Why stay in Clare
Clare — Cliffs of Moher & The Burren
Clare is where Atlantic drama meets ancient landscape. The Cliffs of Moher drop 214 metres into the ocean and draw 1.5 million visitors a year. The Burren is the opposite — 360km² of limestone pavement where Arctic, Mediterranean and Alpine plants grow side by side, a phenomenon found nowhere else in Europe. Lahinch has been a surf village since the 1960s and Doolin is Ireland's spiritual home of traditional music, with live sessions every night of the year.
- Cliffs of Moher — 214m sea cliffs, puffin colony April–July, Aran Islands visible
- The Burren — 360km² limestone pavement, rare wildflowers, Iron Age forts
- Doolin — traditional music every night, gateway to the Aran Islands
Best areas to stay in Clare
Whether you want to be in the heart of things or prefer a quieter base with easy access to the main attractions, Clare has options across every budget. Book through IMPT — lowest price guarantee — same as Booking.com or better on every property, with 1 tonne of CO² removed from the atmosphere per booking at no extra cost to you.
Getting to Clare
Ireland's transport network connects the major towns by bus and rail. For rural areas, a hire car gives the most flexibility. Most airports and ferry ports have car hire desks. Bus Éireann covers all major routes; Irish Rail serves the main corridor towns.
Why carbon-neutral travel matters in Clare
Choosing sustainable accommodation in Clare is one of the most direct ways to reduce the environmental impact of your trip. IMPT lists green-certified hotels, eco-friendly guesthouses, and responsible travel options across the county — all at the same price as major booking platforms. Whether you're looking for a low-carbon city stay or an environmentally friendly rural retreat, every booking removes 1 tonne of verified CO₂.
Ireland's landscapes are among the most climate-sensitive in Europe. Atlantic sea temperature rise, shifting seabird populations, and bog ecosystem changes are all measurable here. Every IMPT booking removes 1 tonne of CO² — approximately 28 times the carbon produced by the average hotel night — verified on-chain and publicly auditable.
Local guide
Where to Stay in Clare — Towns & Neighbourhoods
Clare has distinct pockets of character, each suited to a different style of eco travel. Here's how to choose the right base for your stay.
Ennis
County Clare's capital and largest town (population 25,000). Ennis has a compact medieval core — narrow winding streets around the 13th-century Ennis Friary and the neo-Gothic Clare County Museum. The town is Ireland's Traditional Music Town Award winner multiple times; O'Connell Street and the surrounding lanes have live sessions most evenings. Well-connected by train and bus, Ennis is the best practical base for exploring all of Clare. Shannon Airport is just 30 minutes south.
- 🎵 Traditional music most nights
- 🚆 Direct trains to Dublin (2.5h) and Limerick
- ✈️ Shannon Airport 30 min
Doolin
A small coastal village that punches far above its weight as Ireland's trad music capital. McDermott's and Gus O'Connor's pub have hosted live sessions without interruption since the 1960s. Doolin is also the embarkation point for the Aran Islands ferries (Doolin2Aran runs daily in season) and sits 1.5km north of the Cliffs of Moher. Accommodation here is mostly guesthouses and small hotels — eco-conscious and locally owned. Parking can be tight in peak season; arrive by bus from Ennis if possible.
- 🎶 Ireland's trad music HQ
- ⛴️ Aran Islands ferry daily
- 🌊 1.5km from Cliffs of Moher
Lahinch
Clare's surf capital — Lahinch Beach has consistent Atlantic swell and several surf schools teaching beginners and intermediates year-round. The town also hosts Lahinch Golf Club, one of Ireland's great links courses (opened 1892), and has a vibrant café and restaurant scene that punches above its size. Lahinch sits on Liscannor Bay with views of the Cliffs from the beach on clear days. It's the most social and youthful base in Clare, with accommodation ranging from surf hostels to boutique hotels.
- 🏄 Surf schools & consistent breaks
- ⛳ Championship links golf
- 🌊 Liscannor Bay views
Kilkee
A horseshoe-shaped Victorian seaside resort on the southern Wild Atlantic Way coast of Clare. Kilkee's sheltered bay has been a family bathing destination since the mid-19th century when the West Clare Railway brought day-trippers from Ennis and Limerick. Diamond Rocks — a series of flat limestone platforms used for diving — are a local landmark. The cliffs south of the town have excellent sea-kayaking and cliff walks. Kilkee is quieter and less discovered than Lahinch, making it ideal for sustainable slow travel.
- 🏖️ Horseshoe bay & Victorian heritage
- 🧗 Diamond Rocks diving
- 🚣 Sea kayaking off the cliffs
Lisdoonvarna
Ireland's spa town and home of the famous Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival — the world's largest singles event, held every September for over 150 years, drawing 40,000 visitors. The town's sulphur spa wells were a Victorian health resort; the Burren begins immediately east. For eco travellers, Lisdoonvarna is the ideal gateway to the Burren's limestone karst and wildflower meadows. The surrounding landscape is extraordinary in May when the Burren orchids bloom across the grey-white pavements.
- 💑 World's largest matchmaking festival (Sept)
- ♨️ Victorian spa wells
- 🌿 Burren gateway
Kilrush
A small market town on the Shannon Estuary — the longest river mouth in Ireland and one of Europe's most important estuarine habitats. The Shannon Dolphin Project has monitored the resident bottlenose dolphin population (120+ individuals) for over 30 years; dolphin-watching boat trips run from Kilrush Creek Marina. Scattery Island — accessible by ferry from the marina — contains a 6th-century monastic settlement with a round tower. Kilrush is the quietest and most locally authentic base in Clare.
- 🐬 Shannon dolphin-watching trips
- ⛴️ Scattery Island monastic ferry
- 🌊 Shannon Estuary birdlife
What makes Clare special
Eco Hotels in Clare — What Makes This County Special
Clare's eco hotel market is defined by four environmental assets found nowhere else in Ireland. Understanding them helps explain why sustainable accommodation here carries particular weight — and why the county's green hotel sector has attracted significant investment in recent years.
Transport
Getting to Clare
Eco travel
Sustainable Travel in Clare
Choosing carbon-neutral accommodation in County Clare has never been easier — or more important. The Burren's limestone ecosystem is directly sensitive to nitrogen deposition (from vehicle exhausts and agricultural intensification); the Cliffs of Moher's seabird colonies are affected by changes in sea surface temperature; and the Shannon Estuary's bottlenose dolphins are monitored for signs of ecosystem change. Every eco-conscious choice matters here.
All hotels booked through IMPT remove 1 tonne of verified CO₂ per booking at lowest price guarantee — same as Booking.com or better. The carbon is retired on-chain via the Ethereum blockchain — not a spreadsheet offset but a publicly auditable, permanent retirement against a named UNFCCC project. You receive a transaction code to verify your tonne was retired.
For your stay in Clare: take the bus from Shannon Airport rather than hiring a car if you're staying in Ennis. Walk the Cliffs of Moher coastal path — the 18km route from Doolin to Hag's Head requires no car. Cycle the Burren Cycleway (signed route across the limestone). Take the ferry to the Aran Islands from Doolin. Eat Clare Bay crab, Burren smoked salmon, and the locally grown vegetables from the limestone landscape. Use the EV charge points at major Ennis hotels if you do hire electric.
New members on IMPT receive €5 free credit on their first booking, and 5% cashback in IMPT tokens on all subsequent green accommodation stays. The responsible travel choice in Clare starts at the booking stage — and costs no more than Booking.com.
The Burren, County Clare — 360km² of carboniferous limestone pavement, home to Arctic, Mediterranean and Alpine wildflowers.
Eco Hotels in Clare
View all on IMPT →Showing eco-friendly hotels in Clare, Ireland — all bookings remove 1 tonne CO² · lowest price guarantee — same as Booking.com or better
View all 280 on IMPT →Questions answered
About eco hotels in Clare
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Hotels in Clare — bookable on IMPT
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