Certified Eco Accommodation in the Southeast: Wexford, Kilkenny, and Waterford
The southeast triangle of Wexford, Kilkenny, and Waterford has nine independently certified eco properties between them. That is more certified accommodation than most of Connacht, and the region forms a coherent multi-night eco itinerary that receives significantly less attention than it deserves.
For eco travellers who have covered Kerry, Clare, and Galway and are looking for the next part of Ireland to explore properly, the southeast is it.
County Wexford: Five Certified Properties
Wexford has the southeast’s largest concentration of certified eco accommodation.
Talbot Hotel Wexford and Clayton Whites Hotel Wexford (the former Whites of Wexford, now a Dalata property with Green Tourism Gold) are both 4-star certified hotels in Wexford town itself, within walking distance of each other and the town’s historic centre.
Ferrycarrig Hotel, 4km from Wexford town on the River Slaney estuary, holds Green Hospitality Programme certification and sits adjacent to the Irish National Heritage Park and the Slaney Special Protection Area for birds.
Marlfield House in Gorey is a 5-star Relais and Chateaux country house on 35 acres with Green Hospitality certification, a walled kitchen garden supplying its restaurant, and managed lake and woodland habitat.
Monart Destination Spa near Enniscorthy is Ireland’s first purpose-built destination spa: adults-only, 5-star, on 100 acres of mature woodland, with Green Hospitality Programme certification. The woodland setting is central to both the guest experience and the sustainability programme.
One angle that eco travellers often miss: Rosslare Europort, 20km from Wexford town, operates ferry services from Pembroke, Cherbourg, and Bilbao. Travellers arriving by ferry rather than flying can reach Wexford’s certified properties within 20 minutes of disembarking, making this the most accessible certified eco entry point in Ireland for ferry travellers.
County Kilkenny: Three Certified Properties
Kilkenny has a smaller but high-quality certified offering.
Kilkenny Hibernian Hotel is a 4-star boutique property in a converted 1832 Victorian banking hall on Patrick Street, holding Green Hospitality Programme certification, within the medieval mile.
Ormonde Hotel Kilkenny holds Green Hospitality Programme certification and sits on the bank of the River Nore, directly adjacent to Kilkenny Castle, with castle views from the restaurant and rooms.
Mount Juliet Estate in Thomastown, 15km south of Kilkenny city, holds Green Tourism certification. A 1,500-acre 5-star country estate on the River Nore with a Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course, equestrian centre, spa, and Georgian mansion house hotel. The estate’s kitchen garden and the protected riparian habitat of the Nore form the ecological context for its sustainability programme.
County Waterford: The Oldest City in Ireland
Granville Hotel in Waterford City holds Green Hospitality Programme certification. A 4-star heritage property in a Georgian building on Meagher’s Quay, looking across the River Suir. Waterford is the oldest city in Ireland, founded by the Vikings in 914 AD.
The Waterford Greenway, a 46km off-road cycling and walking trail from Waterford City to Dungarvan, is accessible directly from the Granville Hotel. It passes through river valleys, over nine viaducts, and through one of the longest railway tunnels in Ireland.
The Southeast Triangle as an Eco Itinerary
The three counties form a tight triangle. Waterford city is 50km from Wexford town, 40km from Kilkenny. You can base in any one of the three and reach the others in under an hour.
A four to five night southeast itinerary might look like:
Arrive at Rosslare by ferry, check into Monart Spa or Ferrycarrig Hotel in Wexford (nights one and two). Drive to Kilkenny for nights three and four: Mount Juliet Estate for a country estate experience, or the Kilkenny Hibernian or Ormonde Hotel for city-centre access to the medieval mile. End in Waterford (night five), walking the quayside and the Viking Triangle before connecting to Cork or Dublin.
Every overnight stop uses a certified eco property. No certification gaps.
Certifications in the Southeast
The southeast’s nine certified properties hold Green Tourism Gold, Green Hospitality Programme, and Relais and Chateaux with Green Hospitality certification. The combination is more varied than many regions of Ireland, where a single framework dominates.
Browse Certified Eco Stays in Wexford | Browse Certified Eco Stays in Kilkenny | Browse Certified Eco Stays in Waterford
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