The Maritime Hotel

Bantry
Co Cork
The Maritime Hotel Cork enquiries
www.themaritime.ie

• Lovely location overlooking Bantry Bay.
• Bright and stylish contemporary design.
• Family owned and friendly atmosphere.

Finally there is a hotel to complement the breathtaking beauty of historic Bantry Bay!
This West Cork town is one of our favourite locations, with the bustling market, the fabulous local artisan foods, the lovely harbour and surrounding countryside, friendly people and historic houses. We love to stop for morning coffee in the little tea-rooms at Bantry House, and now we have discovered the marvellous Maritime Hotel right beside it!

ACCOMMODATION AT THE MARITIME

The rooms are lovely, many overlook Bantry Bay itself and some even have a large balcony. The design of this hotel makes very good use of the light and scenery that surrounds it, and while colours inside are mooted, windows are big and the surrounding countryside is invited warmly inside!
Our bed was huge, bathroom had the desired separate bath and power shower; several of bottles of drinking water; complementary internet access – in fact all our wish-list boxes were ticked! One quirky feature we liked was the way the room numbers were highlighted on the carpet in front of each bedroom!

Watching the scene outside the large bedroom window, small boats bopping on the water, sea birds circling and fishing, people walking their dogs along the water-front and mountains silhouetted against the sky – this was like a painting waiting to happen.
An artist friend of mine whose paintings are internationally acclaimed lives in this area and attributes his success partly to the changing light here. Indeed, both that night and again next morning the ever changing vista outside the bedroom window was inspiring.

DINING AT OCEAN AT THE MARITIME

The first thing I have to say about Ocean is that is one of the most attractively appointed dining rooms I have been in for a long time. The stylish eye that looked after the interior of this hotel is nowhere more evident than here. Again the light floods into the room through the glass wall that runs along one side. Internal lighting fittings and colours are smooth and calm and make for a serene dining ambiance. Another positive that has to be mentioned is the service. The staff just could not be friendlier or more helpful. The St Clair Pinot Noir I wanted to match the menu choices was found even though initially I was told it was discontinued. Also, a fabulous fresh fruit salad and home-made ice-cream was made up for me as the choices all looked too rich by the time I had arrived at the dessert stage. This is caring and attentive service that goes beyond the normal, and is much appreciated.
And so to the rest of the menu. The chef here offers international dishes using local ingredients – for me a perfect mix! On the look out for something different I chose Sautee Jumbo Scallop and Shrimp which was served with a mango and coriander salsa, and a lime Thai curry sauce. Now that was a mix of flavours! Fresh herbs were used, everything was delicate and delicious and I loved that dish. Other choices included local Skeaghanore Crispy Duck; Roast Tail of Monkfish; Rack of Spring Lamp; Tournedos Rossini; Grilled Sea Bass and vegetarian Ratatouille with spiced cous cous. Certainly something for everybody here. Starters were mainly seafood based but also included soup and chicken salad and my choice which was a lovely Maritime Caprese – again plenty of fresh herbs really made the dish. Not surprising then that I was too full for Baked Alaska or Chocolate tart or any of the other dessert offerings!
Ocean also serve a lovely selection of home-made breads, and next morning for breakfast it was those breads and pastries that tempted me. With a hot and cold buffet and extra choices on the menu, again there was plenty of possible breakfast options. I decided on an omelette made with local Durus and Gubbeen cheeses, and while probably not good for the cholesterol levels, was a real treat and very tasty indeed!

I believe that there are plans for a marina and this will really add to the Mediterranean atmosphere. The Maritime already boasts an excellent Leisure Centre and there was mention of a Spa. With plenty of conference rooms, funky lounges and private bar areas the hotel is proving a popular destination for weddings and for conferences. It is also a firm favourite with families. We liked it. Now we have another good reason to head down to Bantry!