Cahernane House. Comfort and Class. Superb Food and Service.

Cahernane House. Comfort and Class.

Superb Food and Service.

Morning view from the window of the Albericci Room

Breakfast pancakes

Many Killarney hotels have the advantage of mountains, lakes, herds of deer, more or less in the front garden and the renovated and very comfortable Cahernane Hotel on the Muckross is one of them. The lakes and mountains are constant but you may need to be on the alert around dawn or dusk to see the deer who come right up to the lawn boundary.

We were there in October and enjoyed a fantastic meal (details here) with restaurant manager Aileen and duty manager Youri looking after us. Have to say all the staff are brilliant here, always good for a chat and a laugh. 

Aileen is from the Philippines and has been in her current role since 2013. She oversees all aspects of the beautiful high-ceilinged Herbert Room restaurant and even demoed her singing talents with a rendition of Happy Birthday for a surprised guest on the night.

Not too sure if Youri can sing but I wouldn't be surprised. He is from Holland but in some ways is now as Irish as any of us. The minute you talk to him, you'll see he has a tremendous love and knowledge of all things food and drink. 

Deer at dusk

He told me they had had an extremely successful summer. "Tourists kept coming, more and more of them. And the season is extended even further this year." Indeed, the hotel was fully booked even for the opening two weeks of October.

Dinner is excellent here and you will also enjoy your breakfast in the Herbert Room. You may of course help yourself at the cold buffet as well as ordering from the Hot menu. The buffet includes juices, an excellent selection of fruits, seeds and nuts too, charcuterie, yogurts, cheese, cereals, breads and pastries.

You may start your Hot breakfast with Porridge (with some lovely additions including honey), Bruléed Pink Grapefruit, the Traditional Full Irish (of course), Manor House Omelette, Salmon and Egg Bagel, Buttermilk Pancakes, Smoked Kippers and a few other specials.

They also serve food (an all day menu) in the Cellar Bar and, later, you may enjoy a drink here. Quite a few cocktails available including their signature, 'The Herbert’, a smooth combination of gin, spiced rum, elderflower and fresh lime juice! 

Pint at ease in the Cellar Bar

They also offer gin (including my favourites Blackwater and Bertha’s Revenge) and whiskey flights. They support local too and stock beers (on draught) from the Killarney Brewing Company.  All these beers are named after local myths and legends, evoking emotions of all things Killarney. And all are pretty good, including the Casey Brothers stout!

Of course, the bedroom is a key part of any hotel and those in the Cahernane are excellent. We have previously stayed in the Garden Wing but this time we had a splendid room in the Manor itself, the heart of the old building. 

Welcome to Cahernane!

Like all the rooms here our Albericci Room has been recently renovated. It is spacious, comfortable, beautifully decorated, with great views, well-heated too, especially the bathroom (hard to beat hot tiles and hot towels in the morning!). And of course it has WiFi and TV as well.

A pleasant entrance drive to Cahernane

Just got in this press release on behalf of the Cahernane:

Christmas and New Year

Enjoy a festive break like no other this Christmas in the wonderful surrounds of the luxurious Cahernane House Hotel overlooking Killarney National Park.

The beautiful recently renovated manor house in Cahernane will be turning into a Christmas wonderland for the most wonderful time of the year, and guests will be able to finish 2018 in some style in the twinkling Kerry destination.

This Christmas, guests will be treated to an exquisite culinary experience at the renowned Herbert Restaurant which was recently awarded 2 AA rosettes for its excellence. The one-night Christmas package for two (€145 pps) includes a delightful five-course dining experience with the wine of your choice in the Herbert Restaurant, while a two-night package with dinner on one evening is just €220 pps. Booking dates are available from December 27-30^th.

Guests who book via the Cahernane House Hotel website will also receive a complimentary glass of prosecco on arrival to ensure that their stay gets off to a welcoming start.

There is also no better place to ring in the new year than the toasty confines of Cahernane, who are running a brilliant New Year Celebration package that on December 31^st. Guests will enjoy a pre-dinner cocktail reception before tucking in to a delicious 7-course tasting menu in the Herbert Restaurant.

An exclusive Christmas Party Package for groups of 10 or more is also available from November 1^st- December 15^th, with a luxury overnight stay kicked off by mulled wine on arrival, before guests enjoy a private Christmas Party in the Herbert Restaurant featuring a six-course menu and a complimentary class of champagne. A full Irish breakfast is also provided the following morning, all for just €140 pps.

There will also be live music in the drawing room on New Year’s Eve, where complimentary champagne will be served to ring in 2019 in style.

The New Year Celebration package is available for €175 pps.

‘Best Dining Experience' at Cahernane House Hotel

Cahernane House Hotel in Condé Nast Top 3  

‘Best Dining Experience' 

Eric Kavanagh

Cahernane House Hotel in Killarney has been shortlisted in the Condé Nast top 3 hotels for ‘Best Dining Experience UK & Ireland’.  Condé Nast is widely regarded as the ultimate globetrotting bible for even the most discerning traveller and features luxury hotels, restaurants and destinations from all corners of the world.  

The leading lifestyle travel magazine will hold its ‘Annual Awards for Excellence Dinner’ at the glitzy May Fair Hotel in London on Monday, 5^th of November when the overall winner will be announced. Cahernane House Hotel, General Manager, Emer Corridan will attend the black-tie awards ceremony to represent the property.

Emer has been working at Cahernane House Hotel since 2016, managing the hotel and ensuring that each guest that walks through the door has a relaxing and memorable stay as well as leading her team to a four star standard and beyond. Emer as an individual can best be described the life of Cahernane with her passion shining through in her everyday contact with both the team and guests.

Cork native Eric Kavanagh is the Executive Chef at Cahernane House and leads a talented team in the kitchen at the distinguished Herbert Restaurant in the hotel. Before starting at Cahernane House Hotel in 2017, Eric worked at Longueville House in Mallow, Marlfield House in Gorey and Sheen Falls in Kenmare. He also spent some time abroad in Canada and New Zealand where he was inspired by the many international chefs he worked with.

Crab, cucumber

The key ingredient behind any good meal is the timing however, and Eric is keen to point out that he bases his menu and technique on what time of the year it is. 

“It’s a seasonal thing,” he said. “You want to make the food so it’s good, but that it also shows technique and it’s not over the top and there for the sake of it. You see what’s around, what is in season, and you put it together and you make sure that there is some sense of technique to it to. From there you test it, and if it works you use it, if it doesn’t work you keep adjusting it until you’re happy with it really.”

Cured Halibut, carrot, finger lime, Bergamot 

Cod

The Herbert Restaurant has two AA Rosettes and serves fabulous seasonal dishes prepared with flair and style by a hand that understands great technique with minimal fuss. We were on the Table d'Hote €55.00 menu and started off with an excellent glass of Prosecco. Delicious breads, including a treacle version and an onion one, followed as did an amuse bouche.

Raspberry mousse

No shortage of interesting starters on the menu and mine was a gorgeous Wild Boar and Foie Gras while CL was thrilled with her Castletownbere Crab wrapped in cucumber. A couple of palate cleansing "Middle Courses" followed, Cured Halibut for me, Clementine Sorbet for her. Two beautiful dishes, small but enough for the chef to again display his skills.

As he did again with the mains. Hard to top the Slow Cooked Guinea Fowl, with Mead and Soy, Pistachio, Pumpkin, Black Trompette Mushrooms, and Baby Turnip. CL enjoyed a beautiful fish dish: Confit Cod and smoked Cod Belly, with Seaweed Pastille, Cauliflower, Cabbage and Apple. Really high class stuff and all washed down with a PradoRey Verdejo, aromatic, elegant and expressive.

Figs

And did we have dessert? Of course. We had a couple of beauties, not from the usual list of suspects at all. CL was delighted with her pick: Iced Raspberry Mousse (Lemongrass gel, crème fraiche and coco snap) while I indulged my sweet tooth with Sauternes Infused Figs and Pressed Kefir (fig compote and wild blackberries). Quite a finalé!

See second post from this visit, details on room, bar and breakfast, here.

Fancy a meal there? Why not check out their Autumn Escape Break (From €94.50 per person sharing) includes one night’s accommodation with breakfast and dinner in the fine dining, critically acclaimed 2 AA Rosette Herbert Restaurant (you can also enjoy a complimentary glass of prosecco when you book on www.cahernane.com). This lovely package also includes a complimentary art and history tour which runs each evening from 6.00pm. For more information on Cahernane House Hotel or to make a booking see www.cahernane.com or call (064) 663 1895.

Killarney: A Quick Visit

Killarney: A Quick Visit

Distillers from the 1800s remembered at Celtic Whiskey Bar

We were in Killarney for a short visit in early May. The intention, on arrival, was to eat outdoors at the lovely Deenagh Lodge but heavy showers put paid to that and we called to the Celtic Whiskey Shop & Larder, fast becoming a favourite of ours, for a light lunch. 

The Toastie Special with soup was ideal and came in at less than 16 euro for the two. The toastie was superb, on excellent sourdough, and the soup wasn't just a cup as you might expect for the price, but a big bowl. 

So, well refreshed, we were ready for a our water-bus cruise on the lakes. The rain had passed but it was still windy and cloudy as we embarked at Ross Castle. The boat was large, wide, and comfortable with a viewing area at the back, an area that was sheltered and I took the boatman’s advice and spent the trip out there.

Muckross Friary

We got an informative commentary - could hear him well out the back - and he slowed down, indeed stopped, at a few of the more interesting places, including Innisfallen Island. In other years, we’d have enjoyed the show of rhododendrons on some of the smaller rocky islands but the late spring had delayed the flowering. The trip took about an hour and cost a tenner; well worth it.

On the bus

In all the years we’ve been visiting Killarney we’ve never seen the Muckross Traditional Farm. The farm is quite close to Muckross House and there is an entry fee. The tour takes the form of a longish walk where you pass farmhouses and cottages of various sizes and vintages and hear about the good old days and the not so good. Lots of old farm implements around the place also, an old thresher, carts, and scufflers and so on.

Animals also. The Kerry cow, of course, and sheep and a few goats along the way, one with two very young kids. A sow too nursing a bunch of hungry bonhams. 

Lakes in the mist

Quite a few schoolchildren were visiting, which is a good thing of course. But a few of the exhibits were being reserved for them and that meant we couldn’t get into one or two rooms. Could these visits not take place in the morning when the farm is not open to the paying public? All in all though, it was a quite interesting visit and it wasn't just the kids that learned a thing or two.

The ruins of Muckross Friary are nearby but more then the six minutes indicated by a lady at the farm, unless walking over 1200 metres in six minutes is normal in Killarney! 

Kenmare Steeple

Again, we hadn’t visited before and on this occasion there were quite a few visitors here. The ruin of the 15th century friary is quite substantial, with views out to the lake, views than can be better appreciated by climbing up a few sets of steps. The cloisters are fairly well preserved, with a very large tree growing in the middle of the quadrangle. 

We also made a quick visit to Kenmare, including a recommended stop for excellent pancakes at the Strawberry Field, now celebrating 21 years in the Moll's Gap area. 

Then time to return to our beautiful overnight base, the renovated Cahernane House Hotel where we enjoy a terrific dinner, a pint or two in the reinvigorated Cellar Bar and a decent breakfast before heading home on the following day. A bientot, Killarney!

Also on this trip: Cahernane House Hotel
The Strawberry Field and Pancake Cottage
Dinner at the Great Southern's Garden Room

Kid on the Muckross farm

Cahernane House Hotel. Renovated and Reinvigorated. And Ready for You.

Cahernane House Hotel. Renovated and Reinvigorated. And Ready for You.

Entrance and, right, evening view from dining-room

The high-ceilinged Herbert Room, the restaurant at the newly renovated Cahernane House Hotel in Killarney, has some beautiful views over Lough Leane right out to the high mountains. In the nearby fields, black Kerry cattle, horses and sheep graze and deer pass through heading to the safety of the trees for the night. Peace and quiet and just a few minutes drive from the town centre; indeed, you'd walk it in about 15 minutes.

We, of course, were there to dine and what a meal we had in the historic room, thanks to new head chef Eric Kavanagh and a very friendly, informative and efficient front of house team.

Dessert!

Beautiful breads and an amuse bouche got us off to a great start along with a sip or two from a bottle of delicious Verdejo, part of an impressive wine list. Starters featuring Cordal, the mild and delicious local goats cheese, and a very flavoursome Hay Infused Enriched Ham Broth with barley, were top notch.

These were followed by the Middle Course, 50 degree Olive Oil Poached Hake for her and a Buttermilk and Honey Sorbet with ginger for me, both gorgeous and not exactly small portions either.

Chicken mains

Time now for the main event and the standard remained deliciously high. My Cornfed chicken with Jasmine Tea and shiitake mushroom and more, was superb, a pleasure to dispatch. And CL’s line caught Cod, with smoked bacon dashi and seaweed was also exquisite.

Presentation had been neat and tidy all through but CL got a spectacular surprise with her dessert. Poached Rhubarb was the main description but the dish came in the form of a bird’s nest with the ricotta shaped into the eggs. My orange and almond cake may not have had the same visual impact but, served with lemongrass, yogurt, pineapple and white chocolate, it was quite a treat.

Breakfast, with Kenmare smoked salmon

We had stayed in the hotel at the end of 2016 and enjoyed the Cellar Bar there. This, like the Herbert Room, had been renovated but the change down the steps was spectacular. The bar itself is now at the other end of the space; there are new seats and more of them (the old ones had been comfortable but were coming to the end). And more tables are available and here you may have smaller plates during the day as a guest or indeed as a visitor. 

One thing that has not changed though, I'm glad to say, is that they are still serving a range of beers from the local Killarney Brewery and I was delighted to finish the night with their Scarlett Pimpernel IPA.

Our bedroom - we were media guests - was one of dozens upgraded over the winter. No cutbacks on space here and the decor is calming, greys and rose used. The bathroom is well equipped with a tub and a spacious shower and all the bits and bobs you’d need. And we had terrific views too. Depending on where you are, you may get the chance to see the deer on their early morning and late evening “migrations”.

In all, Cahernane has 40 rooms, 12 in the manor house and 28 in the Garden wing and another 22 are at the planning stage. There are still some minor works going on but apart from the driveway, nothing else for the summer months. Next winter the plan is to do the drawing rooms and the conservatory. There are some lovely public rooms here. And there could well be more, including an Orangery.

Hotel General Manager Emer Corridan told me that work has been ongoing over the winter months (the hotel was closed from January to March) and throughout the spring on extensive renovations to the historical property, and they are extremely pleased with the results. 

“The final phase of the refurbishment saw the total revamp of the Cellar Bar, which has re-invigorated the plush room into a homely and eclectic environment that feels as though it is steeped in history but is also fashionably modern. New life has been breathed into what was a beautiful historical building (1877) that had been falling into disrepair. Everything from the work on the bedrooms to the redesign of the restaurant has been carried out to the highest standards, and the feedback that we’ve received from guests has been very positive.”

Wheel rim lighting in the Cellar Bar.

“The extensive renovation to the Garden Wing has now been completed, with all 26 rooms being entirely stripped, modernised, and refurbished. Each room offers something different however, with every bedroom having its own personality that is portrayed through the wallpaper, paintings, and ornaments.”

The effort and the investment has paid off already with Cahernane recently included on the Condé Nast Johannsen’s list. No doubt the inclusion was aided by the wonderful location of Cahernane - it overlooks the Killarney National Park and the beautiful Lough Leane - and the fact that there are so many amenities and attractions nearby, not least the Ring of Kerry.

Main course of Cod at dinner

The Herbert Room is also the venue for breakfast. An excellent menu here. At the buffet, you have an extensive choice of fruits, seeds, nuts, berries, charcuterie, cheeses, juices, yogurts. On the hot side, you may order anything from porridge to the Full Irish.

We picked these items in between: the Smoked Salmon (Kenmare) and Bagel for me and the Buttermilk pancakes with Maple syrup for CL, both delicious and more than enough to keep us going for the morning.

Also on this trip:
The Strawberry Field and Pancake Cottage
Killarney. A Quick Visit
Dining in the Garden Room at the Great Southern

Best Hotel Dining Rooms 2016

2106: Best Hotel Dining Rooms 2016

Duck at Bellini's

Bellini's, Marlborough Hotel, Cork City

Scallops at Cahernane

Herbert Room, Cahernane House Hotel, Killarney

Baked Alaska (for table!) at Samphire

Samphire, Garryvoe Hotel, East Cork

Steak in The Pembroke

The Pembroke, Imperial Hotel, Cork City

2016 Reviews - see also
Cafes by the side of the road.
Best Places to Stay
Meals with a difference

Best Steaks & 3 Best non-Cork Restaurants 2016

2016: Best Places to Stay

Best Places to Stay 2016

Stayed in quite a few places this year. From Kerry to Meath, from Donegal to Dublin, from Limerick to Waterford,  from West Cork to Wexford. These were the best. Suggestions for 2017 welcome! 

 Screebe House, Connemara

Killiane Castle, Co. Wexford

Anyone for croquet at Killiane?

Cahernane House Hotel, Killarney.

Cahernane

Cork Recommendations
East Cork
Garryvoe Hotel, East Cork

Samphire Restaurant, Garryvoe Hotel

West Cork
 Celtic Ross Hotel, West Cork

Warren Beach, Rosscarbery

2016 Reviews - see also
Cafes by the side of the road.
Best Hotel Dining Rooms
Meals with a difference

Best Steaks & 3 Best non-Cork Restaurants 2016

Best Wine Events

Enjoyable Stay At Cahernane House Hotel

Enjoyable Stay At Cahernane House Hotel 

Killarney Gem

A superb dinner in the Herbert Room of the Cahernane House Hotel in Killarney was the highlight of a recent stay there. Breakfast wasn't bad either! You could say head chef Paul O’Connor made a good impression.

Indeed, we had nothing but good impressions during our visit, starting with the long tree-lined drive from the Muckross Road down to the late 19th century building in its superb location near the lakes. The native red deer passed slowly beneath our windows, just before dusk and just after sunrise.

Regular visitors

Our room was spacious and well-equipped. And the bar is a gem, situated in the original wine cellar. That high-ceilinged Herbert Room is another gorgeous spot, used for both dinner and breakfast, and there are some lovely public rooms as well, one with a fountain flowing. And the courteous staff were both welcoming and helpful.

Back to our dinner then and, as we studied the menu (five courses for €50.00), we nibbled on some delicious breads and dips. Quite a long wine list there too, a good variety of styles, grapes and countries. In the end, we picked the Prinz Von Hessen Riesling (34.00) and we were very happy with that!

After a tasty amuse bouche, the starters soon arrived. Mine was the Pan-seared Castletownbere scallops, cauliflower, black pudding and samphire. Nicely presented and well appreciated! Ardsallagh’s goats Parfait with Beetroot, basil and balsamic was CL’s choice and she too opened with a winner.

Scallops

Next up was the middle course. I was thinking sorbet and indeed it was one of the three choices listed. I thought the other two would be very small but either could have passed for a starter. And they were both excellent. One was Pan-seared Mackerel, heritage potato, fine beans, black olives, the other a Garden Salad of Pickled Pear, truffle ficelle, and smoked bacon crumb.

That pan was busy again for our mains. I love Turbot and the affair continued with a slightly spiced and throughly lovely dish: Pan-seared Turbot, Chestnut mushroom, girolles, truffle and Savoy cabbage. Great mix of flavour and texture, the fresh fish cooked to perfection and much the same could be said about CL’s Pan-seared Cod, artichoke, hazelnut textures, raisins and brandade.

Dessert

Our confidence in the chef and his team was building all the time and we were looking forward to dessert. We weren't let down! Far from it. Presentation for my Crème Brûlée was outstanding as was the dish itself: Passionfruit Crème Brûlée, with raspberry sorbet and pistachio tuile. CL’s classy treat was Blackberry Choux (choux pastry, blackberry curd, marshmallow gel and wild berry creme fraiche).

We would, of course, be back in the Herbert Room for breakfast, for one of the very best breakfasts around. Full Irish yes but many great choices. Don't want to bore you with too many details but one to watch out for is the Pear, Brioche and Cheese, a mouth-watering morning treat of Grilled Vanilla Poached Pear, Toasted Brioche and St Tola Goats Cheese curd.

Breakfast Pear, Brioche, Cheese

We also made a couple of calls to that unusual Cellar Bar, making ourselves comfortable in the capacious armchairs. They have quite a selection of drinks here, lots of Irish spirits including local gins (among them Blackwater and Bertha’s Revenge) and the craft beers by Killarney Brewing take pride of place on the counter.

I just felt the need to continue my research in these comfortable surroundings. My favourite whiskey was undoubtedly the Jameson Black Barrel, rich and full and with an reverberating long finish, another gem in the range.

Breakfast bagel: smoked salmon, scrambled egg.

Killarney Brewing tell some tall yarns but the beers are pretty good too.We had been surprised by the red colour of their IPA but that Ale is named after a local hero who was known as the Scarlett Pimpernel. In any event, it was the Devil’s Helles Lager that caught the attention and the taste buds of CL. Had to check that out then and that made the verdict unanimous. Clean and crisp with a hint of hops, this is a good one.

Cellar Bar

After our final breakfast, it was time to settle up and say farewell to Cahernane House with a promise to be back. It is a great location to enjoy Killarney. And no bother either about going further afield. We visited Crag Cave in Castleisland. Valentia Island was our furthest trip while the nearest was Torc Mountain (where we managed to get to the top). No doubt the good food helped, not too sure about the drink though! 

See also:

Irish Whiskey Experience Killarney
Climbing Torc Mountain
Valentia Sky Walk. Islands in the Sun
Crag Cave. Underground in Kerry

The drive down