Gorgeous glamping in Ireland | discover the great outdoors in style

With sweeping views of the Kerry Mountains, this glampsite is an atmospheric spot for a romantic getaway. Pull up to the private parking and check into your spacious bell tent – each suite has a rustic-chic theme, with a deluxe double bed decorated in soft linens, vintage-style floral cushions and a throw to snuggle under. An electric blanket keeps you cosy at night, along with a gas-powered cast-iron stove.

Showers are found in separate tiled cubicles just a short stroll away from your unit. An en-suite WC and a sheltered outdoor kitchen enhance the comfort factor. One of the main draws of the Grove is its access to Zen Day Spa, a 2 minute car journey away, where treatments range from hydrating facials to soothing hot-stone massages. Take advantage of the exclusive discounts offered to glampers.

Pack up the cool box and picnic blanket provided by the site, pop in a bottle of fizz and perhaps some cucumber sandwiches, then amble through the neighbouring meadow to the River Flesk. Or you can drive 10 minutes to Ross Castle, which is set on the banks of sparkling Lough Lean in Killarney National Park. On your return, pick up local meats from the family butchers in Killarney for a charcoal-grilled feast on the outdoor barbecue. You can dine al-fresco in the bunting-lined dining area or on your private patio beside the warmth of your heater. After dinner, play nostalgic board games from Glamping at the Grove‘s hand-picked stockpile or head to the communal fire pit to roast marshmallows – provided by your hosts – with fellow glampers.

The luxury glamping experience at Portsalon is almost akin to staying in a hotel. Each of the Central Asian yurts is carefully spaced for extra seclusion, but none is more than a 5 minute walk from the facilities. They also feature proper lockable doors so you can leave your valuables when you’re off exploring. Inside, all tents are carpeted and roomy with a king-size bed, double sofa bed and wood-burning stove. Fresh flowers and twinkling fairy lights add the finishing flourishes.

While they all have these features in common, each yurt also has its own distinct character. From inside Dunree, you can witness intense sunrises brightening up the sky, whereas Crocullia is close to the fragrant organic garden. Wherever you’re placed, spectacular views of the Knockalla Mountains, Ballymastocker Beach and Mulroy Bay abound. Gaze upon the mythical landscape from your own picnic table over a platter of cheese and crackers, while the fire pit keeps you warm.

Stroll down past the local village of Portsalon to amble on the award-winning beach, then spend a few hours cycling or climbing the rugged terrain. Freshen up in the separate bathroom building on return, with showers, hairdryers and mirrors aplenty. The open-plan kitchen and lounge makes it easy to whip up a meal – think grilled mackerel caught fresh from the North Atlantic. Afterwards, settle down by the roaring fire and flick through a book from the library or catch up with friends back home on the 24-hour complimentary Wi-Fi.

Upon arrival at Ballyvolane House, visitors receive a ‘glamping box’ filled with essential goodies such as a jar of home-made biscuits, local apple juice plus a torch and maps to help navigate the estate. Follow the scent of an Irish breakfast featuring home-made bread and jams to find the main house in the morning. On the way, you’ll spot as many as 30 free-range hens exploring the grounds – proof that the eggs are as fresh as they can be.

For lunch, pick up a picnic spread from the hotel to have beside your tent or on the lush grass of the several surrounding lawns. When twilight falls, gather around a communal dining table to pass plates of mouth-watering roasted meat and colourful home-grown vegetables prepared by the house chef, dinner-party style. Most ingredients come from artisan suppliers based nearby or are planted in the estate’s walled garden. Before retiring to bed, sip a digestif of gin distilled from Ballyvolane’s own artisan distillery, which is open to guests.

The glamping site itself a series of bell tents and an ark tucked in the back of the garden. Eco-friendly futons filled with soft organic lambswool and repurposed jeans rest on timber frames, while a chandelier constructed from tea lights glints overhead. Arrive here to find a hot water bottle from the turn-down service tucked into the soft sheets, then freshen up in the heated wash house next to the glamping area before snuggling in for the night.

Hungry Hill offers glampers a choice of pre-erected Eurotents or a Hansel and Gretel-style log cabin, drawn right from the pages of a fairy tale. This dainty chalet is steps away from the main lodge, allowing easy access to the shared shower facilities. Rustic wood panelling features throughout, from the panelled floors and walls to the double bed and bunk beds. When evening falls, witness the sun slowly sinking into the horizon from the south-facing porch, or settle down on the snug two-seater sofa with a glass of red wine or a hot chocolate.

Thanks to its location at the base of Healy Pass in the rugged Beara Peninsula, guests at Hungry Hill are set for rambles in the salt-sprayed countryside of Ireland’s famed Wild Atlantic Way. Spot inlets and bays as you meander among the hills, taking a hiatus in a charming village for a thirst-quenching pint of Guinness. Back at the campsite, roam around the open grounds or hire a bike from your hosts to further explore the surrounding scenery.

You can source ingredients like home-baked bread and fresh fish from the mini-market, just a 5 minute walk from the Hungry Hill Lodge. Or cook up a campsite favourite like a hearty Irish stew in the fully equipped kitchen. Communal dining tables make this a friendly place to gather for dinner and chat to fellow campers. Once you’ve heard some thrillingly tall tales, relax on the plush sofas as you savour an aromatic tea beside the roaring open fire.

Featuring a dedicated enclosure hosting pigs, chickens and ducks, as well as a playground, pony trekking and archery, Giltraps is a rural idyll. Slightly further afield, hikes across the gentle hills of the Slieve Bloom Mountains begin just a 25-minute drive away.

A light gravel path leads you through this tiny farm to a cluster of log cabins encircling a traditional Mongolian ger – also known as a yurt. All six cabins are crafted from local timber with a beamed construction, and have white windows and wooden decking. The yurt’s draped canvas, meanwhile, is fully insulated and features a diamond-shaped frame encasing woven linens draped across single wooden beds. Have a restful night’s sleep on an orthopaedic mattress specially designed to support and soothe tired joints. Breakfast hampers can be ordered for the morning and will be left outside your door to greet you, so allow yourself an extra-long lie-in to bask in the warmth of your heated cabin.

The historic Giltraps Pub, located on the farm, is a welcoming respite come evening. Once a stopover for weary travellers passing through the Irish countryside, this is an authentic 17th-century watering hole. It’s won several accolades – including the James Joyce Pub of the Year for authentic Irish inns and the Black and White Whisky Heritage award – so sit down for a dram (or two) before retiring to your glamping cabin a few moments away.

The green slopes of the Knockbarragh Valley and Mourne Mountains surround this glamping site in Ireland. They serve as a breathtaking backdrop for the outdoor thrill-seeking this site is most known for, with activities such as abseiling, zip lining, orienteering and archery on offer. Guests with a penchant for mountain biking can make use of the exhilarating downhill trails in the Kilbroney Forest Park, followed by an invigorating cooldown pier jumping into the fjord-like Carlingford Lough.

After a day of trekking, fire up the wood-burning stove in the communal kitchen to reward yourself with hot toasties, jacket potatoes or local sausages. Relax after dinner and soak up the sights and atmosphere of your natural surroundings with a hot tea beside your very own crackling fire pit.

The six glamping pods at East Coast Adventure are waterproof and heated, with two single beds and one double in each space. With elegant shapes, compact sizes and simple furnishings, these units have a snug ambience that’s ideal for cosying up in while the rain pitter-patters on the ceiling. The pods are somewhere between traditional camping and glamping – you bring your own sleeping bag, but there’s no need to set up anything else after a day’s adventure. You can just slip into your sleeping bag or warm your hands by the glowing fire pit as the stars come out overhead.