GEMMA TIPTONstays at Park Hotel Kenmare, in Co Kerry
A COUPLE OF YEARS ago, so stressed I thought I was on my way to a nervous breakdown, I went looking for the perfect hotel. With only two days available, I didn’t want to fly too far; in fact all I did want was a complete break somewhere beautiful, where there could be nothing to annoy me and where I could sit, sip, sleep and have my stress soothed away. Google found me Hostal de la Gavina, up the coast from Barcelona, and off I went. And, yes, it was wonderful, but, as I discovered on a trip to Co Kerry last week, I could just as well have gone to the Park.
Park Hotel Kenmare is one of those places that are, like the Shelbourne, a bit of an institution, and, as with the Shelbourne, I had always thought it was the sort of hotel that Other People stayed in. It was built in 1897 as a railway hotel of the Victorian era, when railways were glamorous and wealthy travellers wanted their destinations equipped with all the luxuries they were used to at home – or aspired to when on holidays.
The first thing to say about the Park is its location: overlooking Kenmare Bay, and with gorgeous gardens. My sense of having come to a special place was confirmed by the welcome, and by the inviting log fire (even in summer, and charming on a damp day). The lobby, public rooms and bedrooms are stuffed with antiques and art, though the latter are of varying degrees of wonderfulness. You’ll see an early Jack Yeats, and some fantastically forbidding portraits of Victorian gentlemen, which I loved, but also some pretty awful specimens, too.
Each room is different, so I can’t vouch for every one, but ours was perfect. We had a very comfortable bed with starched sheets, a deep sofa, more antiques, Floris shampoos and soaps in the bathroom, towelling robes, cookies and a sea view past a field in which a pony contentedly chomped grass in the gently falling rain. And, best of all, it was quiet, quiet, quiet.
We had booked the spa – not treatments but a session in the thermal suite, where you reserve time alone – and of all the lovely things that happened during my visit, one of the most memorable must be swimming gently against the current in the infinity pool, looking out over wild flowers to the sea beyond, and then enjoying the sensation of water jets that gave me the massage of my life.
To undo the goodness of all that water, we wandered down to the bar, which has a similar vibe to the Shelbourne’s Horseshoe Bar, although with nicer views and fewer politicians. John, the barman, makes a perfect kir royale, and we sat up on soft stools, chatting about Kenmare, how gorgeous we found it, rebuffing suggestions for further activities and eyeing up our fellow guests.
I have a feeling that the Park has thrived on wealthy Americans with Irish roots for much of its history, and these were well in evidence. There were also Irish guests, a couple of whom were keen to tell us that they came here every year (and I don’t blame them). The trouble with the Americans with Irish roots is, however, that, as the generations pass, the younger ones feel less affinity with Ireland, and visits here will likely be one-off trips rather than annual pilgrimages.
The Park has caught on to this, too, and the Sámas spa is part of its gentle reinvention – there has been no radical revision, and if old-world charm is your thing, the Park is definitely better for it.
One room we decided we would revise was the dining room. It is large, with gorgeous windows looking out over the water. These are shaded with heavy curtains; together with dark Victorian antiques and a patterned carpet, the beauty of the room seemed stifled. We would get rid of the curtains, put down a plain carpet, remove the sideboard . . . and were happily thinking about light fittings when the food arrived and put a stop to all considerations except how delicious it was.
We wandered by moonlight around Kenmare before returning for an incredibly refreshing sleep. My breakfast kippers next morning were cooked to order, and the absence of a buffet made me realise how much I hate queuing at them before I’ve had my first coffee. Service was second to none and of the type that founded Ireland’s reputation for fantastic and friendly hospitality.
The Park is not cheap, and this is reflected in things like the wine list, yet if time is short and a restful-but- reviving break is necessary, I would recommend it without hesitation.
WherePark Hotel Kenmare, Co Kerry, 064-6641200, www.parkkenmare.com.
WhatFive-star country-house hotel.
Rooms46, including nine suites.
Best ratesFrom €198pps. August specials from €180pps for dinner, bed and breakfast.
Restaurants and barsBar, lounge, coffee lounge, terrace and restaurant.
Child-friendlinessChildren welcome.
AccessibilityWheelchair access. Three accessible rooms, although bathrooms are not fully equipped.
AmenitiesSpa, 25m pool, thermal suite, tennis, croquet, fitness and relaxation classes, gardens, 18-hole golf course, bicycles, cinema room, Wi-Fi.