Castle hotel
Ballygally Castle
Ballygally, Larne, County Antrim
Level 5 True CastleLevel 5: a 17th-century Scottish-style tower house, Grade A listed. Four Tower Rooms sit inside the original building; most rooms are in a later wing.
Some rooms inside the walls
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Ballygally Castle is a Grade A listed castle hotel on the Antrim coast near Larne, built in 1625 by James Shaw. Level 5: four Tower Rooms sit within the original 17th-century building, off the spiral staircase near the castle's ghost room, while most other bedrooms are in a later hotel wing. It suits travellers who want a genuinely old building on the coast road, though not everyone can bring a dog.
Quick facts
- Castle Authenticity Scale
- Level 5: True Castle
- Where you sleep
- Some rooms inside the walls
- Built
- 1625
- Architecture
- 17th-century Scottish-style tower house, L-shaped plan with corner bartizan turrets
- Heritage status
- Grade A listed (Northern Ireland Buildings Database, survey grade 2)
- Star rating
- Four-star (Booking.com)
- Guest rating
- 9.0 out of 10 on Booking.com (September 2026)
- Dogs
- The hotel's own FAQ page states it currently has a no pet policy: dogs and other pets are not permitted. (hotel policy)
- Restaurant
- Yes (hotel website)
- Weddings
- Yes (hotel website)
- Exclusive use
- No (hotel website)
- Listed on Booking.com
- EV charging point, Restaurant, Family rooms, Parking, Free wifi, Accessible rooms
- Last checked
- September 2026
The story
The story of Ballygally Castle
Ballygally Castle stands on the Coast Road at Ballygally, near Larne in County Antrim. It was built in 1625 by James Shaw, who had come from Greenock in Scotland and received a land grant from the Earl of Antrim in 1613, according to the hotel's own history page. His wife was Isabella Brisbane, whose initials appear alongside his on an inscribed doorway reading 'GODIS PROVIDENS IS MYN INHERITANCE'.
The Northern Ireland Buildings Database lists the castle as Grade A (survey grade 2), describing a four-storey, L-shaped tower house with walls around 5 feet thick, narrow defensive slits and conical-roofed bartizan turrets on three corners. The record calls it the only complete example of a Scottish-style tower house in Northern Ireland still in use.
The building passed from the Shaw family to the Agnew family in the early 1800s, was later used as a coastguard station, and was bought in the early 1950s by textile businessman Cyril Lord, who converted it into a hotel. The Hastings Hotels group has owned it since 1966, and a 2014 refurbishment added ten bedrooms and a ballroom.
The sleep
Rooms at Ballygally Castle
Four Tower Rooms sit inside the original 17th-century building, reached by the stone spiral staircase that rises from the castle's original entrance, close to the room associated with the castle's ghost story. The hotel describes these rooms as having walls around 3 feet thick, sash windows and exposed rafters.
Most bedrooms are in a later three-storey hotel wing attached to the tower, built in a contrasting white-painted style, according to the building's listing description. If sleeping inside the historic tower matters to you, ask for one of the Tower Rooms when you book.
The table
Eating at Ballygally Castle
The hotel has a Garden Restaurant overlooking the walled garden, plus a lounge and an afternoon tea service, according to its own FAQ page. Breakfast and a Sunday lunch buffet are also served, and private dining can be arranged.
The grounds
Around Ballygally Castle
The castle has a 17th-century walled garden, visible from several bedrooms, and sits directly on the Antrim coast road overlooking the sea. A car park with 70 spaces is complimentary for residents, with disabled parking and EV charging also provided, according to the hotel.
What we'd flag
What we'd flag
- Dogs are not allowed anywhere on the property, according to the hotel's own FAQ, despite the general pet-friendly flag sometimes shown on booking sites.
- Only four rooms are inside the original tower. Most bedrooms are in the later hotel wing, so ask specifically for a Tower Room if the historic building matters to you.
- The hotel holds one wedding per day and cannot always accommodate other guests' bookings around a wedding, so check dates if you are travelling for another reason.
Who it's for
Who Ballygally Castle suits
Couples wanting one of the small number of genuinely historic Tower Rooms, and anyone interested in the castle's well-known ghost stories, are well suited here. It also works for wedding guests, since the hotel regularly hosts weddings in its function rooms.
It does not suit travellers who want to bring a dog, since pets are not permitted at all, or those who assume every room is inside the 17th-century tower: most are in the later wing.
Where Ballygally Castle is.
Map tiles from OpenStreetMap.
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Ballygally Castle: questions
Is Ballygally Castle a real castle?
Yes. It is a Grade A listed 17th-century tower house built in 1625, described by its official listing record as the only complete Scottish-style tower house in Northern Ireland still in use.
Who built Ballygally Castle?
James Shaw, who had settled in the area from Greenock in Scotland, built the castle in 1625 with his wife Isabella Brisbane, whose initials appear on an inscribed doorway, according to the hotel's history page.
Is Ballygally Castle haunted?
The hotel itself tells the story of Lady Isabella Shaw, said to have died after being locked in a tower room, and describes her as still wandering the corridors at night. It also recounts a second story about a 19th-century resident known as Madame Nixon.
Are dogs allowed at Ballygally Castle?
No. The hotel's own FAQ page states it currently operates a no pet policy.
Can you sleep inside the original castle at Ballygally?
Partly. Four Tower Rooms are inside the 17th-century building itself; most other bedrooms are in a later hotel wing attached to the tower.
Can you get married at Ballygally Castle?
Yes. The hotel hosts weddings, though it schedules only one per day and cannot always take other bookings around it, according to its FAQ.
Sources and checks
Last checked: September 2026. We checked these sources for this page. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
- apps.communities-ni.gov.uk: Grade A listed status, build date, architectural description
- ballygallycastlehotel.com: builder, ownership history, hotel conversion
- ballygallycastlehotel.com: ghost story attribution
- ballygallycastlehotel.com: pet policy, parking, weddings, check-in
- ballygallycastlehotel.com: Tower Rooms location and description