You've booked the tee time, and the Old Course has been on your list for years. Now comes the part nobody warns you about: finding somewhere to stay. Lahinch is a small seaside town, and in golf season the good places go early. If you're travelling from the US, book months ahead, not weeks.
This guide covers the main ways to stay near the club, with an honest word on each.
Hotels near Lahinch Golf Club at a glance
If you'd like a front desk, a bar downstairs and breakfast made for you, these are the hotels most golfers look at first. We've put Howard's Way alongside them so you can compare.
- Lahinch Coast Hotel · 4-star · Pool and spa · Short stroll to the club
- Vaughan Lodge · 4-star · No pool · Walking distance to the club
- Atlantic Hotel · 3-star · No pool · Walking distance to the club
- Howard's Way, Liscannor · Private house, sleeps 8 · Four ensuite bedrooms · 9-minute drive to the club
The three hotels are popular in golf season, so book early. Howard's Way is a private house rather than a hotel, so there's no reception desk. More on it below.
Self-catering accommodation near Lahinch Golf Club
Self-catering means a whole house to yourselves. You cook, you do your own laundry, and nobody knocks on the door at 8am. For a group of golfers it's often the better deal — you share the cost, you get a proper living room to argue about the back nine in, and you can have a drink without worrying about a taxi.
What to look for:
- A kitchen you'll use. Even if you eat out most nights, you'll want tea, breakfast and somewhere to put the groceries.
- Heating that works. Irish weather is Irish weather, even in summer, and wet gear needs somewhere to dry.
- Reliable WiFi, if anyone's checking in with work.
- Parking. You'll almost certainly be renting a car, and the roads out here are narrow.
Cheap accommodation near Lahinch Golf Club
Staying on a budget is very doable if you plan ahead.
- B&Bs and guesthouses in Lahinch, Liscannor and Ennistymon are usually the best value, and a cooked breakfast is often included.
- Hostels around Lahinch and Doolin suit solo travellers and younger groups, and many have private rooms.
- Staying a little further out brings prices down quickly — Ennistymon is a short drive inland and has more choice.
- Splitting a self-catering house between four, six or eight people often works out cheaper per head than hotel rooms.
- Shoulder season (April–May and September–October) costs less, and the golf is still very good.
A private house for the whole group: Howard's Way, Liscannor
If your trip is less "a room for two" and more "the whole foursome, plus partners," the hotels above start to run out of road. Howard's Way is a private house in Liscannor, Co. Clare, sleeping up to 8 across four ensuite bedrooms — a Master Suite with a super king bed and walk-in wardrobe, a second super king suite with both bath and shower, and two further ensuite rooms. It sits above Liscannor Bay with sea views from the triple-height living room, and there's a granite-fireplace reading room if half the group wants a quiet night off the course.
It's 9 minutes' drive to Lahinch Golf Club and 5 minutes to the Cliffs of Moher — close enough that you're not losing the morning to the drive, far enough out that you get space, quiet, and a proper kitchen and utility room rather than a hotel corridor.
What you get:
- Four ensuite bedrooms, sleeps 8 — two full foursomes under one roof.
- A triple-height living room with a fireplace and views across the Clare countryside to Liscannor Bay.
- A fully equipped kitchen and dining space for group breakfasts and the post-round debrief, plus a utility room and private terrace.
- A fireside reading room with a granite fireplace, for anyone sitting a round out.
- Private on-site parking, free WiFi, a washing machine for the wet gear, and a barbecue for the evenings that stay dry.
It's a private home, not a hotel — no shared spaces, no reception desk, nobody else under the same roof. We're on hand by message if you need anything before or during the stay.
Because it's a short drive from Lahinch rather than a walk, you'll want a car — which also puts you closer to the Cliffs of Moher, St Brigid's Well (2 minutes away), and Trump International Golf Links Doonbeg, if anyone in the group wants to make it a two-course trip.
Check availability at Howard's Way →
Getting here from the US
- Flying in: Shannon Airport is the closest, about an hour from Howard's Way, with direct flights from several US cities. Dublin works too, but it's a much longer drive, so most golfers choose Shannon.
- Car hire: Book an automatic well ahead if you don't drive a manual, because they sell out. Remember we drive on the left.
- Tee times: Book as early as you can. Lahinch is a bucket-list course, and summer slots go quickly.
- Weather: Pack layers and waterproofs whatever the month.
Beyond the golf
Even keen golfers need a day off now and then. The Cliffs of Moher are 5 minutes away, and Doolin has live traditional music most nights. The Burren is great for a half-day walk or cycle, and Lahinch itself has a surf beach, Lahinch Seaworld and Lahinch Leisure Centre for anyone bringing family along. For food, Gus O'Connor's, McGann's, Fitzpatrick's, the Cliffs View Cafe and Frantic Chef are all a short drive from the house.
So, where should you stay?
- Want to walk to the first tee, with a pool and spa: Lahinch Coast Hotel.
- Want a four-star base on foot from the course: Vaughan Lodge.
- Watching the budget but still want a hotel: Atlantic Hotel.
- A couple of golfers who want space and their own kitchen: self-catering.
- A full group — two foursomes, partners and all — who want space, sea views and a proper base: Howard's Way.
Send your SOS. We'll sort the stay.