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Rafter'S Gastropub

3.0 star property
Guesthouse with restaurant, near Kilkenny Castle

Choose dates to view prices

Immerse yourself in the charming atmosphere of Rafter'S Gastropub, where medieval Kilkenny Castle meets modern comfort. Enjoy a rooftop view, indulge in full breakfast at the on-site restaurant, and unwind with games or barbecue grills. The helpful staff has earned top marks from previous guests.

Reviews

8.0 out of 10
Very good

Popular amenities

  • Bar
  • Laundry facilities
  • Non-smoking
  • Free WiFi
  • Restaurant

Main amenities (12)

  • Daily housekeeping
  • Restaurant and bar/lounge
  • Rooftop terrace
  • Room service
  • Terrace
  • Coffee/tea in a common area
  • Garden
  • Arcade/game room
  • Front-desk safe
  • Snack bar/deli
  • Self-serve laundry
  • Barbecue grills

Feel at home (6)

  • Private bathroom
  • Television
  • Garden
  • Terrace
  • Daily housekeeping
  • Laundry facilities
The current price is CNY641
CNY727 total
includes taxes & fees
Nov 11 - Nov 12

Room options

Available filters for rooms
Showing 5 of 5 rooms

View all photos for Double or Twin Room

Double or Twin Room | Blackout drapes, iron/ironing board, free WiFi

Double or Twin Room

8.0 out of 10
Very good
(3 reviews)

Highlights

Heating
Free cribs/infant beds
Flat-screen TV
Blackout drapes/curtains
Private bathroom
Hair dryer
Daily housekeeping
Wardrobe or closet
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 Double Bed OR 1 Twin Bed

View all photos for Family Room

Family Room | Blackout drapes, iron/ironing board, free WiFi

Family Room

8.6 out of 10
Excellent
(4 reviews)

Highlights

Heating
Free cribs/infant beds
Flat-screen TV
Blackout drapes/curtains
Private bathroom
Hair dryer
Daily housekeeping
Wardrobe or closet
  • Sleeps 4
  • 1 Double Bed and 3 Twin Beds

View all photos for Triple Room

Triple Room | Blackout drapes, iron/ironing board, free WiFi

Triple Room

Highlights

Heating
Free cribs/infant beds
Flat-screen TV
Blackout drapes/curtains
Private bathroom
Hair dryer
Daily housekeeping
  • Sleeps 4
  • 1 Double Bed and 2 Twin Beds

View all photos for Double Room

Blackout drapes, iron/ironing board, free WiFi

Double Room

8.0 out of 10
Very good
(2 reviews)

Highlights

Heating
Flat-screen TV
Blackout drapes/curtains
Private bathroom
Hair dryer
Daily housekeeping
  • City view
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Double Bed

View all photos for Twin Room

Twin Room | Blackout drapes, iron/ironing board, free WiFi

Twin Room

Highlights

Heating
Flat-screen TV
Blackout drapes/curtains
Private bathroom
Hair dryer
Daily housekeeping
  • Sleeps 2
  • 2 Twin Beds

Similar properties

Reception

Kilford Arms Hotel

  • Parking available
  • Free WiFi
  • Restaurant
  • Bar
8.4 out of 10, Very Good, 765 reviews
The price is CNY862
CNY979 total
includes taxes & fees
Nov 11 - Nov 12
Kilford Arms Hotel
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About the neighborhood

Map
4 Friary Street, Kilkenny, County Kilkenny, R95 VY62

What's nearby

  • Kilkenny Castle - 3 min walk - 0.3 km
  • Butler House - 3 min walk - 0.3 km
  • St. Canice's Cathedral - 8 min walk - 0.7 km
  • St. Lukes General Hospital - 4 min drive - 2.1 km
  • The Hub - 6 min drive - 3.8 km

Getting around

  • Dublin Airport (DUB) - 94 min drive
  • Kilkenny Station - 12 min walk
  • Bagenalstown Station - 20 min drive
  • Thomastown Station - 29 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Left Bank - ‬2 min walk
  • ‪Lanigan's Bar & Restaurant - ‬3 min walk
  • ‪The Field Bar & Restaurant - ‬2 min walk
  • ‪Zuni Restaurant & Townhouse - ‬3 min walk
  • ‪Paris Texas Bar & Smokehouse - ‬1 min walk

About this property

Rafter'S Gastropub

Rafter'S Gastropub features a rooftop terrace and puts you within a 5-minute walk of Kilkenny Castle. You can unwind with a drink at the bar/lounge, and the restaurant is the perfect spot to grab a bite to eat. Other features include a snack bar/deli, a terrace, and a garden. Fellow travelers say good things about the helpful staff and breakfast.

At a glance

DONE

Hotel size

    • 16 rooms
DONE

Arriving/Leaving

    • Check-in start time: 3:00 PM; Check-in end time: 11:00 PM
    • Contactless check-in available
    • Late check-in subject to availability
    • Minimum check-in age: 18
    • Check-out time is 11:30 AM
    • Contactless check-out available
DONE

Special check-in instructions

    • There is no front desk at this property
    • The host will greet guests on arrival
DONE

Required at check-in

    • Credit card, debit card, or cash deposit required for incidental charges
    • Government-issued photo ID may be required
    • Minimum check-in age is 18
DONE

Pets

    • Pets not allowed
    • Service animals welcome
WIFI

Internet

    • Free WiFi in public areas
    • Free WiFi in rooms
LOCAL_PARKING

Parking

    • No onsite parking
DONE

Other information

    • Smoke-free property

Property amenities

Food and drink

  • Free full breakfast each morning 8:30 AM–10:30 AM
  • Restaurant
  • Bar/lounge
  • Coffee/tea in a common area
  • Barbecue grills
  • Room service
  • Snack bar/deli

What to do

  • Pool table
  • Hiking/biking trails nearby

Services

  • Laundry facilities
  • Free newspapers in lobby
  • Luggage storage

Facilities

  • Safe-deposit box at front desk
  • Rooftop terrace
  • Garden
  • Television in common areas
  • Arcade/game room

Room amenities

Be entertained

  • Flat-screen television

Home comfort

  • Heating
  • Iron/ironing board (on request)

Sleep well

  • Blackout drapes/curtains

Freshen up

  • Private bathroom
  • Shower only
  • Free toiletries
  • Hair dryer
  • Towels

Stay connected

  • Free WiFi

More

  • Daily housekeeping

Special features

Dining

Onsite venue - This pub specializes in Irish cuisine and serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Fees & policies

Policies

This property does not have elevators.
This property accepts credit cards. Cash is not accepted.
Credit cards accepted: Visa, Mastercard
Cashless transactions are available.

Also known as

Rafter Dempsey's
Rafter Dempsey's Inn
Rafter Dempsey's Inn Kilkenny
Rafter Dempsey's Kilkenny
Rafter Dempsey's House Kilkenny
Rafter Dempsey's House
The Rafter Dempsey's Guesthouse
Rafter Dempsey's Guesthouse Kilkenny
Rafter Dempsey's Guesthouse
The Rafter Dempsey's
RAFTER'S GASTROPUB Kilkenny
RAFTER'S GASTROPUB Guesthouse
RAFTER'S GASTROPUB Guesthouse Kilkenny

Frequently asked questions

Does Rafter'S Gastropub offer free cancellation for a full refund?

Yes, Rafter'S Gastropub does have fully refundable room rates available to book on our site. If you’ve booked a fully refundable room rate, this can be cancelled up to a few days before check-in depending on the property's cancellation policy. Just make sure to check this property's cancellation policy for the exact terms and conditions.

Are pets allowed at Rafter'S Gastropub?

Sorry, pets aren't allowed, but service animals are welcome.

Is parking offered on site at Rafter'S Gastropub?

Sorry, there's no onsite parking at Rafter'S Gastropub.

What are the check-in and check-out times at Rafter'S Gastropub?

Check-in start time: 3:00 PM; Check-in end time: 11:00 PM. Check-out time is 11:30 AM. Contactless check-in and check-out are available.

What is there to do at Rafter'S Gastropub and nearby?

Have fun during the warmer months with activities nearby such as hiking. Enjoy amenities like an arcade and a garden.

Are there restaurants at or near Rafter'S Gastropub?

Yes, there's an onsite restaurant that offers Irish cuisine.

What's the area around Rafter'S Gastropub like?

Rafter'S Gastropub is a short 5-minute walk from Kilkenny Castle and 6 minutes' walk from Smithwick's Brewery Tour.

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Rafter'S Gastropub Reviews

Reviews

8.0

Very Good

8.2/10

Cleanliness

8.8/10

Staff & service

8.0/10

Amenities

7.4/10

Property conditions & facilities

8.2/10

Eco-friendliness

Popular mentions

Room
Service staff
Breakfast
Location
Pub
Food
Bar
Family friendly
Ambience

What guests liked

  • Breakfast was consistently described as good, delicious, and amazing with many options made fresh. (24 reviews)
AI Sparkle IconFrom real guest reviews summarized by AI.

Reviews

8/10 Very good

The room was absolutely impeccable. The breakfast was delicious and we really enjoyed having breakfast in the atmosphere of the pub. Best breakfast up to now. The owner is really nice! The only thing was the noise; we wanted to sleep early but as there was live music in the neighboring pub, it was rather noisy until 23:00.
Laurence, 1-night trip

10/10 Exceptional

Great place to stay central to the castle and friendly staff
Manuela, 1-night trip

4/10 Fair

Staff were friendly, Breakfast was good,location was good
Peter, 1-night trip

10/10 Exceptional

Really cool place to stay. Close to everything a very friendly staff
Charlie, 1-night trip

10/10 Exceptional

Great location in the centre of the town, rooms basic but well kept and clean. Good breakfast in the morning.
Caroline, 1-night trip

10/10 Exceptional

Staff was very friendly.
Nader, 2-night trip

10/10 Exceptional

This place is great! Jerry is a wonderful hosts and we’re glad we met him and stayed here…their fish and chips is as good as anywhere else in Ireland…loved it!
Anthony, 1-night trip

10/10 Exceptional

Friendly staff.
Nancy, 2-night trip

10/10 Exceptional

Close to shops
Deanna, 1-night trip

10/10 Exceptional

Great spot to view Kilkenny.
Sean, 1-night trip

8/10 Very good

Friendly staff, great food

Staff were friendly and helpful. Room was clean but could have been better equipped. En suite could do with some maintenance. Food was excellent. Great location.
James, 2-night trip

10/10 Exceptional

Rafter’s is a lovely little pub and B&B. We were only there for one night, but it served our needs perfectly. Checkin was a breeze and we were able to grab a few pints once our luggage was sorted. The room was bright and clean. And the included breakfast in the morning was the perfect way to start our day. The only issue was the hunt to locate the electrical outlets. Impossible to find without help from James at the bar, who it should be noted was a wonderful help.
Christine, 1-night trip

2/10 Poor

No hot water for shower the room was cold the heating not working, no tea facilities in the room, old fashioned hair dryer, rooms need updating.
Marie, 1-night trip

4/10 Fair

The area of Kilkenny is absolutely beautiful. Our room was not beautiful. Shower did not work, no room to sit forward on the toilet as the space was far to narrow and I am only 5”5, bed frame was broken and even after fixing legs in the middle of the night found the legs came loose and found the bed tilted again. Then at 5:52 am the unloading of the flatbed of kegs was jolting! This lasted for 10 minutes. Figured the nightlife would keep us up but it was the early morning disturbance that got us.
julie, 1-night trip

2/10 Poor

Just don’t do it.

Just awful. It smelled like cat urine. It was dirty everywhere. Said there was breakfast included at 7 am but the restaurant wasn’t open until just as we were driving away at 7:30. Not that I would have wanted to eat there after the co diction of the room and hallway. Most horrible stay I have ever had anywhere.
Cynthia, 1-night trip

8/10 Very good

Centralt sted med godt køkken.

To badeværelser og fire senge på værelset.
Jesper, 1-night trip

8/10 Very good

Great breakfast and great location in the centre of town.
Alexander, 1-night trip

2/10 Poor

Don't stay here!

The room had two bathrooms but the toilet in one didn't work and they did't fix it. There is no on-site laundry as stated in the Hotels.com description. The internet doesn't work except for local providers. Also our roaming didn't work there only outside on the street. I needed the internet so we had to leave and book another hotel. The owner is horrible and kept our $400!!!
sandra, 2-night trip

10/10 Exceptional

Un lieu chaleureux où nous avons pu profiter de l’ambiance du pub. Une super adresse !
Pierre, 1-night trip

8/10 Very good

Cute convenient location above the pub. Had great entertainment that evening with live music. Food was delicious at the pub. No parking on site. The parking garage next door does not allow for parking over night. We parked .5 miles down the road at a parking lot. Beds we a little lumpy but the location was ideal
Beth, 1-night trip

10/10 Exceptional

We stayed at Rafter's for our first night in Ireland, and it was a great start to the trip. The location was perfect, only about a five minute walk to Kilkenny Castle. Gerry was an awesome host, he made us feel so welcome and even invited my mother-in-law behind the bar to make an Irish coffee to compete with his. After dinner, we had a drink at the pub and there was live music; it only played until 9:30, so it didn't keep us from sleeping! The breakfast was included and there were many options, all amazing and made fresh. Would recommend to anyone looking for a more authentic Kilkenny experience.
Brian, 1-night trip

6/10 Good

Wasn’t happy with rooms.
Ellen, 1-night trip

8/10 Very good

We enjoyed our stay. It is a lively part of town, and we were there during the Music Festival. There was some maintenance to be done, and I have privately messaged the owner in hopes it is can be fixed so others do not have the same problem.
Sandra, 2-night trip

6/10 Good

We had one night here. The wifi was down which makes life tough when traveling. The room was big. It was mostly clean. Some stains on the carpet. The breakfast was good and staff were nice. Not too noisy but it was a week night. Good shower and hot water/pressure
Elizabeth, 1-night trip

10/10 Exceptional

3rd time guests…we really enjoy Rafters!
Anthony, 1-night trip