Ballygarry House Hotel & Spa

A grand country house, the Ballygarry House Hotel & Spa is a family-owned-and-managed guest house that has been in the McGillicuddy family for three generations. The hotel is geared to a spectrum of both domestic and international guests, with packages crafted for families, romantic spa weekenders, outdoor adventure seekers, and wedding parties. The six acres of landscaped grounds are like a sanctuary, with breathtaking views of the surrounding Sliabh Mish Mountains. The hotel, built in 1958, has been updated to a high-standard throughout. The Drawing Room is warm and inviting, with an open fireplace, dark-varnish wood paneled walls, and plenty of cozy armchairs to curl up in with a book or a cup of tea. The Brasserie offers dishes made from locally sourced produce. And the lush Nadur spa, equipped with an outdoor hot tub, includes a well-equipped fitness center with treadmills, rowing machines, and punching bags, and views of the landscaped gardens.

The hotel underwent renovations to its common areas throughout 2016, which included the addition of a new garden restaurant at the front of the hotel and the refurbishment of The Brasserie and Owen Mac's bar.

Set on six acres of landscaped gardens in the Kerry countryside, the hotel is positioned off the N21, but noise is not a problem here, unless guests object to the sound of birds chirping. Golfers are a 36-minute drive to Ballybunion Golf Course and a 27-minute drive to Tralee Golf Course, both renowned for their cliff-side course locations. Cyclists can rent bikes from the hotel, and bike routes, which include the North Kerry and Fenit Cycleway, are a short distance from the hotel. Banna Beach, on the Atlantic, is a 25-minute drive from the hotel in Tralee Bay. The 88-acre Ballyseedy Wood, which was founded in the 16th century, offers plenty of walking trails, and it's a four-minute drive from the hotel. Kerry Airport is a 17-minute drive from the hotel. 

The hotel's 64 guest rooms include Classic and Standard Double Rooms, Junior and Master Suites, and spacious Superior Family Rooms. Rooms are large, with charming, boutique-style decor, including decorative accent walls, cushioned headboards, and picture-frame windows that look out on the surrounding countryside. Bathrooms are modern with sandalwood-beige tiles, Bathe brand toiletries, and a mix of walk-in showers or separate bath and shower stalls. All rooms include free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs with satellite channels, DVDs, safes, ironing facilities, trouser-press machines, and robes and slippers. Coffee- and tea-making facilities are available in all rooms, but Superior Rooms come with Nespresso machines. Room service is available, as well as traditional evening turn-down service.

Ballygarry House offers free Wi-Fi throughout, a fitness center (with weights, balance balls, cardio machines, even a punching bag), a full, free, generous Irish breakfast served daily, and a traditional evening turn-down service. It has two restaurants and a bar on-site, and the spa -- with an outdoor hot tub -- has a range of treatment packages. The hotel also offers several packages for weddings and business functions. The Pavilion offers high-tech meeting facilities, and a private garden and bar. Bicycles are available for hire, and on-site parking is free.