Manor-style living in Killarney

Guest: George G.
Date of Stay: 08/19/11 Review Submitted: 01/30/12

On our August 2011 trip to Ireland, we visited the delightful town of Killarney in County Kerry. Located on the Ring of Kerry, this popular destination offers everything your heart desires, from golf to castles, horse-drawn jaunting car rides through Killarney National Park, walking trails and wonderful restaurants. The town is tourist friendly with lots of places to stay, but none finer than Coolclogher House. We had the good fortune to spend two delightful weeks at the magnificent Coolclogher House. This luxurious mansion dates back to 1746 and has been beautifully restored to its original glory (with modern plumbing). The manor house sits on more than 60 acres of walled and secluded land that provided us with both privacy and a gorgeous outdoor setting - complete with horses, sheep and rolling green meadows. A walk across the meadow to the edge of the estate property rewards you with beautiful views of the mountains, the Killarney Lakes and the spire of St. Mary's Cathedral. Inside, we got a taste of luxury living in an 18th century manor. Together with our dozen or so friends and fellow travelers, we utilized every room that the house had to offer. From the seven bedrooms to the spacious and beautifully decorated parlors and sitting rooms, we were comfortably spoiled day and night. We prepared some fabulous meals in the fully-equipped kitchen and enjoyed them either sitting at the large wooden table in the country style kitchen or in the formal dining room. Throughout the day, you could find a group of us sitting in front of a cozy fireplace reading or sharing our experiences with friends and family on our iPads and laptops. Our hosts, Mary and Maurice, who own Coolclogher House and are responsible for how beautiful it looks both inside and out, were there when we needed them and mostly invisible the rest of the time. They are a delightful couple and getting to know them enhanced our experience. I even received a singing lesson from their lovely daughter, Katie! Killarney is a must see for any visitor to Ireland. But, it's not often that you get to say that the accommodations were one of the highlights of your visit. Coolclogher House was that and more and we look forward to returning there someday.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, age 55+, families with teenagers.

Heaven in Ireland

Guest: saeed k.
Date of Stay: 09/17/11 Review Submitted: 01/27/12

what a great home in such a wonderful setting. when you add incredible accommodations and absolutely first class service you have an experience that our group had when we visited Mary's home in Killarney. for any group that is visiting Ireland and the Killarney area, and are looking for a base from which to sight see, fish and/or play golf you could not ask for a better location and a more serene setting than Coolclogher House. flexibility is the norm. the first 5 days we traveled and ate out the last two we asked Mary to bring in a chef for a sit down dinner(absolutely amazing service and food to die for), another night the chef prepared Irish Stew and left it for us to enjoy in a casual setting. every evening we had a choice of two sitting rooms with a wonderful peat fireplace and comfortable seating for the 12 of us. general consensus of the group was that the next time we are in Ireland we will definitely go back to Coolclogher House. A gem of a house and a great host. Thanks Mary.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, families with teenagers.

Christmas 2010

Guest: Gary (Chicago)
Date of Stay: 12/27/10 Review Submitted: 09/24/11

OUr family spent our Christmas Holiday in Ireland and a week of that time was spent at Cooclogher. It was without a dobut the hightlight of our vacation, very relaxing, and close to everything in town. House is everything as described plus more. Just this past week our family began looking back on that vacation and all agreed it was just wonderful. Highly recommend.

Owner response:Many thanks Gary for kind comments we hope to see you and your family soon .

Recommended for:Sightseeing, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers.

Like an Irish Dream Come True !

Guest: Catherine (Huntington Beach California USA)
Date of Stay: 06/01/10 Review Submitted: 03/31/11

Had a wonderful stay at this very beautiful manor. The entire time our group felt like royalty ! The rooms and funishings were top notch and the owners of the property, Mary, Maurice and daughter Katie were delightful and so helpful planning our day trips.The views from the en suite rooms were like postcard pictures of the Irish countryside.So peaceful and quiet we slept so soundly.We were just a short trip to Killarney to visit the churches,pubs and shops (could easily be walked in daylight hours) The manor in short is just magnifient and we plan to bring our entire family back this spring. Coolclogher would be a wonderful venue for a family reunion or wedding ! 5 stars all the way !!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, tourists without a car, sightseeing, adventure seekers, girls getaway, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers.

Truly Memorable

Guest: Stephanie (Bethesda, MD, USA)
Date of Stay: 07/31/10 Review Submitted: 09/22/10

I searched for the "perfect place" to spend two weeks with my family in Ireland and I found it! Coolclogherhouse is special in so many ways. The house itself is a true Manor House, elegantly appointed yet very comfortable. We felt like Royalty! Each guest staying at Coolclogherhouse gets a great room with private bath. It is meticulously maintained and cared for by Mary and Maurice Hartnett who live on the property and act as "concierge." Mary helped us with everything from dinner reservations to fishing expeditions; she knows everyone in town and is just a wealth of information. The property offers stunning views and plenty room for our children to run and play. The house is located just a few miles from town - a nice walk or bike ride. Killarney is a busy town with great pubs, restaurants and shopping. Our teenagers loved the "night life". But the most appealing aspect of Killarney for us was Killarney National Park - 27,000 acres of breathtaking scenery, paths and trails which we hiked, biked and rode on horses. From Coolclogerhouse, the entrance to the park is just a short walk. For longer day trips, Killarney is the perfect spot to explore the southwest of Ireland - we visited Kinsale, Waterville, Dingle, Kenmare, and the Ring of Kerry. For golfers, there are many courses just a short drive and some of the more famous courses are an easy day-trip. Our trip to Ireland and in particular to Coolclogerherhouse provided us with memories to last a lifetime.

Recommended for:Sightseeing, adventure seekers, families with teenagers.

Coolclogher House is the finest gem on the Emerald Isle, a fabulous vacation rental.

Guest: Sello (San Francisco, CA)
Date of Stay: 05/31/10 Review Submitted: 06/11/10

The most beautiful "home" I have ever had the pleasure to experience. I put home in quotes because this is very much a luxury Manor House, but the lovely family that owns/runs the facility truly make you feel at home. While their web site is very informative, the actual experience far exceeded my expectations. This georgous estate, surrounded by acres of lush countryside, is the most welcoming and comfortable setting you can imagine. Each suite is more beautiful than the next, featuring individual bathrooms, blackout shutters, and beds that will afford the absolutely best night's sleep you have ever had. The house is elegantly appointed and, yet, very comfortable. My favorite is the very large and accommodating country kitchen, where we took most of our meals and enjoyed many a wonderful and lively conversation. Located minutes from downtown Killarney, Coolclogher was the perfect home base for a travels in Southern Ireland. Relatively short drives to many charming cities (Adare, Dingle, Kenmare, etc) added to the overall ambiance. Downtown Killarney was full of really terrific pubs and shops. All in all, this may have been my most memorable and relaxing vacation. My heartfelt thanks to the family (Mary, Maurice, and Katie) that catered to all our needs and more. Truly a 5 star experience!!

Owner response:We would like to thank all our guests who take the time to write about their stay at Coolclogher House. We are most greatful for your kind comments and support over the years thanks again you all all great .

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, people with disabilities, sightseeing, adventure seekers, girls getaway, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers.

Christmas in Killarney

Guest: joanne & Bill (Indiana)
Date of Stay: 12/26/09 Review Submitted: 04/12/10

We left Indiana Christmas morning with all 13 members of our family. (Our children, their spouses & grandchildren) When we arrived at the Coolcloger House we were amazed that it was more beautiful than it's pictures. Daytimes was spent sightseeing & evenings comfortably sitting around one of the beautiful fireplaces, playing games in the cozy kitchen or visiting a local pub!! We hired a recommended Chef for New Year's Evening for a delicious meal & was entertained by the beautiful voice & music of Mary's daughter & her friend. Memories were made that will last a lifetime........

Recommended for:Sightseeing, adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers.

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Guest: E. Wells (Wilmington,NC)
Date of Stay: 01/20/10 Review Submitted: 01/20/10

My family spent a month at Coolclogher House in April 2007. What a glorious place. The grounds are spectaculor...the views a fabulous..and what makes it the best is Mary and Maurice. They are so accommodating. Each room is beautifully furnished with fireplaces....and a fire each night!The bedrooms are large with comfortable beds with fine linens. Each bedroom has it's own bathroom. The kitchen is large and modern with a fireplace and a large table that provided my family many happy hours talking about our travel for the day. Great outside grill...which we used to grill lamb chops for dinner.The stores are close by for food.Being so centrally located we were able to see "The West" with easy day trips. Everything about the manor house was great. We have returned several times..always with great excitement. I would recommend this property to everyone that wants a true Irish experience..It doesn't get any better!!!

Owner response:Guests that stay with us here at Coolclogher House are just wonderful .

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Guest: flo2 (London)
Date of Stay: 01/20/10 Review Submitted: 01/20/10

Coolclogher House is a stunning house in a beautiful location. The home is furnished with lovely antiques/art work. The kitchen is huge and is a great place to sit, relax, cook and have wonderful conversations in. It is fully equipped with an Aga and there is also a log burner which really gives this spacious room a nice homey touch. The bedrooms are beautiful with large king-size beds on which I had the best nights sleep in years and the fact that every bedroom was en-suite was great! The owners also provide a barbeque and the spacious gardens and fields were a delight to walk through with the family dog Jesi. While we stayed at the manor we had many dinners but our most memorable were when we hired caterers which Mary recommended to cook for us in the beautiful dining room. Mary’s daughter Katie sang Irish songs from the area which was a real treat. I cannot recommend this home enough. The location is perfect only five minutes away from Killarney town and the amazing National Park. Mary organised all our trips and was available to answer even the silliest of questions which was a great help. I will definitely be staying here again in the near future.

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Guest: Boston Gang (Winchester, MA USA)
Date of Stay: 11/24/09 Review Submitted: 11/24/09

My family of seven stayed at the Coolclogher House for a week in July of 2009. My children, ranging from 25 to 7, were blown away by the majestic scope and breath of the manor house and grounds. My oldest daughther described it as "living in a Jane Austin novel". The whole week was magical and as hard as it was to leave the house, we would stroll into gorgeous Killarney every day to ride bikes, play golf, have tea and just meander around the prettiest town in all of Ireland. Mary, Maurice, and daughter Katie are perfect hosts with Irish charm and humor. They play their hospitality roles so well, it's hard to believe they were successful in London's business world. My kids have been all over the world and according to them this was hands down the best vacation they've ever had. If anything the photos on this site understate the majesty of the estate.

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