Gemma Tiptonstays at the Muckross Park, in Killarney, Co Kerry
DURING THE boom, they were the “designer handbags” of the super rich. Everyone who was anyone (or so it seemed) who had racked up a few million wanted to own a hotel. I wonder if they look at their hotels now in the same way I look at the one overpriced handbag I purchased in a moment of rash enthusiasm for bling, and think: that was an expensive mistake.
Muckross Park in Killarney is Bill Cullen (Renault, The Apprentice) and his partner Jackie Lavin's designer handbag hotel, although it comes with a longer history than that. Built in 1795, Queen Victoria had lunch there when she stayed at nearby Muckross House, presenting the owner's wife with a bracelet of gold, pearls and diamonds on her departure. Other guests have included George Bernard Shaw, Daniel O'Connell and Michael Collins.
Cullen and Lavin took it over in 1990, and rebuilt, adding bedrooms, a spa, conference centre, and The Reserve – 24 apartments in the grounds. Even with the expansion, there are just 68 bedrooms, so although large in scale, it’s actually quite intimate. A plaque at the entrance announces that Bertie Ahern performed the reopening honours.
At the edge of Killarney’s spectacular National Park, and away from the noise of the town (five minutes’ drive), the setting is fantastic. You can still enter through the original roadside front door, although the car park route takes you to a more turreted affair. Inside it’s all dark wood, tapestries, and a mix of contemporary and older art. There’s a coffee lounge with soft sofas, and it feels opulent. We had gone for a garden view bedroom and our window looked out over a running stream.
The bathroom was large, with a separate bath and rain shower; the bedroom quite big enough, with a huge and comfortable bed together with a gilded papier mache crown hanging draped curtains over. The whole thing, in fact the hotel itself, is probably best described as gilded and swagged. Lying in bed I could hear the jarvey’s horses clip clopping by and the gentle sound of the river, but the weather was stunning and you can’t stay in bed forever (no matter how much you may wish to sometimes) and so off we went: walking around Muckross Lake, climbing through woodlands and lingering on a little beach. The whole walk takes just over two hours, and is the perfect appetiser for a pint at a table outside Molly Darcy’s bar, back at the hotel.
The hotel restaurant menu looked very nice, but we had a feeling we might be missing something, so headed into town. That was a mistake, or rather we made a mistake with our choice of restaurant, so we walked off the unappetising meal with an evening stroll on Mangerton. Breakfast next morning told us we should probably have stuck with the hotel, I had a delicious herb omelette, and the coffee was excellent.
The Cloisters Spa at the hotel is “gothic inspired”, but as it included an outdoor hot tub, thermal pool with water jets, sauna, steam room and heated recliners to snooze on, I forgave them some of the more over-the-top touches and gave in to the atmosphere.
It's hard to put my finger on exactly what wasn't quite "right" about the Muckross Park – after all, the staff were excellent: very well trained, friendly and great at their jobs; the setting is gorgeous and the beds are the kind you want to take home with you. It felt as if it had been all done with sense of taste that wasn't quite the same as mine. On the other hand, the spa has just won Tatler's"most stylish Irish spa" award, so who knows, maybe I'm the one who's not quite right?
WhereMuckross Park Hotel, Killarney, Co Kerry, 064-6623400, muckrosspark.com.
WhatFive-star hotel.
Rooms68 bedrooms including two suites in original part of the hotel, and six further suites.
Best ratesB&B from €70pps, special packages online, including five nights plus three dinners and a picnic, €425pps.
Restaurant and barGB Shaw's restaurant, Blue Pool restaurant, Molly Darcy's bar, Monks bar.
Child-friendlinesschildren welcome (in-house babysitters available), but not a family dedicated hotel.
AccessTwo fully accessible rooms.
AmenitiesConference facilities, free Wi-Fi in bedrooms, free parking, Cloisters Spa, fantastic location.