Our Story

Being a self-employed Builder/Carpenter based in and around Dublin for over 25 years, I, Séamus, had no choice but to come up with something different or emigrate after the downturn in 2008. While planning to travel abroad for work, I bought my old family home in Kilfinane, Co. Limerick which my parents had built in the early 60’s and reared their 7 children there .

While planning what to do I was returning home a lot more as our junior hurling team, Blackrock, won the All Ireland gold in 2009 and I found myself falling in love with the old village, it’s mountain and it’s people again. I decided to invest my future back in my home town and came up with the idea of a luxury hostel.

Then I went about designing it and finally securing planning in May 2012. I then secured funding and started building in August 2013. Thankfully with a lot of luck and help from good friends, family, neighbours and especially some very understanding contractors and workers, we opened our doors in June 2014. Even more thankfully, in July 2015 my wife Teresa, a farmer’s daughter from Sligo, working as a National School Teacher in Ballyfermot, moved down and now it’s just the two of us who run, work and live in Ballyhoura Luxury Hostel.

Multi-Award Winning Luxury Hostel

We are an Irish multi-award winning hostel from many of the top review sites including hotelscombined.com & Tripadvisor.com. We have received the highest rating from these recognised travel sites in multiple categories such as Location, Friendliness, Cleanliness, Facilities & Room Comfort. This is why Ballyhoura is known as "Ireland’s Most Luxurious Hostel".

TripAdvisor - Certificate of Excellence 2018 - Ballyhoura Luxury HostelTripAdvisor - Certificate of Excellence 2018 - Ballyhoura Luxury HostelTripAdvisor - Certificate of Excellence 2017 - Ballyhoura Luxury HostelTripAdvisor - Certificate of Excellence 2016 - Ballyhoura Luxury HostelTripAdvisor - Certificate of Excellence 2015 - Ballyhoura Luxury Hostel
Hotels Combined - Recognition of Excellence 2020 - Ballyhoura Luxury HostelHotels Combined - Recognition of Excellence 2019 - Ballyhoura Luxury HostelHotels Combined - Recognition of Excellence 2017 - Ballyhoura Luxury Hostel
iGap Travel Guide Global Awards 2017 - Hotel of the Year Ireland - Ballyhoura Luxury HostelTravel Myth - Top 3 - 5 Star Accommodation in Limerick - Ballyhoura Luxury Hostel - Ballyhoura Luxury HostelBest Hotels Ireland 2019  - Ballyhoura Luxury HostelGoHotels - Outstanding Service Award - Ballyhoura Luxury Hostel
Fáilte Ireland Quality Assurance
Fáilte Ireland
Quality Assurance