Edge above the rest
Five-star hotels can be daunting. High status can lead to a stuffy environment, from intimidating check-ins to fussy dinners.
The Cliff House Hotel is five-star as it should be, a chic, boutique destination that oozes personality yet never wavers from absolute professionalism.
The hotel’s reputation precedes it — it’s the only Michelin-starred restaurant outside Dublin, with impeccable write-ups on Trip Advisor (and personal responses from the Cliff’s esteemed manager Adriaan Bartels). The problem is such high expectations run the risk of disappointment.
I pulled up at the entrance, with its classic granite stone façade, and while the views of Ardmore Bay were spectacular, the hotel looked small, with limited on-street parking.
Then I walked in the door. And the gushing reviews made sense.
Floor-to-ceiling windows showcased the stunning waterfront; to the right was a winding spiral staircase that I later learned connected three floors, each one with the same glass front and breathtaking vista. In fact, every one of the 39 bedrooms looks on to the sea.
The deceptive front entrance hides a bold architectural design — the hotel is literally carved into the coastline. And it’s not just the view — the Cliff House soaks up every source of natural light. It’s an architectural masterpiece.
Inside, at reception, the walls are a wonderfully sedate grey slate. There was a warm, down-to-earth welcome — no daunting check in here — and then it was upstairs to the terrace suite.
Set across two floors, downstairs was noticeably darker, with two small windows casting limited light. But the lush, deep-pink carpeted stairs led me to the same jaw-dropping view, with sliding doors opening on to a spacious balcony.
The bathroom, so often overlooked and deemed purely functional, was the standout, its double shower set against a glass wall (frosted in places to protect residents’ modesty) looking out to sea.
Antique furniture merged beautifully with the mod cons we have learned to expect from hotels these days — I loved the hidden TV that rose, like something from a sci fi film, from an antique locker at the base of the bed.
The Cliff House is also famed for its artwork. Mine — a funky design of coloured miniature Aran jumpers — stood at the top of the stairs. It was a brilliantly modern touch.
The Cliff House is famed for its food even more than its views, thanks to its Dutch culinary hero Martijn Kajuiter and his Michelin star. I couldn’t leave without trying his tasting menu — €85 and worth every cent.
Scallops and caviar ‘snacks’; Bantry Bay salmon — still ‘smoking’ as it emerged from the kitchen; melt-in-the-mouth cod with shrimp, leek fondue and rock samphire; Skeaghanore duck with white chocolate (yes, white chocolate, and yes, it works); and for dessert, caramel and apple with salted pop corn ice cream.
Two and a half hours of solid eating and I emerged from the restaurant contentedly full, thanks to perfect portion sizes. I finished the night with a drink in the bar — which also offers more reasonably priced menu options — overlooking the terrace and rolling ocean views. It was, by a mile, the best meal I have ever eaten.
The Cliff House has had the good sense to abandon buffet breakfasts — instead, the next morning, a full Irish and mix of pastries were delivered straight to the table. Overlooking the sea, of course. Bliss.
You don’t have to go far — a stone’s throw from the hotel is Ardmore’s incredible cliff walk. I had a pre-breakfast amble on a morning of clear blue skies. No better way to start a day. Unless, of course, you’d prefer a stroll on the nearby beach.
If the sea air hasn’t relaxed you enough, try the Well spa, with its glass-fronted swimming pool that almost merges into the sea. Voya, the acclaimed Irish seaweed-based range, is the main product of choice. Prices are competitive at €55 for a 25-minute back, neck and shoulder massage, and €85 for a full-body 55-minute treatment.
Staff can also assist with a range of excursions — there’s rock climbing or kayaking in Ardmore Bay (€45 for a half day), surfing (€30 for two hours), whale- and dolphin-watching boat trips (€50), scuba diving (€50) — plus fishing and horse riding. For golfers, Youghal is the nearest option, just 10 minutes from the hotel.
History buffs will love St Declan’s oratory in Ardmore, the ancient monastic settlement that includes the intact 30m-high round tower. There’s also St Declan’s well and church.
If you venture into town, don’t miss Nude Food, a cafe off High Street that is a little piece of foodie heaven. Don’t leave town without trying their spicy lamb burgers.
A hotel has stood on these grounds since the 1930s — old black-and-white photographs are scattered across the hotel walls, revealing small, quaint accommodation. The new-look Cliff House retains its old-style beside-the-seaside vibe, but it makes for a truly stylish hideaway.
The hotel reopened its doors in 2008, the worst possible time, with Ireland firmly in the grip of recession. Yet it is one of the country’s great success stories. It has to be something very special to withstand these gruelling times. It is. Expectations might have been high, but the Cliff House didn’t disappoint. This is something special indeed.
The bottom line
The gourmet mid-week package at the Cliff House Hotel includes one night’s accommodation in a deluxe sea-view room with a three-course dinner in House restaurant. Prices start at €280 per room per night, available Wednesday and Thursdays. Offer is subject to availability on room type.
Contact reservations@thecliffhousehotel.com or call 024-87800. www.thecliffhousehotel.com
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