Park Hotel Kenmare

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.

We haven't been in the park in 11 yrs which we stayed in a couple of times. I was disappointed in the refurb.But that's personal taste. We called in for there blue bottle coffee best in Europe. Sadly it was average and it was Luke warm. The waiter brought the scones which where nice. I had to ask for side plates and knives to butter them. We weren't even given napkins for the younger ones. So 5 star service this was not and I had being longing to get back for an adults spa weekend after the many wonderful stays there before kids but after this its lost its appeal sadly.

The Park Hotel Kenmare is a gorgeous, relaxing hotel in the most exquisite setting. Charming doesn't begin to describe it. The location can't be matched being right at the end of the town's main street. You literally are steps away from everything the town has to offer. Our room was spacious, impeccably clean with a view of the bay. We had a tub and separate walk in shower with lots of hot water. The spa is quite beautiful and tranquil and wonderful after hiking Kerry Way. Highly recommend the spa relaxation room and their swimming pool too. All the hotel staff were very friendly and a special shout out to Mark, Sulamiet, Allie at the front desk and Joanna in the spa who made us feel very welcome. The Park Hotel is like stepping back in time to a more relaxing and serene pace of life. We definitely hope to return in the future as we definitely fell in love with Kenmare and the Park Hotel.

We enjoyed a lovely one-night stay at the Park Kenmare. The hotel is well-appointed and the property is gorgeous. You will have access to trails that bring you through gardens and down to the water. It's really very pretty. The grounds are meticulously maintained with beautiful flowers and plants. Whoever is in charge of landscaping deserves a hat tip. It's a really pretty place to spend some time. Our room was spacious, comfortable, and bright. We enjoyed the sitting area outside - they may want to consider umbrellas for rain or sun. The room temperature was perfect for us, a welcome change as it was unseasonably warm and Irish hotels tend to run hot. The spa is fantastic and worthy of another trip. The thermal suites and amenities, especially the edge pool outside, are high-end and ultra luxe. The staff are helpful and friendly; my massage treatment was excellent. I hope to return someday relatively soon for a whole spa weekend with multiple services. It's a destination worth considering for Samas alone, but Kenmare town makes it even better. The hotel is a quick walk to town. Kenmare is small, but worth exploring. We enjoyed live music at Crowley's. We did have cocktails at the bar. My spouse said it was the best Negroni on this trip. I enjoyed a martini. The piano in the sitting room was a nice touch. The service was friendly. This was a big hiking trip for us, so we arrived disheveled with only backpacks. They didn't bat an eye! They also pointed us in the right direction for our hike back to Killarney on the Old Kenmare Road. If we had to give any constructive feedback, it would be that the service staff at breakfast fell short. They need to let you know if things need to be ordered a certain way. For example, we ordered yogurt and fruit (this is exactly how it's described on the menu), but we only got a bowl of yogurt. The waiter never checked up on it and we didn't want to hunt him down. I ended up putting the jam on the table in my yogurt. Other tables had toast and bread (presumably why there was jam on the table), but we did not receive any and we were not asked if we wanted any. Did we need to order that special? We don't know because it was never explained to us. It felt like there was a secret breakfast menu ordering technique that we failed to realize. Overall, a lovely stay with compelling reasons to return. We regret we could not stay longer and hope to visit again.