Overlooking Galway just outside Galway city at Renville, the Fitzgerald family and their Connacht Hospitality Group's much anticipated new 5-star hotel opened gradually over the summer of 2026 - and arrival here may bring a sense of deja vue to some guests, as the former Galway Bay Golf Hotel still seems to be very much in situ here. But, passing by a fountain featuring an impressive silver sculpture of a hawthorn tree at the door (best seen in daylight), and on into the hotel, the scale of the changes are clear in the soaring foyer with its thoughtfully designed reception and welcoming smartly-uniformed staff.
Boasting a wide range of room types (all luxurious, many with magnificent sea views), a destination spa and two interesting restaurants as well as its famous Christy O'Connor Junior championship golf course, it's a dream destination for golfers but also for visitors to the Wild Atlantic Way and local golfers and diners.
Public areas and bedrooms are impressisve, with great attention to detail and design. Inspired by the nearby land- and sea-scape, natural materials have informed the design - notably stone and wood, including a beautiful bog oak feature piece in the foyer - but the setting is king here and the views over the links and Galway Bay towards The Burren are stunning. The 18-hole championship course, designed by Ryder Cup golfer Christy O’Connor Jnr, will delight golfing guests (and all guests are welcome to use the adjacent Club House) and everyone will enjoy the coastal cycle tracks, birdwatching and woodland walks. The hotel's destination Spa is quite something too, offering a wide range of facilities and treatments including Finnish and infrared saunas, a snow room with cold plunge pool, indoor and outdoor vitality pools, an outdoor Jacuzzi, six private Atlantic seaweed baths, a relaxation lounge, a fully-equipped gym and five treatment rooms including a dedicated couples suite....
Dining
The food offering is unusual, with an open grill taking pride of place in the main restaurant,The Skylark, for cooking over fire, while The Oystercatcher Bar offers Japanese-influenced cuisine. Here, menus originally developed in collaboration with acclaimed Cork-based chef Takashi Miyazaki, are paired with cocktails including some signature cocktails celebrating nearby Ahascragh Distillery.
At The Skylark, well-spaced tables, beautiful plates and a relaxed service ethos create a relaxed and luxurious dining ambience. Tne room is divided by an area featuring a large potted tree and, beyond it, the open kitchen is an ongoing point of interest. Prices are premium, with classics such as Dover sole with beurre noisette (with pickled redcurrants and samphire, perhaps) and 10oz Hanger Steak bearnaise with morel and crème fraiche topping the bill. Highlights include outstanding breads - a super focaccia, for example, fnished on the grill and served wth an intriguing churned butter smoked with embers from the grill - and starters, such as a very well made Pork and Pistachio Terrine with sea buckthorn, chanterelle chutney and stout mustard. Sides may also be among the highlights and the grill is used to great effect - to lift a simple vegetable such as Tenderstem broccoli, for example. Desserts may include some unusual seasonal options - Baba with gooseberry, rum and elderflower ice-cream perhaps - and the wine list includes some treats, although more mid-range choices would be welcome. After dinner, leave yourself time for a digestif, as the Oystercatcher Bar next door is a pleasant place to linger - and in high summer you can enjoy watching the sun going down over Galway Bay and the distant hills of The Burren.
The Hawthorn by Galway Bay opened gradually over the summer of 2026 and, at the time of the Guide's visits, was very much a work in progress - which is an exciting phase to enjoy.
