Experience the Perfect Blend of Whiskey, History, and Hospitality at the New Harbourview Hotel
At Ireland’s first destination whiskey hotel, the welcome is warm and the whiskey is waiting.
Harbourview Hotel Exterior, Carnlough
The picturesque harbour village of Carnlough sits at the mouth of the Glens of Antrim on the stunning Causeway Coast, one of the world’s most scenic coastal routes. This is an area of outstanding natural beauty, fascinating history and heritage and deep-rooted folklore. In this tranquil setting, an inn at the heart of the community for generations has been reborn as Ireland’s first whiskey hotel.
Since it opened as a coaching house in 1848, this travellers’ rest, most recently known as The Londonderry Arms, has been famous for its warm welcome, charming decor and expansive hospitality. Now refurbished and renamed The Harbourview Hotel, it begins the next chapter of its history as a mecca for whiskey connoisseurs.
The hotel boasts over 300 whiskeys and offers exclusive, curated tasting flights and classic whiskey cocktails. World-famous heritage brands including Midleton, Bushmills and The Macallan sit alongside local heroes such as Copeland and Shortcross plus The Harbourview’s own Outwalker and Limavady whiskeys. A visit to The Harbourview is an immersion in whiskey culture that provides an exceptional opportunity to explore a world of styles, ages, finishes and flavours that will expand the experience of connoisseurs and delight those just beginning their whiskey journey.
The Wee Bar, Harbourview Hotel, Carnlough
The hotel also hosts a varied programme of whiskey-themed events and experiences including talks, tastings and boat trips to the Scottish island of Islay for guided tours of the Bruichladdich and Ardbeg distilleries. A highlight of the programme will be the Carnlough Whiskey Festival (20–23 August) promising four days of whiskey, music and craic. Tastings, toastings and toe-tapping music sessions will create a vibrant atmosphere in the village as people gather to celebrate uisce beatha – the water of life.
Beyond its exceptional whiskey credentials, The Harbourview Hotel also provides a wonderful ambiance created by its marriage of contemporary luxury with timeless style. The refurbishment has preserved its original nineteenth-century features like open fires and terrazzo flooring, creating a link to the past when the hotel was owned by the Marchioness of Londonderry and, for a time, by Winston Churchill, a towering figure in British politics.
A short walk from the hotel is the small harbour with its colourful fishing boats. It’s the heart of Carnlough village and now also part of the Game of Thrones fantasy world having doubled as the Free City of Braavos. It’s just one of many Game of Thrones shoot locations along the Causeway Coast, which provided key dramatic backdrops for the thrilling blockbuster series.
Harbourview Twin Room
The Harbourview Hotel makes the ideal base for exploring County Antrim which has some of Northern Ireland’s top visitor attractions including the Giant’s Causeway, Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge and Dunluce Castle. A short drive away is historic Glenarm Castle, famous for its beautiful walled garden, and nearby Glenarriff Forest Park is a stunningly beautiful area with multiple waymarked trails. And from the picturesque seaside resort of Ballycastle it’s a just a hop by ferry over to Rathlin Island, an internationally important seabird breeding area with a chilled ‘away from it all’ vibe.
Whether you’re a whiskey aficionado, a history lover, or simply in search of a warm welcome and stunning views, The Harbourview Hotel is waiting to be discovered