Parknasilla is a pretty dramatic scene, and the sight is pretty much guaranteed to take your breath away when you arrive. Its 500 acres warmed by the Gulf Stream are a wonderland of beaches, inlets, islands and forest walks on the shores of Kenmare Bay in sight of the Kerry mountains and peninsulas. Majestic views aside, it’s clear within minutes that there are enough activities and amenities here for a week or two of serious fun. But where to begin?
Why stay at Parknasilla Resort & Spa?
Photos on the walls of the hotel reveal the arduous journeys by charabanc on rutted tracks that wealthy Victorians were prepared to make to get here from the now closed railway station at Kenmare. The hotel was built in 1897 by Great Southern and Western Railway, and boasted Turkish hot and cold seawater baths, reading and games rooms and bathrooms on every floor. Since then, it’s hosted royalty, celebrities, French leader Charles de Gaulle and inspired writers and generations of returning guests.
The poster boy for Parknasilla is Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw, who stayed many times in the early 1900s. He wrote here and took intricate walks with long sea views ‘between ferns and fuchsias, rock and rhododendrons to burnt out castles lost within the woods and along the various fingers of land that point south west into the warm Atlantic’. He described Parknasilla as a dream world (I can see it). Portraits and a bronze sculpture of him and some of his writings are on display in the original rooms of the hotel. The restaurant Pygmalion is named for his most famous play (My Fair Lady in the film version) and Doolittle bar and dining room after his heroine Eliza. Another writer who has stayed here since her childhood, and now brings her own family is Cecilia Ahern. The reading rooms overlooking the bay that charmed Victorians are lovely places to daydream or read by the fires now.
What are the rooms like at Parknasilla Resort & Spa?
The poster girl for Parknasilla is Princess Grace who stayed here with her husband Prince Rainier III of Monaco and their children in 1961 when the former Hollywood star was tracing her Irish ancestral roots. The elegant suite in which they slept has restored mahogany antique furniture, French chandeliers and Thomas Crapper & Co Victorian/Edwardian fittings. It has all the luxury touches and mod cons that a modern princess might expert.
A light-filled balcony suite in a newer wing is a huge 102m² with floor to ceiling windows, a separate living room, relaxation area, wraparound balcony overlooking the sea, and bathroom with a deep Jacuzzi bath and separate shower. You could move in for a month (I wish) – the walk-in closet and dressing room could house the average person’s whole wardrobe. It’s glorious. There are 83 rooms and suites from doubles to family rooms, plus 24 courtyard lodges and 38 woodland villas in the grounds. Some rooms are not accessible. Pets are welcome.
What are the best things to eat at Parknasilla Resort & Spa?
Sunsets often put on a show through the vast windows of The Pygmalion Restaurant. It’s been updated since the old school days of dinner dances, with a carpet and glass pendants mimicking the sea and sands and nature artworks by local Sarah Walker. Head Chef Paul O’ Loughlin’s food is served to tables dressed in white linen, starting with rich treacle soda bread and focaccia. Irish crab and apple salad pickled celeriac, compressed cucumber, pea and cucumber gazpacho was a great appetiser. Another light dish, high on flavour, was pan seared medallions of monkfish, ginger arancini, cauliflower purée, pickled courgette, tomato chilli broth, and basil oil. A dessert of rhubarb and apple crumble, butterscotch sauce and vanilla ice cream is a perfect classic – there is a specials menu too. Service was swift. Two courses for €57, or three for €69. Sides €6. The wine list is extensive, and suits budgets up to €320 for a bottle of Dom Perignon Vintage 2013. A glass of Brocard Petit Chablis was a good choice to complement my food, €13.
The Doolittle dining room is a larger space, with a crowd-pleasing a la carte menu – starters include the Irish favourite (and mine) seafood chowder, leading to burgers, pizza and curry. A kids’ menu has mini versions of the main menu, sausages and pasta, and jelly and ice cream. The Doolittle bar is a social hangout with a pianist and music, and spaces in adjoining rooms to chill, or toast by the fire. Barista coffee is served during the day at the Railway Express café.
What is the service like at Parknasilla Resort & Spa?
It’s a four-star hotel, but I give the staff five stars. From the porter who has worked here for years who took me through a labyrinth of twists and turns to my room and told me stories, to the restaurant and reception teams and marketing manager Carmel Flynn – their dedication to hospitality is spot on.
What are the facilities like at Parknasilla Resort & Spa?
I took a dip before breakfast in the heated outdoor infinity pool overlooking the bay. What a start to the day. Hardier souls can wild swim and use a freshwater vitality pool by the pier afterwards. Inside there is a 30c, 18m pool and a thermal suite for hot, cold, wet and dry experiences with a laconium, aromatherapy steam room, herb sauna, salt inhalation steam cabin, rainfall and tropical mist showers and heated loungers. Body and facial treatments use Sothys products. Body massage €139. A small gym is onsite too.
More wellbeing awaits with ten mapped walking trails for nature immersion amongst the subtropical gardens, inlets, beaches, islands and woodland. There are fairy and treasure hunt trails for families, a murder mystery puzzle and a mission impossible challenge to solve. I joined marine biologist Vincent Hyland for a free Family Eco-Discovery Tour. We skirted the hotel’s 9-hole golf course to the shore where children turned over the rocks and found many varieties of baby crabs, an eel, an empty crab shell hunted by an otter, warty Venus clams and a snake pike fish. He tells us how the shore is cared for and full of life as a nursery for sea creatures. Another regular free guided tour is led by historian, bar manager and resident poet Tim Buckley (actress Jessie Buckley’s dad), who recounts Parknasilla’s tumultuous history.
Curated experiences take to the water on a kayak, RIB boat or private boat trip, or stay on dry land for immersive yoga, Pilates and meditation sessions, or encounters with owls and falcons.
What’s the area like around Parknasilla Resort & Spa?
If, for some crazy reason, you feel you need to leave, Sneem village five minutes’ drive away is a popular spot for coaches touring the Ring of Kerry round the peninsula. It has riverside walks, a sculpture trail, a couple of pink pubs and a church. Carry on along the scenic drive through the mountains to Moll’s Gap and Ladies’ View in Killarney National Park, where Queen Victoria’s ladies’ in waiting were impressed by the viewpoint. Take the lower road for 25 minutes for the lovely town of Kenmare, where colourful artisan shops, art galleries and pubs line the streets. Half the way along is Derrynane House Museum and National Park.
Why you should book a stay at Parknasilla Resort & Spa?
It’s a self-contained resort for couples, families and even solo writers perhaps. There’s enough space on the estate and wild countryside to find a quiet spot to dream.
DETAILS
Address: Sneem, County Kerry, V93 EK71
Price: Parkland View Room €215 per room per night midweek March and November, up to €389 per room per night mid-July to late August. Offers for longer stays.
Closest transport: Killarney railway station 1hr. Kerry Airport 1hr 15min