East Cork has so much to offer the visitor. It’s a beautiful part of southwest Ireland that features lots of historical attractions, outdoor activities, wonderful scenery and a spectacular coastline. There are some fantastic Cork hotels to stay in here if you’re thinking of visiting…

East Cork boasts three beautiful Irish towns; Cobh, Midleton and Youghal.

Cobh is a colourful harbour town on the south coast of County Cork about 24km from Cork city. The town was once called ‘Queenstown’ after a visit by Queen Victoria in 1849. During the years of the Great Famine in Ireland 1845-1848, Cobh became the main point of immigration for about 2.5 million Irish people. This town was also the last port of call for the Titanic before it set out on its doomed journey for America. Today visitors to Cobh can visit the ‘Queenstown Story’ exhibition and museum to learn more. The Cobh Museum is also worth a visit to learn more about the town’s maritime history.

Cobh is a lively town with lots of pubs, shops and restaurants and it’s a fantastic recreational destination with many watersports and activities to enjoy. It’s a great base for exploring Cork being just a short drive from the city and Fota Wildlife Park.

If you want to stay in Cobh then choose Cork hotels like the 3 star the Commodore Hotel and the Bella Vista Hotel, which are both 2 star hotels.

Midleton is a satellite town of Cork city, just 22km east on the N25, main road to Rosslare Harbour. Midleton is a vibrant town surrounded by beautiful Irish countryside. It’s renowned for shopping, eating out, nightlife and, of course, the old Midleton Distillery, which is said to being the place where whiskey was first invented! If you want to learn more about the story of Ireland’s famous whiskey, then a visit here is a must! Why not kick-back for a few days and stay at the 3 star Midleton Park Hotel & Spa in the town. It’s a great base for touring County Cork. Another nearby hotel is the Garryvoe Hotel which is located not far from Midleton town and is the ideal location to base yourself if you’re visiting the towns of Youghal, Cobh and Blarney.

Youghal is a fantastic seaside destination which boasts not one, but two stunning sandy beaches! It’s a great town to stay in if you’re on a family holiday as there’s plenty of entertainment and activities for all the family. It offers a myriad of watersports from wreck diving to a dinghy-racing. Youghal also has lots of interesting buildings like the Clock Tower, castle and church.

Youghal was once a very important trading port in Ireland and it was through this point that potatoes where introduced to Ireland by Sir Walter Raleigh during his time as Mayor of the town around 1588.

The town is located about 48km from Cork city and just about a 45 minute drive from Waterford city, so it makes an excellent base for touring the south of Ireland. If you’d like to stay in Youghal, then check yourself into the 3 star Quality Hotel & Leisure Centre or the 3 star Walter Raleigh Hotel.

If you’d prefer somewhere more laid back and quaint, then maybe Ballycotton Bay is for you. Here you’ll find the picturesque little fishing village of Ballycotton. It’s about 42 km south east of Cork city and has unspoilt beaches and quiet countryside surroundings, perfect if you’re here to relax and unwind. Stay at the spectacular 4 star Bay View Hotel, which sits perched above the fishing village looking out onto the ocean.

Hope this helps you choose the perfect hotel in East Cork. For a full listing of all our Cork hotels, visit the Cork hotel homepage and for Cork city hotels, visit the Cork city hotels in Ireland homepage.

If you need help booking Cork hotels, just get in touch via the comment box below.