Entire home

Cara s Cottage sleeps 4. Harbour views. Off-street parking

Photo gallery for Cara s Cottage sleeps 4. Harbour views. Off-street parking

A garden with a blue pergola, pink roses, and a bamboo plant.
A coastal view with a stone wall, a metal gate, and a clear sky.
A living room with a fireplace, a television, and a bookshelf.
A cozy living room with a sofa and chairs, a dining table with a vase of flowers, and a kitchen with white cabinets and wooden flooring.
A patio with stone flooring and white metal furniture.

Reviews

10 out of 10, Loved by Guests
Top 10% of guest reviews in this area

Highlights

  • Made for relaxation

    Top-rated for comfort — guests feel right at home here.

  • Barbecue grill

    A rare find - perfect for a relaxed, outdoor grilling experience.

  • Centrally-located

    You're never far from where you need to be with this convenient location.

  • Discover nearby landmarks

    Walk to Desmond Castle
2 bedrooms2 bathroomsSleeps 4

Popular amenities

  • Patio
  • Toys
  • Barbecue grill
  • Refrigerator
  • Internet
  • Dryer

Explore the area

View in a map
Kinsale, Cork
  • Place, The Kinsale Museum
    ‪8 min walk‬
  • Place, Desmond Castle
    ‪9 min walk‬
  • Place, Charles Fort
    ‪4 min drive‬
  • Airport, Cork (ORK)
    ‪24 min drive‬

Where you'll sleep

2 bedrooms (sleeps 4)

Bedroom 1

1 King Bed

Bedroom 2

1 King Bed

2 bathrooms

Bathroom 1

Bathtub or shower · Toilet

Bathroom 2

Bathtub or shower · Toilet

Spaces

Deck or patio
Kitchen
Garden

About this property

Cara s Cottage sleeps 4. Harbour views. Off-street parking

Cara s Cottage (2 bedroom/2 bathrooms - sleeps 4+1 child) is a charming 19th century fisherman s cottage which has been thoughtfully converted to provide bright and comfortable accommodation with every modern convenience, including a pressured plumbing system (for a proper shower; not a drip!). Suitable for both families, or friends holidaying together, the cottage has views of Kinsale Harbour, its own patio garden and is tucked down a small pedestrian laneway leading to the water s edge and is a 7-minute leisurely stroll to all Kinsale s attractions. Free WiFi. Freesat TV. Off-street parking.
Next door to Marian Cottage which sleeps 3 so can be booked together for parties up to 7 max. Please note you can only book Cara s Cottage from this listing. You will need to navigate to Marian Cottage listing to book it.

Please note only 7 night Saturday-Saturday weekly rentals from June through August

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House Rules

Check in after 3:00 PM

Check out before 10:30 AM

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Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17

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Events

No events allowed

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Pets

No pets allowed

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Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Important information

You need to know

Property # 8933081
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit
This property has outdoor spaces, such as balconies, patios and terraces, which may not be suitable for children; if you have any concerns, we recommend contacting the property prior to your arrival to confirm that they can accommodate you in a suitable room

About the area

Kinsale

Kinsale is home to this cottage. The Kinsale Museum and Desmond Castle are local landmarks, and some of the area's activities can be experienced at Kinsale Golf Club and Old Head Golf Links. Looking to enjoy an event or a game while in town? See what's happening at Kinsale Rugby Club or Musgrave Park.
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Map
Kinsale, Cork

What's nearby

  • The Kinsale Museum - 8 min walk - 0.7 km
  • Saint Multose Church - 9 min walk - 0.8 km
  • Desmond Castle - 9 min walk - 0.8 km
  • Charles Fort - 4 min drive - 2.5 km
  • Kinsale Rugby Club - 5 min drive - 3.2 km

Getting around

  • Cork Kent Station - 38 min drive
  • Cork Airport (ORK) - 23 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Fishy Fishy - ‬12 min walk
  • ‪Dock Bar - ‬6 min drive
  • ‪Greyhound - ‬11 min walk
  • ‪The Bulman Bar & Toddies Restaurant - ‬18 min walk
  • ‪Jim Edwards - ‬10 min walk

Frequently asked questions

Is Cara s Cottage sleeps 4. Harbour views. Off-street parking pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much is parking at Cara s Cottage sleeps 4. Harbour views. Off-street parking?

On-site parking is available at the property.

What time is check-in at Cara s Cottage sleeps 4. Harbour views. Off-street parking?

Check-in begins at 3:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Cara s Cottage sleeps 4. Harbour views. Off-street parking?

Checkout is at 10:30 AM.

Where is Cara s Cottage sleeps 4. Harbour views. Off-street parking located?

Situated in Kinsale, this cottage is within a 15-minute walk of The Kinsale Museum, Desmond Castle and Saint Multose Church. Charles Fort and Kinsale Rugby Club are also within 2 miles (3 km).

Reviews

10

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 73 out of 74 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 1 out of 74 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 74 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 74 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 74 reviews

10/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
One of the nicest rentals I have ever stayed in.
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Wonderful cottage. Well located and very functional. Matt is a great host. Highly recommend!
Stayed 7 nights in May 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Mark and Diane have created a very warm, friendly and inviting home to enjoy while you are travelling and exploring. Everything is clean and tidy and fully stocked for your comfort and enjoyment. Nice and central to the town. A cozy pub (Spaniard) and a gourmet restaurant (Man Friday) is walking distance. We would stay there again.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
This cottage was amazing. When we arrived Mark met us and gave us some tips and suggestions for the stars. We were also pleasantly surprised by the homemade Irish scones, jam and chocolates. We had private parking, great views and everything was within walking distance. Kinsale is such a great town with all the tiny shops and plenty of pubs and restaurants. Would definitely recommend the food tour we did with Kate. Thank you Mark for letting us enjoy your home.
Stayed 5 nights in Apr 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Lovely property in a beautiful location

Cara’s Cottage is a homely cottage with everything that you need plus an amazing view over the harbour.
Stayed 4 nights in May 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great Visit

Great location close to everything well represented. The owner lives on property. Very friendly with great suggestions.
Stayed 5 nights in May 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Cara’s Cottage

Mark was a friendly and helpful host. Cara’s Cottage is in a perfect location for hikes into town and to visit the forts. Kinsale is a lovely town. We would definitely return.
Stayed 4 nights in May 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Mark's cottage is so lovely I wish I could take it home with me, view included! He has done a wonderful job making it feel very cozy and comfy and adding his own personal touches. The floor plan also allowed for privacy between our adult son's bedroom & bathroom and ours. Mark sent a very detailed message regarding check-in. He was there to meet us when we arrived and explained everything we needed to know. There were delicious scones and beautiful fresh flowers awaiting us. Two highly-rated restaurants are a 1-minute walk from the cottage. Mark provides free parking for tenants, a big plus. We were able to walk into town every day - a quick 7 minutes. We also did the Scilly Walk, a beautiful rolling path along the harbor and a nice way to reach the impressive Charles Fort (that part is a bit steeper). We rarely stay in the same place twice but if we return to Kinsale, we will definitely be staying at Mark's cottage!
Stayed 3 nights in May 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Ireland trip

My cousin and I were visiting Ireland from the states. We loved staying at Cara’s Cottage. Mark was a fantastic host. Directions to the cottage were perfect. We could walk to restaurants and shops in Kinsale and had a beautiful view of the harbor. Would stay there again.
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect vacation

We were met with warmth and scones by our host. The cottage is adorable, spacious and ultra-clean so it was a joy to stay there. We came and went through the week, like it was our little home away from home. Would love to stay there again! Definitely recommend Cara Cottage and Kinsale for a lovely taste of Ireland.
Stayed 7 nights in Oct 2023
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Love Kinsale

We had a grand time. Cata’s Cottage was cozy and comfortable.Perfect loaction to shopping and Pubs. Great place also for nature walks around Kinsale Harbor. We highly recommend the accommodations. Lovely, Guests from Boston, Ma USD
Stayed 3 nights in May 2023
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Sweet Cottage

This is a lovely cottage in a perfect spot a short walk from town. It was super clean and well appointed and was just as it appears in the pictures (actually better). Mark was a great host in every respect. Highly recommend.
Stayed 5 nights in Oct 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Awesome cottage

Really nice host. Had scones and jam waiting along with fresh flowers on the table. Loved the location. Can't think of a bad things to say. I could live there and be happy.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2023
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Scenic Scilly, Kinsale

Spotless cottage with seaviews, next door to Spaniards pub, offstreet parking, welcoming pack of scones, jam and chocolates. 15 minute walk to centre of Kinsale or Charles fort.with famous crab salad at Bulman pub. Books, games, videos if wearher closes in and terrace to sit/dine out on when sun shines. Easy mobility access if needed, no stairs/steps.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Kinsale

Great!
Stayed 4 nights in May 2023
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Lucky Cara

The Cottage is lovely, perched overlooking the estuary: I could happily live there permanently. Kinsale is an attractive, lively town and a great centre for visiting Cork and the south coast. James' Fort and Charles' Fort are fascinating. The facilities and services in the building were excellent, while Mark was the perfect host - there and helpful when needed, discretely absent when not.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfectly Situated Cottage

Lovely peaceful spacious cottage with stunning view of Fort and harbour waterway, plus is at start of the 'Scilly walk' (look it up :-) ). Short 10 min walk into main town from cottage, though Spaniard pub and "Man Friday" restaurant are practically opposite ! Nice private off road parking area. Excellent communication emails with owner (who lives next door to cottage) and who was always very helpful and quick to help/provide information.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2022
Archival

10/10 Excellent

Warm, Comfortable, Clean Get A Way Cottage

'Cara's Cottage" on Scilly property was a beautiful retreat that overlooked the sea. It was a pretty, warm, and inviting cottage where we felt totally at home. The owner, Mark, was very helpful and friendly and went out of his way to make us feel welcome and comfortable. It was so wonderful that we booked for an extra night. The cottage was a short walk from the beautiful town of Kinsale, which has several nice little shops and delicious restaurants. About 100 yards from the cottage is a wonderful little pub called The Spaniard which provided an enjoyable evening with music and very nice people and of course hot Port. This cottage is above and beyond what we expected and someday when we return to Kinsale we will definitely stay here.
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Convenient, Comfortable and Complete

Very convenient to Kinsale centre (<10 mins walk) down a not too steep road from The Spaniard pub. Semi detached cottage with most of the property isolated from its neighbour, Marian Cottage. So very quiet for a couple (5-star for us). Casa Cara has everything one could need for a holiday, including washing machine, tumble dryer, dishwasher, cooker, micro, and lots more. We had an exceptional week (for Ireland) of splendid weather, so we really didn’t use the central heating much, but it was always available and there is also a wood burner to supplement heating (might be necessary in colder weather). Owner Mark is a real gentleman and on hand to help anytime he’s needed. The Spaniard is convenient for a drink but the restaurant offering might not be to everyone’s taste! However, there’s so much choice of hostelries and restaurants in the town that no one should be disappointed. Private parking at Casa Cara is a bonus in this location as spaces are few and far between. The Scilly Walk which starts near the cottage is useful for walkers and runners who might be a bit intimidated by kinsale’s hills, traffic and lack of pavements in many locations (I was!). Lovely private patio area rounded off our stay because on most days we were able to enjoy breakfast outside and even get some sun colour. Be careful with taxis. They are usually reliable if you book in advance but don’t be caught out away from home without a guaranteed booking. Recommended restaurant - Max’s, Bulman
Stayed 7 nights in May 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Friendly host Mark greeted us, so welcoming. Scones were a lovely treat that we very much enjoyed. Accommodations were spotless and had every amenity and more for our stay. Location was perfect! A stones throw to the amazing Spaniard Inn and pub (such fun, amazing food and drinks) and an enjoyable short stroll to everything. Highly recommend this property, we will be back!
Stayed 3 nights in May 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Comfortable Cara’s Cottage!

What a lovely little break we’ve all had in beautiful Kinsale! Our accommodation was very homely, clean & comfortable. Great location & not too far from Cork airport. We travelled along the coast to some beautiful locations but enjoyed coming ‘home’ to a welcoming log burner! Wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Cara’s Cottage to anyone considering traveling to this beautiful part of the world - in-fact we will!! The Sargent’s & Joslin’s.
Stayed 5 nights in Oct 2022
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Anniversary trip to Kinsale

Fabulous, private and spacious cottage within walking distance to everything Kinsale has to offer. Our visit to Cara's Cottage was a highlight of our two week trip to Ireland. Mark Houston (owner) VERY responsive and right next door. Highly recommended.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2022
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Just as described

My husband and I had a great time at Cara’s Cottage. It was clean and very comfortable - just what we wanted with a lovely view of the harbour.
Stayed 13 nights in Aug 2022
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

A lovely place and area to stay.

Was an excellent place for a family to base there stay. Had everything we wanted.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2022
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Charming Cottage

We loved our stay. The cottage was charming, peaceful and right across the street from the pub! Walking distance to Picturesque Kinsale. Comfortable beds, nicely stocked kitchen and plenty of firewood for the parlor stove on those cool blustery nights . Everything was perfect and hopefully we’ll return soon.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2022

About the host

Hosted by Mark Houston

Host profile image

We have lived adjacent to Marian Cottage and Cara's Cottage since 1999 and have been operating them as holiday lets since 2000. We have been subscribers to HomeAway and its forerunners all this time.
We are usually around during your stay should you need assistance but the cottages are completely independent of our own house and we try to be as discreet as possible!

Why they chose this property

Both Marian Cottage and Cara's Cottage are located in Scilly, a village-like community 7 minutes walk from Kinsale town centre.
Kinsale gets very busy in peak season so Scilly offers a quiet respite from the bustle in town while being within easy walking distance.
We also have off-street parking which is a big benefit as parking in town can be hard to find when the town is busy in the summer months.
The Spaniard Pub and Man Friday restaurant are within 1 minute walk of the cottages; 2 of the best pubs/restaurants in town!

Languages:

English

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