Key facts
- Operator
- Hastings Hotels
- Condition
- Intact
- Access
- Hotel guests only
- Stays
- Overnight accommodation available
Pinpoint
Possible Opening hours
Opening times change. Always check the official website before you travel.
| Monday | Open 24 hours |
| Tuesday | Open 24 hours |
| Wednesday | Open 24 hours |
| Thursday | Open 24 hours |
| Friday | Open 24 hours |
| Saturday | Open 24 hours |
| Sunday | Open 24 hours |
Ballygally Castle is a 1625 plantation-era fortification that's operated as a hotel since the 1950s, with a long-running reputation for a resident ghost. Reviewers come away talking more about the sea views and the breakfast than any hauntings, though nobody seems to leave disappointed.
Worth the trip
The Ballygally Bay views from the coastal rooms, and - according to more than one reviewer - the sticky toffee pudding.
Before you go
Dinner runs pricier than the rooms suggest, so budget for it separately, and don't go in expecting a ghost sighting - reviewers who asked about the famous ghost room mostly came away without an encounter.
Reviewers consistently enjoy the hotel's coastal setting and sea views along with the blend of historic character and modern comforts, and staff and food are generally praised, with breakfast and desserts singled out. A couple of reviews raise more mixed notes - one describes an awkward billing interaction with a staff member, and another felt the lunch menu was fairly generic and pricey relative to other local options - so opinions on value vary slightly.
1625 plantation castle; hotel since 1950s, famed ghost room
“Well, we didn’t see any ghosts, but did have the best Sticky Toffee Pudding of our two weeks in Northern Ireland and Ireland (and we did try enough to give a valid assessment). The room and view were great, a much…”— Aleksei Saunders, visitor review
