at Lyons
Historic Irish countryside estate with contemporary luxury touches — think four-poster beds, velvet headboards, parquet floors, chrome fixtures and open fireplaces in rose-clad stone buildings. The pace is deliberately slow: canal walks, thermal baths in the garden, and long dinners by a waterfall.
Book the Lily Pond Rooms if you want floor-to-ceiling windows and the serene fountain view — they're the sweet spot between value and drama.
Why It Matters
One of Ireland's most distinctive hotel settings — a genuinely restored 1820s Grand Canal lock village, 30 minutes from Dublin. Member of Ireland's Blue Book and Tablet Hotels. The Well in the Garden spa won the Irish Tatler Spa Awards Style category and 'Most Innovative Spa Brand' at the Image Business of Beauty Awards. Sister property to the acclaimed Cliff House Hotel in Waterford.
Cliff at Lyons is a privately owned luxury country estate on the banks of the Grand Canal in County Kildare — a former 19th-century milling village that has been meticulously restored into a collection of 38 individually designed rooms and self-catering cottages. The walled 16-acre grounds include courtyard gardens, a lily pond, a working waterfall and mill race, and a dovecote. It feels less like a hotel and more like a very well-appointed village that happens to be yours for the weekend.
Where You'll Stay
7 room types available
Estate Rooms
Nine rooms spread across two historic buildings — the Mayors building and Jolly Angler. Four corner rooms occupy the wisteria-clad Mayors building (two ground floor, two above), with an elaborate carved surround doorway centred on the pond's fountain. Beds are doubles or twins backed by floor-to-ceiling velvet-studded walls. En-suite bathrooms feature oversized rainfall showers; one room has a freestanding contemporary bath. Chrome detailing, leather accents, and sage-green, black, and grey velvets throughout.
32 sqm
La Forge Cottage
Self-catering cottage within the historic estate grounds. Like all Cliff at Lyons cottages, it includes kitchen, living space, and multiple bedrooms, and is situated within close proximity to all estate amenities including the restaurant, spa, and Village Thermal.
Lily Pond Rooms
Ten rooms facing the estate's main lily pond water feature — the best views in the main house. Five are on ground level with floor-to-ceiling windows, giving a quiet, serene feel interrupted only by the sound of the fountain. Four rooms are in the Mayors building (a wisteria-clad stone house), six in the adjacent Stables with internal wooden shutters. Beds range from doubles and twins to kings with four-poster beds in rustic wood or chrome-and-bronze leather. Public areas in both buildings are furnished with gilded clocks, mahogany carver chairs, and 19th-century portraits.
47 sqmLove One Cottage
Self-catering cottage on the Lyons Estate, designed for couples or small families. Includes kitchen and living space in a historic stone building within the walled estate grounds.
Rhode Island Cottage
Self-catering cottage ideal for couples or families, set within the historic Cliff at Lyons estate. Full kitchen, living space, and access to all estate amenities including Village Thermal and the Shackleton Mill Restaurant.
Shackleton House
A beautiful two-bedroom self-catering cottage spread over two floors, sitting in a quiet corner on Mill Square beside the outdoor fireplace. Both upstairs bedrooms have four-poster beds and views over the Grand Canal and Dove Square. Silk, wooden panelling, wood floors, and soft carpets throughout. Bay windows catch the sun in each room; the scent of fresh roses and lavender adds a very domestic feel. The cottage has very much retained its character from 19th-century Lyons Village. Private garden is a real highlight — great for families with kids.
Two double four-poster bedsTurret's Cottage
Self-catering cottage within the Cliff at Lyons estate with views overlooking the historic estate buildings and gardens. Includes kitchen, living areas, and multiple bedrooms.
The Property
Eat & Drink
3 venues on property
Restaurant
Spa & Wellness
Treatment Menu
On Property
How you'll actually spend your days.
A 16km heritage trail across northeast County Kildare that follows in the footsteps of Arthur Guinness, linking historic sites associated with the Guinness family. The Pantry Café is a natural start/finish point.
CLIFF's fleet of bikes are available to rent for a ride along the Grand Canal towpath. The scenery through the Kildare countryside is some of the flattest and most pleasant cycling in Ireland.
The estate sits directly on the Grand Canal, and guests have immediate access to the towpath for walking and jogging. The spa provides maps of local jogging routes.
Fishing in and around the Grand Canal and estate waterways.
Scheduled private cruises departing from Sallins Harbour, or the M.V. Amo Barge is available for charter from the estate to Sallins Harbour for family groups.
A tandem paddleboard experience on the canal, specially made for two — one person can stretch out while the other paddles. Includes a Pantry Picnic with sweet and savoury treats. A very Cliff at Lyons way to spend an afternoon.
The estate offers bespoke team-building experiences across its 75-acre grounds including canal activities, strategy retreats, and Orangeworks-facilitated programmes.
Two Finnish barrel saunas and accompanying hot tubs tucked into the lush greenery of the estate, shaded by a canopy of mature trees. Inspired by 'forest bathing', this is the estate's outdoor thermal experience. Complimentary for all overnight guests. Opens 2 hours after check-in (from 6pm).
Amenities & Practical Info
The details that matter for planning.
Multiple private dining and meeting venues across the 75-acre estate, capable of hosting intimate strategy sessions through to large-scale product launches. The estate can be exclusively hired.
Complimentary cots available on request for families with infants.
Formal gardens, waterways, lily pond, the Grand Canal, courtyards, orchards, and the historic mill race and waterfall.
Pet-friendly rooms available. Must be booked directly by phone or email — not available to book online.
Gift vouchers available for stays, spa treatments, and dining. Purchasable online.
BUILD YOUR CLIFF AT LYONS PLAN
Rooms, dining, spa, and resort experiences — organized into one trip plan.
Start Planning