Park Hotel Kenmare

This is a stunning hotel in a great location. Their scones are tasty and they have a truly fabulous spa. Our room was okay--nothing special. Sadly, I can't give the hotel five stars because something about the service here is cold and affected. Not everyone, of course, but that impression was my biggest takeaway, which should never be the case at a hotel of this caliber.

I have to admit, I'm disappointed writing this as I knew this Hotel in a previous incarnation I went to meet Friends / business meeting that ended up lasting an hour and a half Now...here we go Windows were dirty when I say dirty, they had been washed but not properly cleaned afterwards left stains running down the window distracting from the beautiful view Tables were dirty and stained, floor was covered in crumbs previous guests. The entrance doors had gathered black dirt between the them the first thing that greets you The staff very pleasant as always but there uniforms were actually tread bear ! and dirty with stains which kept grabbing my attention along with there dirty shoes You could overlook it just about because their personalities were very good warm and friendly. This is not acceptable at this level. At this price point and level, I guess they're living off their past history for the moment. My opinion, what a mess they're more interested in artwork and waffle talk than they basic standards if I want to know about Art, I'll ask, I wandered into the restaurant to see dirty tables and half eaten food - all in all I was embarrassed at meeting people in there , grant you the coffee was very nice along with the selection of biscuits they could improve on the presentation, though So that's the end of my honest review of the Park Hotel Kenmare it wasn't very busy the day I was there, I fear the management are not up to the job of a five star hotel . I have no doubt I'll find myself in The Park Hotel again and I will verbally tell the manager or the owner my opinion on their low standards -

Outstanding. The staff was friendly and attentive. Rooms are spacious, clean and classy (with a large wonderful bathroom). Pool and spa was the greatest part. Quiet, very classy and a great sauna (even for us Finns!). Grounds were large and beautiful. Piano player and the fireplace on the lobby were a great touch. Location was great.

We really wanted to love this place. But there are some issues. To begin, there seems to be a lack of staff at check in. We did get help with our luggage, but the person who helped us seemed like he was alone. Fine person but overworked. Granted, there was a Backroads bike group staying at the hotel that kind of took over the lobby, so that might have explained the chaos, but it sure seemed a bit disjointed. We were offered something to drink on arrival but nothing non-alcoholic. We had a late lunch in the parlor and that was lovely. Many times when we went to the front desk, it was unoccupied. The front office staff seems to retreat to an office that is out of sight. Our room was quite spacious, with a sitting area and then a bedroom. There was some sort of varnish-like smell in our room that was quite strong throughout our visit. We kept the windows open, but it was not pleasant. The restaurant needs more food options. What they offer is good but limited. A few basic dishes would have been welcome. The servers were very pleasant, although they too seemed overworked. The second night we were there, music emanating from below our room kept us up well after midnight. We were just above the dining room. Spoke to night manager who we had difficulty communicating with (and who had loud music on in the background as well). He said he would address it but it took more calls to get it handled. The music finally stopped, but then the sound of tables and chairs being slid around on the floor below us followed. More calls required to address. Not a luxury hotel experience. We complained the next day and the manager did not charge us for that night and also gave us breakfast on the house. Said that should put it behind us. There was a feeling of being gouged for diet cokes, and they were very cheap on the amount of Blue Bottle coffee that they provided. They should be passing it out to get people to try it, but they only provide 2 simgle serve packs per day for the room. My first time trying it, and liked it very much. Kudos to the owner for helping bring it to market. Stingy, though. On the whole, the prices are 5 star (v expensive) but there is a mismatch in value. We did have some lovely weather to drive to the Beara Penninsula, and Garinish island, so the hotel is well located for that.

This was my third visit to The Park Hotel and my first since the change in ownership. First off, I missed the green canopy over the entrance. It added charm and elegance to the building, and was functional as well, offering some protection from the frequent Irish rain. To me the front of the building now looks drab. On our last trip (2023), our family had their photo taken in front of the canopy as a memento of our stay. As another reviewer stated, I did not care for the modern paintings that have replaced paintings that went with the style and age of the building. We did like our room and the staff were attentive as usual. The scones and lattes are still delicious! The dinner offerings did not seem as good as I remembered. The delicious strawberry soufflé I remember from 2016 has been replaced with a minuscule apple soufflé that was unremarkable. There did seem to be a lot of mixups in the dining room. One morning we were served duplicates of everything. When I asked for a glass of almond milk, I got a latte. At dinner, my husband asked for a coffee offering on the menu and got something different. When he stated that was not what he ordered, it was discovered that what he ordered is no longer an offering, but was still on the menu. Last of all, I missed the stuffed sheep on the bed! They were so cute and fit a stay in Ireland with the ever-present sheep. On one stay, the housekeeper would place mine in different poses every day and left it holding the survey on the last day. This was a special place for my family. My parents had visited in the 1990s and my father wrote in a memory book for our daughter that it was a "very grand place, but yet very homey." Now 3 generations of our family have visited. I am sad that it has lost its homey touch. Francis and John Brennan had a flair for running this hotel that sadly seems to be lacking at present. We are glad our daughter was with us in 2023 to see it the way my father remembered it. Upon leaving this trip, my husband and I agreed that we have no desire to return.