Hotel Dunloe Castle

Killarney,
Co. Kerry
Hotel Dunloe Castle enquiries
www.thedunloe.com

• Picture postcard setting.
• Spacious and elegant luxury hotel.
• Uniquely family-friendly five star.

We drove up the tree lined avenue with horses grazing in the fields and surrounded by the majestic mountains of Kerry. This is some setting! With over sixty acres of parkland, a hidden 12th century castle ruin and the famous Gap of Dunloe, there is a sense of timelessness and grandeur here together with contemporary comfort and style. The hotel itself is a beautiful building and the service is warm and welcoming.

ACCOMMODATION AT DUNLOE CASTLE

I have no doubt that whatever room you stay in at this hotel you would enjoy fabulous views. But our room certainly commanded a view that surpassed any we have enjoyed in a long time. Our balcony gave us the opportunity to sit out and watch the sun set between the mountains with manicured gardens and horses peacefully grazing in the fields in the foreground. It really is spectacular scenery whatever the weather, as the rain fell in the morning the scene looked more magical than ever complete with rainbow! Our room lacked none of the comforts we love, including a large Jacuzzi bath and separate power shower, beautiful robes, towels, toiletries and bed-linen, a large comfortable sitting area, very good lighting, tasteful furniture and wonderful views at every turn. They also did a complete turn-down service while we were at dinner.

DINING AT DUNLOE

We had arrived early for our visit and enjoyed a light lunch in The Garden Café, which as the name suggests overlooks the gardens. Later on we went to the Oak Restaurant for dinner where we had succulent steaks and seafood and a lovely bottle of French Pinot Noir. The wine list is very good, and offers plenty to choose from to complement the varied menu which includes classical dishes using local produce. We noticed quite a few families at the tables around us, and were impressed to see that the kitchen can provide gourmet food for all ages and tastes.

ACTIVITIES AT DUNLOE CASTLE

One thing that signalled this hotel out from others we have visited was the huge range of activities available to the guest in this spectacular setting. Firstly those lovely horses we saw grazing in the grounds are available for riding free of charge to hotel guests. There is also tennis on two indoor courts, fishing on the River Laune, a jogging track and an exceptionally well equipped children’s play area. For us, it was the lovely swimming pool that really impressed. This is surrounded by floor to ceiling glass so as you enjoy a few lengths you are on ground level looking out at the grounds. We also loved the gardens themselves which include some lovely walks through areas planted with trees and shrubs from all over the world. Perhaps most exciting of all is the connection with Venture Ireland – www.ventureireland.com – which offers some incredible activities in the unique location of Dunloe Castle Hotel. These include activity breaks and team building activities that cater for all fitness levels. Hiking, biking, golf, archaeology field trips and photography are all available. For the adrenalin junkie there is canoeing, kayaking, orienteering, abseiling, zip lining, mountain biking and rock climbing.

We were not surprised to learn that there were some guests staying there who had booked in for two weeks, and these included families with children of various ages. There really is a lot to do while staying at this luxury hotel, and while the setting is timeless, the facilities are contemporary and the ambiance is luxury. A winning recipe, we decided.

They were certainly ahead of their time when they built this lovely hotel over forty years ago.
For the best rates check out www.thedunloe.com