Hotel review: This West Cork escape offers a wellness break with a difference

From here you can enjoy views from the folding Maughanaclea Hills down to the West Cork peninsulas

Wild Hideaways

Our rating: 8/10

Location

Set in the spectacular, and often overlooked inland heart of West Cork, Wild Hideaways sits 3km aloft of the village of Kealkill in the blissfully unspoiled Mealagh Valley.

From here you can enjoy views from the folding Maughanaclea Hills down to the West Cork peninsulas. Just a short wander from impressive stone circles, mountain woodlands, and if you really want to get your hiking boots on, the property lies directly on St. Finbarr’s Pilgrim Path. With that, Gougane Barra is a 20-minute drive away and despite the feeling of utter seclusion, you’re only 15 minutes from Bantry or 20 minutes from Glengarriff.

8.5/10

Style & Design

Launched in 2023, Wild Hideaways, the brainchild of Amy and John O’Sullivan, is a collection of self-catering lodges and spa facilities, on a dramatic site blotted with blooms of furze. The offering is billed online as a resort, but whatever one’s interpretation of that may be, it feels more like an unplugged retreat to me. The six ebony lodges are not dissimilar to modular garden cabins, so they do have an aesthetic which is perhaps a little generic but they are more sympathetic to the eye from the front where their picture frame windows offer gorgeous unspoiled views.

7.5/10

Service

Wild Hideaways offers self check-ins, while an online concierge service is offered via WhatsApp and a resort app. I found that staggered WhatsApp notifications about local attractions to dog-friendly tips could have been condensed into a single email and were at odds with a switch-off escape, but conversely, responsive updates on my dietary requirements from Amy displayed very fine attention to detail.

8.5/10

Guest Rooms

There are six lodges here featuring smartly kitted out interiors. A sage colour scheme with statement floral wallpaper envelops a living-sleeping area with comfy bed, sofa, and vanity desk with Irish-made bathrobes and décor additions which include books, local photography and miniature games. It’s a cute, comfy space which I’d describe as boutique-y rather than earthy or rustic; a throw from Jysk, for example, doesn’t add much texture to the palette. A compact but well-stocked kitchen leads to an en suite with rain shower and attractive hand-crafted basin while products are from Irish eco-brand Janni. Gripes include a lack of any luggage storage space and while beds offer wonderful uninterrupted views of the countryside, once outside, it can feel involuntarily invasive, thanks to the layout of the arc of cabins.

8/10

In-Room Perks

Barry’s Tea and supermarket coffee is provided though we are told plans are in place to source a local provider for the latter. Guests are also welcomed with home-baked scones with Irish creamery buttery, strawberry jam and fresh organic milk, as well as a complimentary Ocean Bloom seaweed pack from Bere Island. Four-legged guests also receive welcome treats! There's an outdoor firepit and a vapouriser with essential oils. 

9/10

On the Menu

Guests can either bring their own fare or avail of a series of food upgrades which can be booked as add-ons, or incorporated into one of the property’s several packages. I tucked into a beautifully presented grazing board, straight from an Instagram feed, which featured charcuterie, West Cork mozzarella and feta, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted peppers and basil, accompanied by gluten-free bread and a bottle of Rioja. There is also a nicely parcelled local breakfast package which features eggs, bacon, sausage, cherry tomatoes and aloaf of brown bread and fresh OJ. Guests also have the option to add other extras such as pizzas or barbecue packs.

8.5/10

Activities & Amenities

Each lodge features its own outdoor bath while seaweed packs from the Bere Island- based Ocean Bloom are available for a reasonable €10. There is also an on-site sauna and plunge pool open to all guests from 6-9pm while private sauna sessions, included in some stay packages, are also available for a surcharge. Quite uniquely, given the remote location, Wild Hideaways offer a fully functional spa service and this brings a real wellness-in-the-wilds cachet. I enjoyed an excellent full-body massage with therapist Ciara, to the sounds of piano playlists and tinkling spring showers. Shorter treatments are also available, as well as couples treatment.

8.5/10

The bill

B&B for two from €259.

Room to improve? I found privacy a potential issue; the sauna, plunge pool and some lodge baths are visible from the car park and could do with added trellising, while couples will need to use curtains perhaps more often than expected.

Accessibility? There is no fully accessible lodge.

Family-friendly? No, adults only.

Dog-friendly: Yes, at no additional charge.

EV chargers: Not yet, though the first is slated for installation this year.

• Wild Hideaways, Kealkill, West Cork
• wildhideaways.ie

The Hotel Examiner was a guest of Wild Hideaways.