ARD NA SIDHE
Splendid Caragh Lake hideaway in lushest County Kerry
IF YOU COULD JUDGE A PLACE on its setting alone, Ard na Sidhe would win hands down. The grounds of this lakeside Kerry hideaway are just exquisite. The house stands proud above Caragh Lake,
sheltered by huge pines between whose branches the lakeshore glitters. This is a Kerry hotel with a wildly romantic setting.
Pretty woodland walks bursting with blooms and huge ferns meander down to the water, where you can sit and soak up the stillness or hop into a rowing boat and make for the far shore, framed by mountains. Young hares were nibbling at the grass when we arrived, and the barely-ruffled waters of the lake were still as a painting.
Ard na Sidhe (meaning Hill of the Fairies in Gaelic) sits in the foothills of Ireland’s highest mountain range, the McGillicuddy Reeks. Built in 1912 for society lady Edith Gordon (you can dip into her autobiography downstairs), this ivy-clad Edwardian house charms inside, too.
Big leaded windows frame garden and lake views, while a fire crackles at night in the hearth of the huge lounge. Elegant period furniture, oil paintings, rich country-cousin chintzes and wrought-iron lanterns lend warmth and welcome.
Hit the Spot
On the lush wooded shores of Caragh Lake.
Bedtime
Room 2 is the real plum – loads of space and the best views of the lake.
Be Savvy
No TV, newspapers or in-room internet – guests come to Ard na Sidhe to escape.
Be Smitten
Bring on the violins – the setting's magic
Chocolate florentines
Without TVs and newspapers (ordered on request) Ard na Sidhe is
an escape from metropolitan madness, though guests with a burning desire to keep up with outside world can still access the net from a couple of PCs.
Our pretty corner room (number 11) in the main house felt cared for and private, with mellow furniture, a canopied bed and well-stocked marbled bathroom. The
welcoming plate of chocolate florentines vanished within minutes, and leafy views beckoned outside our windows. Classically furnished rooms in the next door lodge have a newer feel, with rooms that don't stint on those views.
Our lakeside meanders meant we were too late for a
pre-dinner whiskey on the terrace, though we wallowed in the late-evening stillness of a balmy evening later, coffees in hand. Dinner is served in the intimate dining room, with its candle glow and cushiony window seats. Cooking combines modern Irish with international favourites, and our tuna tartare, grilled seabass and tiramisu won top marks.
Buffet breakfast next morning didn't quite live up to the standards of dinner, but we were ready to head outdoors again. How much can you fit into a day? Walks around the lake,
picnics on the far shore, even having a go at landing a trout... No wonder guests love it at Ard na Sidhe – and we don’t think they’re off with the fairies.
Ard na Sidhe was reviewed for Room for Romance by
Mairiona Cotter
Click on any picture to enlarge it and move through the gallery.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dining in
Two adjoining intimate dining rooms are candlelit at night. Tables are dressed in crisp linens and crystal, and menus feature a mix of Irish and international dishes. Mains range from Atlantic-caught fish to Irish beef, and the Irish cheeses to follow could well divert your eyes from the
more-ish mousse of pear with Bailey's cream sauce. Other favourites include
duck with blackcurrant sauce, avocado and shrimp salad and scrummy Black Forest gateau. Cosy up later around the lounge's peat fire for a post-dinner chaser.
Dining out
Try the Garden Cafe or formal Oak Room restaurant at sister hotel Dunloe Castle – ideally placed to follow a visit to Killarney town.
Where?
Ard na Sidhe
What's cooking?
Irish smoked salmon with capers and horseradish, and fillet of sole cooked in saffron root and rice.
Dress the part
Take your wellies for boating or walks around the lake, and smart attire for the evening.
Top table?
Choose one of the corner window-seats.
See & Do
Explore lovely Caragh Lake on foot or in the hotel's rowing boat, then maybe set off for the Gap of Dunloe – an eight-mile mountain pass – followed by a trip through the three lakes of Killarney. Follow the pretty path up to the Torc waterfall, tumbling 18m into Muckross Lake, where Muckross House sits at the heart of the Killarney national park. Or make a day of it touring the scenic Ring of Kerry. If you're feeling sporty, there's swimming and tennis at Ard na Sidhe's two Killarney sister hotels, and golf nearby.
Shop
You're a short drive from Killarney – just the place to stock up with Irish linens, woollens and whiskeys.
Spa
Book a pampering ESPA treatment at the Hotel Europe, near Killarney.
After dark
Sit out on the grassy terrace, if it's fine, and nurse a whiskey watching the moon rise over the lake. There are board games and toasty fires indoors on cooler nights.
Dates
February
Watch an Irish jig or three at the All Ireland Dancing Championships in Killarney.
July
Killarney's Summerfest is the stage for two weeks of music, theatre and story telling.
GETTING THERE
Location
Caragh Lake, Killarney, Co. Kerry
Parking
There is free guest parking
Trains
Killarney station – 14 miles
Taxis
Around EUR 35 from the airport or station
Airport
Kerry – 15 miles
Rooms and suites
18 rooms and suites
Special features
Some rooms have four posters, and the best have grand lake views.
Also…
You'll love the fabulous wooded grounds leading down to Caragh Lake.
ESSENTIAL INFO
Rates guide
EUR 170 - 300
Open/closed
Closed mid October – early May
Check-in
2pm
Check-out
12.00 midday
Minimum night stay?
No
Breakfast
Buffet breakfast is served until 10am
Room service
Available morning and evening
Children
Welcome
Pets
Guide dogs only
Air conditioning
No
Languages
English and German
Wedding license?
Yes – based on exclusive hire of the property. Up to 34 guests can be accommodated, and a marquee can be put up in the gardens.