Hotel review: Sheen Falls Lodge is an idyllic Kerry escape

A five-star Kenmare classic, with a perfect blend of luxury, leisure and lushness.

Sheen Falls Lodge, Co Kerry.

• Sheen Falls Lodge
• Kenmare, Co. Kerry, V93 HR27 
• www.sheenfallslodge.ie
• Our verdict: 9/10 

Location 

If you’re looking for breathtaking natural beauty, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better spot than this luxury lodge on Kenmare Bay. 

Set on 300 sprawling acres, it’s blessed with an incredible combination of raw natural beauty - open sky, moody mountains reflecting on the shimmering Sheen - matched with a magnificent property that dates back to the 1600s. 

The star of this show is the Sheen River, rising in the Caha Mountains and flowing north to join the sea at Kenmare Bay. 

The river swoops around the lodge, and along with the rushing falls, delivers a perfectly framed slice of paradise - Insta-ready, if that's your thing. No filter required. 

And travelling from Cork, thanks to the spanking new Macroom bypass, we land in under one hour, 20 minutes - but feel like we were in another land. 

The always entertaining Kenmare is a five-minute drive away, with plenty of food options, cool boutiques and locally owned galleries and boutiques. 

The charity shop ain’t half bad either. 

If you fancy exploring the Ring of Kerry, or the underrated Ring of Beara, this is a great base too. 

10/10 

Design spec 

When you enter the lodge, an open log fire crackles underneath a giant stag head, antlers and all, mounted on a natural stone fireplace. 

Oatmeal tones in the comfy sofas mix with large gilded mirrors, and soft lamp light glows on the abstract art. 

There’s a serene, natural atmosphere about the whole property, from the stables, to the boathouse, to the fabulous foyer. 

There’s a playfulness to the interiors cleverly brought in from the palette outside. 

Touches like bespoke furniture, gorgeous traditional fabrics, an eclectic mix of artists, masses of fresh flowers and pops of natural colour, blend with an overall mid-century modern design, to make the whole property inviting, beguiling and dare I say it, a little bit magical. 

It draws you in, wrapping you in welcome.

9/10 

Service and facilities

The staff maketh the stay, they say and the service here is first class. With a lot of staff there a number of years, there is genuine warmth on check-in - and not just emanating from the welcome drink. 

The little things add up to a lot. Michelle and Elena at reception make sure there’s a copy of The Irish Examiner brought to the room, Sean the doorman has a friendly word for everyone as they pass through, and Ger the concierge gives us his local tips of where to eat when he drops us into Kenmare for lunch. 

There’s loads to do for the kids, our youngest loves the kids club with Julie, and we all join in the falconry with Liam on the grounds - Hannah the falcon was our favourite and our Harry Potter fans adore being allowed to hold the owls. 

We saddle up for a gentle horse ride - what a cool way to explore the area. We have a family game of tennis in the rain and it was the best craic we've had in ages. 

There’s so much to do here, archery, paddleboarding, golf, clay pigeon shooting, fishing - or just take a stroll along one of the guided walks right outside your door. 

The Éasanna spa is there for extra pampering, the boys love the pool, jacuzzi, and sauna. 

My favourite spot? The library, where I sneak an hour curled up by the log fire, flicking through the classics. They have an extensive book collection - something for everyone.

10/10

A suite at Sheen Falls Lodge

Rooms 

There are 72 rooms, three cottages and two villas as part of The Lodge and all have a stellar view of the bay or the falls. 

When we ooh and aah at our spectacular falls view, a conspiratorial staff member tells us more than one guest has asked to ‘turn down the volume’ of the falls. Imagine! If there’s a better soundtrack to sweet dreams, we haven’t heard it. 

Our spacious room is elegant and luxurious. A dream for a family of five, clever layout - like concealed Murphy beds, enough storage for all our luggage and crucially enough outlets for everyone’s chargers, and a sumptuous bathroom with a fabulously deep bath - means we feel right at home (if our home had a stunning panoramic view of an ancient stone bridge and a waterfall. (It doesn't). 

10/10

In-room perks

We love that the Elemis toiletries are all refillable. 

There’s a yoga mat, along with an Inish Living exercise wellness menu. 

Turn-down service is offered each night, and the room comes with Nespresso coffee, fresh milk and a handwritten welcome card, along with a complimentary selection of Irish cheeses, grapes, and wine, we are in heaven. 

10/10 

Dessert at Sheen Falls Lodge

 On the menu

We eat dinner one night in The Stable Brasserie - it is a better fit for us than the fine dining in The Falls restaurant. 

Casual and cosy, the cool converted stables are an ideal venue and menu for us. 

The service is exceptional, with plenty of local, seasonal produce that elevates a wonderfully relaxed, delicious dinner. Pro tip? Don't leave without trying the vanilla crème brûlée. 

Served with sable breton and raspberry sorbet, it is exquisite.  

Breakfast is a feast too, served in the elegant Falls Restaurant. We enjoy the tempting buffet selection while the kids adore the pancakes.

9/10 

Value for money 

A classic room starts at €240 a night for two people, with a suite starting at €360, including breakfast. They have lots of offers too including Christmas Packages, New Year’s Breaks and Lodge Retreats.  

9/10

Room to improve? There was a significant wait for breakfast - but we did come at the busiest slot.

Access for guests with disabilities? Yes, fully accessible.

Family-friendly? Very family friendly, loads of activities to do with kids as well as in-house movie nights and kids club

Dogs welcome? Yes - this is a very pro-pooch establishment. They greet you with a bed, a bowl for food and water and a small treat as a welcome present, and suggest suitable walking routes and contact details for pet grooming services. It costs €25 extra per night.

• Esther was a guest of Sheen Falls Lodge Hotel.