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Parknasilla Resort Review

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Parknasilla Resort

Address: Sneem, Co. Kerry
Phone: 064/664-5122
www.parknasillahotel.ie

Price range: $$$$
Location: Sneem

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Fodor's Review:

For over a century Parknasilla, a towering, gray stone mansion set on a stunningly beautiful, sheltered inlet of the Kenmare estuary, and occupying the grounds of the ruined Derryquin Castle, has been synonymous with old-style resort luxury. Everyone from George Bernard Shaw to Princess Grace to Charles de Gaulle favored it as a summer hideaway. Under dynamic new ownership, the grand old house has undergone a thorough refit (plumbing, wiring, roof), to bring it into the 21st century while retaining its old-world charm. You can sip your sherry beside an open fire in the Doolittle Bar and dine in the stately Pygmalion Restaurant, but you can also enjoy one of two outdoor Jacuzzis, or the sea view from the indoor infinity pool. A huge Astroturf veranda looking out to sea flanks the ground floor. Villas and apartment suites have been built on the 500-acre grounds, without detracting from the sylvan charm. Public rooms are done in an endearingly homey mix-and-match style, untouched by decorators' latest whims. The large (superior) bedrooms in the main house, however, are beautifully coordinated with fabulous inlaid antique furniture. The suites are ballroom-size, while the newer standard rooms are also spacious, and all enjoy peaceful views of sea and hills, or woodland and hills. Pros: excellent sports facilities and spa; sheltered coastal location; great family destination. Cons: grounds and hotel big enough to get lost in; hugely popular with Irish families in July and August.

Hotel Details: 92 rooms
In-room: no a/c, refrigerator (some), Internet, Wi-Fi (some).
In-hotel: restaurant, golf course, room service, tennis court, bar, pool, gym, spa.
Rate includes: Full breakfast
Credit Cards: AE, DC, MC, V
Closed: Closed Jan. and Feb.