Sneem House

In an idyllic corner of Kerry between the vibrant town of Kenmare and the sleepy village of Sneem, you will find this quite outstanding luxury home, available to the discerning holidaymakers whom we feel will appreciate the difference between a "rental" and a private luxury home.

Sneem House is set in formal gardens with 5 acres of wilderness land smothered in heathers and rhododendrons.

This region has scenery that is difficult to equal, where the beauty of the mountains, sea, lakes and woodland can be seen in varying light and shades, whatever the weather.  And because the shore is caressed by the Gulf Stream, the lodge enjoys a mild climate where tropical plants thrive outdoors.

Weekly prices: €1650 - €2200
Short breaks: Please use 'contact owner' to enquire.

Sneem House can truly claim to be unique in Southern Ireland.  A luxury family home built and furnished to the very highest standards, without compromise, and to our own designs and specifications for our own use. Built in 1999 and 2000 and set in 6 acres, the house is a wonderful Post & Beam home using beautiful Douglas Fir timbers imported from Canada.

The exterior is clad in Cedar siding we bought in South Carolina, the garage doors are in hardwood to a one-off design and were made in Belgium, the guttering and drainpipes are made from zinc and came from France, and the limestone floor tiles came from Italy. The interior is really spacious and open plan, with stunning open vaulted ceilings both downstairs and in the bedrooms, and the furnishings are contemporary. We wanted to be free of clutter and knick-knacks, but we also wanted to avoid the coldness of minimalism, so the house is comfortable, spacious but not crowded. We hope you like it.

The front door opens in to an immense open plan reception area, which then opens into the dining area followed by the sitting room, leading onto the sun room. The open plan kitchen is separated from the dining area, and has a granite topped breakfast bar. A separate laundry room runs off the kitchen, as does a further utility room and pantry room, and there is a downstairs cloakroom/powder room off the reception room.

There are three very large bedrooms and two bathrooms leading off an octagonal landing. The master bedroom has a queen size double bed and a full terrazzo tiled bathroom en-suite, fitted with a power shower and large cast iron bath, with Perrin & Rowe fittings. The other bathroom is identical in equipment, and serves the twin bedded room at the front of the house. The other double bedroom also has a queen size double bed, and has a wooden balcony leading onto a walkway to 5 acres of wild mountainside smothered with heathers and rhododendrons, offering beautiful mountain and sea views.

The house is fully equipped with TV and VCR, several radios and CD/tape players, hair dryer, large fridge/freezer, dishwasher, washing machine, clothes dryer, microwave, electric range cooker with 6 burner gas hob and extractor fan, and full under floor heating to the ground floor and first floor bathrooms - even Christmas tree lights!

We will provide you with a mobile phone if you require: our caretaker Patrick Casey will arrange this for you upon arrival.  You only pay for the calls you make during your stay, and reception is excellent on all the networks. Furniture throughout the house is an eclectic mix of old and new, carefully chosen by the owners.

*Please note, locations shown on the maps are approximations only

Fishing: Both fresh water and sea water fishing are on your doorstep, you may fish for Trout with a local permit, the nearest being on Lough Fadda a few miles away, or try your hand at Salmon fishing in Sneem, Kenmare, Killarney or Waterville.

Sea fishing is excellent. You may fish off Oysterbed Quay for Bass, or out in the bay for Mackerel, Pollock, Coalfish, Bass, Whiting, Mullet, Conger, Plaice, Rays, and Codling; and the rocks are teeming with succulent mussels hiding under their camouflage of seaweed, or ask locally and go deep sea fishing for Shark, Tope, Skate and Ray.
 
Golf Courses: Golfers Paradise is here, as you may play by prior arrangement at Parknasilla, a short walk away, or further afield you can try the new and spectacular Ring of Kerry course on the way in to Kenmare. In Kenmare there are two further courses, and in Killarney you may play on two 18 hole courses as well as the 18 hole course in Waterville.

Walking: Some of our favourite walks are within the grounds of the Parknasilla Hotel. Pop in and introduce yourselves and ask for a map of the walks.  We love them all but perhaps if you can only do one, then choose the Islands walk - mainly on the flat and would take about an hour and a half. You could also talk to Tom about joining one of his guided walks of the Kerry way, these are really good fun and most interesting. May I respectfully suggest that if using the hotel's grounds and facilities that you spend a little money behind the bar or in the lounge for a lunchtime snack. You can also use the many footpaths and walks in the area, try stretches of the old Kerry Way, or use some of the butter roads (named after the early routes used to transport Kerry butter to Cork by horse) try the butter route from Askive above Parknasilla and over to Sneem, it's a wonderful walk and the views are to die for, try it early in the morning finishing in Sneem with a full Irish breakfast at the Village Kitchen, heaven.

Beaches: Carry on around the "Ring" and you will come to Derrynane which has two wonderful beaches of wide golden sand. A great area for swimming, and why not try your hand at scuba diving at the local dive school?

Derrynane also is the home of Daniel O'Connell the Irish liberator, and a visit to his house is a must.

Horse Riding is well catered for, especially for beginners, and a good place to start is at Parknasilla Hotel, they have their own stables and trekking can be arranged through the concierge. Another good place to try your hand would be at Dromquinna stables, a few miles on the Sneem side of Kenmare.

The property is located down a quiet cul de sac road, approximately 3 miles from the pretty village of Sneem on the Ring of Kerry, and 1 mile from the world renowned Parknasilla Hotel. Each house nestles in 1 acre of secluded gardens, surrounded by 5 acres of moorland smothered in heathers and rhododendrons for you to explore and enjoy.

Driving distances from Sneem are as follows: Killarney - 28 miles, Farranfore Airport, Killarney - 37 miles, Cork - 72 miles, Dublin - 211 miles, Galway - 157 miles, Rosslare - 129 miles, Limerick - 113 miles

Try and go down to the quay at high tide - early in the morning if possible, when no one is around - and just watch, listen, and absorb the stunning beauty and tranquillity of the bay. You will see and hear the local wildlife: herons, cormorants, gannets and Grey seals, and with luck you may catch sight of the sea otters who play and catch their breakfast just off the pier.  Further out in the bay you may catch sight of the occasional porpoise or dolphin chasing schools of fish.

The local village of Sneem is a thriving community and caters well for the tourist trade. It contains several good restaurants, try the Blue Bull Pub for excellent bar food - I recommend the crab for lunch - and in the evening try dining in their restaurant. Another favourite eatery of ours is the Sacre Coeur Restaurant, open only in the evenings.  This family establishment serves truly outstanding food, seafood being their speciality - you must try the Black Sole which is exceptional.  The portions are massive, and their wine list contains fine wines at bargain prices. There is also the Stone House, a Dutch restaurant serving fresh Lobster when available, and fine steaks. Sneem also has several all-day eateries, try the Village Kitchen for lunch time snacks and the Riverside Coffee shop.  A good family restaurant is the Riverain, and all pubs are lively, many having nightly entertainment, mainly focusing on ballad singing.  Why not try the Blue Bull, the Fisherman's Knot, Riney's Bar and Murphy's Bar?

The world famous Parknasilla hotel is within walking distance of the house, George Bernard Shaw penned Pygmalion here, and Robert Graves who lived in the Bishops House in the grounds wrote "I Claudius". Here you may have a drink, take lunch or eat in the Pygmalion restaurant in the evening (booking essential).

The charming and picturesque town of Kenmare which is 25 minutes away by car, is a bustling and thriving town all year, and its friendly and hospitable people are waiting to welcome you. It is an example of one of Ireland's few planned towns, built in 1775 by the Lansdownes, and to this day retains its old world charm whilst enjoying all the comforts of the 21st Century. It is a gourmet's delight, with many fine restaurants.

The rental cost includes a welcome food hamper. We will provide you with a mobile phone if you require: our caretaker Patrick Casey will arrange this for you upon arrival. You only pay for the calls you make during your stay, and reception is excellent on all the networks.

Our housekeeper cleans the house on Saturdays from top to toe; therefore if you are staying for more than one week (Saturday to Saturday), she will change all the bed linen and supply fresh towels. She may also be available for general housekeeping duties if required, on an hourly basis, and this must be arranged with Betty White on arrival.

Security deposit: A €640 security deposit is payable 4 weeks in advance by cheque to cover any damage or breakages.
Linen & Towels: Included.
Energy costs: The meters will be read with our caretaker when you arrive and again when you depart, the usage will be billed at standard ESB tariffs.
End of stay cleaning: When you arrive the house will be in absolutely immaculate condition, and the price includes our cleaner going in after your visit to return it to it's former glory, she expects a little mess, naturally. However, if she has to clean for more than 4 hours we will deduct cleaning at the rate of 13 euros per hour from your deposit and the balance will be refunded 10 days after vacating the property.
Arrival time: 4pm.
Departure time: 10am.
Pets: Please enquire.
Smoking: No Smoking.