Hotel review: Is this family-owned hotel the best stay in West Cork?

Homely and cosy with real heart, this family-run boutique Clonakilty hotel offers West Cork value and style

The exterior of Clonakilty's Emmet hotel

The Emmet Hotel, Clonakilty

Our rating: 8/10

Location

A few steps from the main strip of kaleidoscopic Clonakilty, The Emmet is nestled in what must be one of Cork’s prettiest town squares; with terraces of elegant Georgian houses, built for the town’s affluent merchant class in the 1800s.

Your neighbours here include the Michael Collins Museum, just a few doors down, while the square’s landscaped John F Kennedy memorial gardens host the town’s very own farmers’ market on Fridays… handy for grabbing a local taste of West Cork.

Otherwise, you’re perfectly located to enjoy all the highlights of Clon and surrounds, from whale watching to beach strolls at Inchydoney.

• 9/10

The common spaces of the Emmet have a boutique feel

Style & design

The Emmet has a handsome Georgian facade with fuchsia pink door and signage offering a hint of what lies inside.

Characterful flamingo-themed wallpaper lines the foyer leading into a fine reception with empire chandeliers and cornicing, while colourful additions like a gilded chimp, tassel lamps, and a Jeff Koons balloon dog add an eclectic, boho look.

Off the lobby lies a very charming library room with velvet magenta love seats, antiques, and acid yellow butterfly prints with fine townhouse windows to watch the world go by. It’s the highlight space. 

To the rear, there’s a vibrant, Southern-style breakfast cafe (the Garden Room Restaurant) and a sun room which leads to a private garden.

Some elements, like the corridors and the reception desk itself, feel a little more dated, but it showboats plenty of boutique character too.

• 8/10

Service

Receptionist Jess offers a friendly first impression to the hotel and becomes a personable presence throughout my stay while elsewhere, owners Rebecca Neville and Rob O’Keeffe have a warm, hands-on approach with guests throughout. 

One thing: Being informed that the hotel charges for losing a room key is perhaps not what you want to hear just as you’re checking in, however politely.

• 9/10

A guest room at the Emmet.

Guest rooms

My garden-facing room is a bright affair with vibrant accent cushions, armchairs and a fine throw from Blarney Woollen Mills adding pops of colour. 

It’s a compact room which also packs in a coffee station, Dyson air purifier, and vanity desk with hair-dryer.

There are some interesting furniture choices, however, and my bed (which lacked a headboard) looks upon an open-shelved storage unit which is uninspiring.

I peeked into a vacated room next door which seems to have had a more recent refresh with much better use of space while featuring a more contemporary en suite too.

• 7.5/10

In-room perks

All rooms feature in-house bottled water, branded Emmet chocolates, and a Nespresso machine and Barry’s Tea as well as to-go cups which is a handy offering.

A little bit of a spoiler (a pleasant one!), but there’s also a very nice local gift upon checkout which is an extremely rare touch, particularly at this price point.

• 9/10

On the menu

Dinner is offered in the hotel’s all-day dining lounge, 2 The Square, which is a casual option with an aesthetic which can veer a little more towards a cafe than a bar (despite having the latter).

Dishes offer a taste of West Cork with starters including dishes like dressed Castletownbere crab with Clonakilty black pudding and apple glaze, while hearty mains range from a West Cork fish pie to a Caherbeg tomahawk pork steak with champ, carrots and honey mustard.

My hearty fish pie proves a tasty main. There’s good provenance on the menu, which is a welcome sight.

Breakfast the next morning is served in the colourful Garden Restaurant, which, with its botanical decor and background jazz, almost has a hint of New Orleans.

There’s no buffet here but rather cooked-to-order options including French toast and pancakes. I opted for the veggie full Irish.

It’s worth highlighting that breakfast adds only €10pp to room rates, which, considering the price of coffee alone these days, is pretty excellent value too.

• 8/10

Activities & amenities

There are no on-site amenities as such but for anyone on the lookout for day two wedding venues, the hotel does cater to these occasions with locally sourced gourmet barbecues.

• 6/10

Checking in

The bill? B&B for two from €169.

Room to improve? My room could have benefitted from smarter furniture choices and a cohesive boutique feel across all spaces could elevate the guest experience further. Enhanced garden planting or landscaping could ramp up the oasis feel of the outside space which has oodles of potential.

Accessibility? No bedrooms. Only the ground floor dining spaces.

Family-friendly? Family rooms are available, there's a decent kids' menu and a secure garden courtyard where they are welcome to play.

Dog-friendly? Small dogs welcome upon request.

EV chargers? No. Parking is available off-site around the square.

• The Emmet Hotel
• Clonakilty, Co. Cork
• emmethotel.com
• The Hotel Examiner was a guest of The Emmet.