful wood burning stove. We can serve you many barista style Coffees, Irish Coffees or Hot Toddy’s or you can sample our very own specially Blended and Single Malt house Whiskeys which are a treat.

The hotel bar known as the “The Thatch” can cater for up to 200 people, is a special meeting place for all sporting events. There are 4 large surround sound T.V’S , so you will not miss any of the action. There is Bar Food served here daily from 12 noon to 9pm with locally sourced daily specials always making an appearance. There is a dedicated Whiskey and Gin snug bar to ensure you get your favourite tipple on demand! There are regular Trad sessions featuring the local musicians in the Thatch bar on Thursdays. Kids are Always welcome.

The QUILTY Room Restaurant is available for private and family functions throughout the year. The Quilty Room is also open each evening during the season, here you can enjoy culinary delights from our Head Chef Dariusz, who has a special interest in providing guests with a Farm to Fork culinary experience. Our produce is locally sourced with little inference, making dishes literally jump straight from the earth to your plate.

Kinvara is a wonderful place from which to explore the local countryside with stunning walks, cycling, fishing and of course the famous Dunguaire Castle which is the most photographed Castle in Ireland! Dunguaire host Medieval Banquets if fancy a goblet of Mead!

Our local beach, Tracht, is four miles from the village,  which is a blue flag beach over looking Galway Bay, it has wheelchair access to the shore and is a wonderful safe place to go for a swim and enjoy the local wild life.

Our Local Golf Club is the fabulous Gort Golf Club, with is just a few minutes drive from us, please ask at reception for our special green fee rate.

Kinvara celebrates its culture and heritage each year when it hosts two festivals namely “Fleadh na gCuach” (The Cuckoo Festival) which is held each year on the May Bank Holiday Weekend. It is a Traditional Irish Music Festival where you will find over 50 music sessions in the village pubs along with Arts, Crafts, Poetry and Drama.

“Cruinniu na mBad” (The Gathering of the Boats) now in its 40th year is one of Irelands most successful Festivals….it has been run since 1979 and last year over 100 boats took part…this year starts on the 9^th of August, for 3 days. This festival celebrates the iconic Galway Hooker boats, the original work horse of the sea in the west of Ireland. They were used to carry turf from Connemara to Kinvara (as there are no bogs in the Burren region) and as fishing boats chasing herring in times gone by.

We would love to share all of this rich culture with you so please come and stay with us at The Merriman Hotel and enjoy warm Irish hospitality – you won’t regret it!

Public transport: Click Here

Bike hire: Onsite

Electric Car Charging: Onsite