Hotel review: Is this hideaway one of Killarney's best-kept secrets?

This serene and polished hideaway remains one of Killarney’s secret treasures

While many of Killarney’s most iconic hotels loom large along its streetscapes, this property remains one of its most tucked away stays.

Cahernane House Hotel, Killarney, Co. Kerry

Our rating: 8.5/10

Location

“Killarney’s Best Kept Secret” is the bold claim that greets you when landing on the website of luxury four star property and Ireland’s Blue Book member, Cahernane House Hotel, but it may well be a fair billing. While many of the town’s most iconic hotels loom large along its streetscapes, Cahernane remains one of its most tucked away stays.

The 19th century country house hotel is sequestered down a glorious linden-lined driveway, just off the bustle of Muckross Road, which means you’re just a five-minute drive or 20-minute walk to the heart of the town and virtually the same to Killarney National Park. With views from meadows to the mountains of the MacGillicuddy Reeks, it really is a glorious setting.

9.5/10

Style & design

When it comes to atmosphere, Cahernane offers its guests country house heritage married with its more recent evolution into a stylish boutique hotel.

This very heritage is showcased as you enter: the period reception area, hand-carved oak staircase, Queen Anne fireplace, and stag head taxidermy lead through to common spaces, from a plush drawing room to a light-filled atrium overlooking the Reeks. Credit must also be given to the property’s gorgeously landscaped grounds and gardens — even surrounding individual parking bays — and that all adds to an elevated country escape experience from the moment you park up.

9/10

Service

Receptionist Veronica offers a quintessential Kingdom welcome with warmth, attentiveness and humour. Service is friendly at both breakfast and dinner and while staff are quite stretched during the latter (see below), they both made for charming teams.

8/10

Guest rooms

Both Cahernane’s main house and garden wing’s 40 rooms are some of the most polished in the business and it’s here where that boutique hotel sheen comes to the fore. 

On this, my second visit to Cahernane, I was staying at the adjacent Coach House accommodation which is a sumptuously renovated property offering a further eight rooms, just a few yards from the main building. Striking is the coach house’s two-storey glass capsule which encases the exterior gable end staircase and adds a stylish nouveau-rustic finesse to the exterior. 

My top floor Sika Room was a luxurious space in cobalt and coral colour, with highlights including herringbone floors, classic antiques and statement en suite with walk-in rain shower and standalone claw tub. A smart TV and softer en suite lighting could enhance the room all the more.

9/10

In-room perks

Rooms offer Nespresso machines, Bewley’s tea and recyclable water boxes, though we are seeing the trend at other properties where bottles of in-house filtered water are offered as a more sustainable option (perhaps the large US contingent here demands otherwise). Bathroom products are by luxury brand Elemis, while a turn-down service featuring Lily O’Brien chocolates and an Elemis pillow spray brings five-star cachet to this four-star property.

9/10

On the menu

Cahernane offers guests a choice of two dining experiences; the signature being Herbert’s Restaurant, in its formal dining room adorned with chandeliers and period embellishments. Refined dining, rather than fine dining, is the motto of head chef Cormac Vessey, and dishes from côte de boeuf to sole à la meunière are impressive and elegantly constructed.

I opted to eat at The Cellar Bar on this occasion where my heirloom tomato salad starter didn’t particularly excite and my gluten-free burger main (so, bunless) arrived accompanied by a substitute salad without prior notice having not been advised when ordering that the chips were not gluten-free. So quite a disappointing, if healthier, offering.

Breakfast at Herbert’s delivers a small continental offering along with nicely presented classics.

7.5/10

Activities & amenities

Cahernane doesn’t offer any spa or on-site sporting pursuits, however the scenic grounds allow for modest meandering and there’s a complimentary fleet of fetching pink bicycles available for guests. 

It is worth noting that given this lack of amenities for guests — coupled with the draw of Killarney and its surrounds — Cahernane feels perfect for more serene escapes.

7/10

The bill

B&B for two from €289.

Room to improve? Perhaps a more enticing dining package. The Cahernane Gourmet Getaway for two features “€60 dining credit per person” yet actually costs €124 more than the B&B rate for the same room.

Accessibility? There’s an accessible room in both the coach house and garden wing.

Family-friendly? Yes, superior garden wing rooms and junior suites all have queen-sized couch beds.

Dog-friendly? Just service dogs welcome.

EV chargers? Three available.

cahernane.com

The Hotel Examiner was a guest of Ireland’s Blue Book.