Although the Golf Club is a private club, visitors have always been welcome to both golf and accommodation when available. Whether or not you are a golfer, this is very good news because Trump International Hotel offers accommodation which is not just very luxurious - but, thanks to the taste and style of the original owners, downright gorgeous.
Located on Doughmore Bay in West Clare, the contrast between the wild landscape, the brooding sea and the classy interiors of the hotel lends a distinctly romantic tone to the resort, which is, on first approach reminiscent of a baronial Scottish castle; however, as you draw closer, a cluster of more intimate buildings is revealed and, in acknowledgment of Irish tradition, all are slated-roofed and built in local stone.
With an emphasis on natural materials (they even had their own tartan designed, an understated choice in gentle country colours) and respect for the environment (de-salinated sea water is used for watering the links), the quiet elegance of the hotel may come as a surprise.
It has an Irish 'great house' feel with an American opulence - and accommodation is offered in both the main building (opulent suites with sea views and very luxurious bathrooms), the adjacent courtyard and nearby cottages; the standard is exceptionally high in all areas and the style is seriously classy.
Well-equipped kitchens and atmospheric dining areas are a feature throughout the development, giving the option of self-catering or serviced accommodation – and comfy furniture and fireplaces make this an appealing all-year destination.
And then there is the White Horses Spa, designed by the US-based Irish designer Clodagh: offering every possible kind of pampering, the design is inspired by the local environment (the walls of the fitness room, for example, feature a continuous image of the beach at Doonbeg) and non-golfers, especially, could pass many an agreeable hour here.
Restaurants:.
Good food is a high priority at Trump International Hotel, and there are three choices: Trumps Bar & Restaurant (formerly Darby's) is for everybody, a spacious pub-like bar with plenty of amosphere and helpful staff, where you can have straightforward food like fish and chips, prawn salads, and steaks, or drop in for a drink or a cuppa at any time.
Meals are also offered in the Members' Bar, where the ambience is elegant yet clubby, in the old-fashioned style - and fine dining is offered in Ocean View Restaurant (formerly The Long Room; see below), an intimate restaurant with its own bar, antique mirrors and a great bay window looking on to the ocean.
Executive Chef Mark Usher joined the team in 2022. The style is modern classic and Mark's philosophy is to make full use of the best local foods in season, with sustainability in mind. Menus offered in Ocean View Restaurant are not overlong, but they give a thoughtfully choice of very appealing dishes.
Details at this fine restaurant (such as wonderful breads) are excellent, and attentive service and an impressive wine list are both a match for the good cooking offered - as is the dining room itself, which is handsomely set up for comfort and space - and to make the most of the ocean view. A lovely place to linger over that last glass of wine.
A very good breakfast is also served in the Ocean View Restaurant and, with its views over Doughmore Bay and a nicely balanced combination of a handsomely set up restaurant and the relative informality of breakfast service, it's a cheering place to start the day. An appealing cooked-to-order menu is offered (and charmingly served, with all the little niceties of a top hotel) and while your order is being prepared, there is time to browse and take your pick from an outstanding buffet that's laden with good things from near and far.
All round, this is an exceptional destination - and, while the strong branding may be offputting to many, the excellent Irish staff go a long way to offset that.
