Cork City Hotels & Guesthouses

Like much of the Irish countryside, County Cork has experienced a lodging boom in recent years, with many new properties opening up, particularly in the Cork City area including the airport and along the coast. The places featured below offer all rooms with private bath/shower ("en suite") unless otherwise noted. Here are some of my favorites.

Price Key
B&B per person per night

€ - under 50

€€ - 50 to 75

€€€ - 75 to 100

€€€€ - 100 to 150

€€€€€ - over 150

 
Cork City Hotels

Clarion Hotel Cork, Lapps Quay, Cork City, tel. 021-422-4900, fax 021-422-4901, email: info@clarionhotelcorkcity.com, is a jewel of a contemporary 7-story hotel. Set beside the River Lee overlooking City Hall, it is adorned by glass walls at the entrance and a dazzling central atrium, with 11 golden balls suspended from the top. All the furnishings are modern with light woods and soft colors. And there is free WiFi internet for guests in the lobby, bar and main floor areas. The 191 guest rooms are designed to a 4-star standard with every modern amenity and enhancement including plasma TV,  marble bathroom with separate bath and shower unit, individually controlled AC/heat, mini-bar, and tinted floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the river and the city. Public areas include the Synergie Restaurant with European cuisine, Kudo’s Bar, a health club with swimming pool, sauna, Jacuzzi, steam room, and spa, underground car park. It is well located and well managed. Closed: 24-26 December. €€€ to €€€€. Web site: www.clarionhotelcorkcity.com

Forte Travelodge, Kinsale Road Roundabout, South Ring Road, Blackash, Cork City, tel. 021-431-0730; fax 021-431-0723. If you have a car and seek a budget-priced room, this modern no-frills motel is hard to beat, even at a B&B home. Rooms are charged at a one flat rate — whether it is occupied by two or three adults or two adults and two children — making this place popular with families. Public area facilities are limited, but a "Little Chef" restaurant is adjacent. It is conveniently located 1.5 miles south of the city centre on the main road to Kinsale and the airport. € to €€ Web site: www.travelodge.ie

Hayfield Manor, Perrott Ave., College Rd., Cork City, tel. 021-484-5900; fax 021-431-6839; e-mail: enquiries@hayfieldmanor.ie. This is a place to spoil yourself! As Cork's only 5-star hotel, this elegant manor house-turned-into-hotel delivers pampering comfort and style in full measure, yet it is within a one mile (uphill) walking distance from the Grand Parade. Nestled on an enclosed private garden estate in a residential area near St. Finbarr's Cathedral and UCC, it combines an original 19th century house with a new 3-story main building. The public areas are rich in old world tradition — dark woods, chandeliers, crystal sconces, original paintings, open fireplaces, brass and copper accents and plush carpets, while the 87 guest rooms have every modern amenity including air-conditioning and individual room doorbells. Facilities include a restaurant, bar, library room, and leisure centre with indoor swimming pool, steam room, gym, and outdoor whirlpool. €€€€ to €€€€€Web site:  www.hayfieldmanor.ie

Imperial Hotel, 14 Pembroke St., South Mall, Cork City, tel. 021-427-4040; fax 021-427-5375; e-mail: reservations@imperialhotelcork.ie. Nothing beats this vintage 3-star hotel for location — right in the heart of Cork's financial and banking district within easy walking distance of major streets and sites. Dating back to 1813, the Imperial has been rejuvenated and expanded over the years, yet it still retains the aura of earlier days. The public areas are resplendent with marble flooring, decorative walls and ceilings, huge crystal chandeliers, statuary, and antiques, while the 130 guest rooms feature modern comforts. Facilities include two restaurants and a traditional in-house pub, a spa, and free car parking for guests. Closed: 24-27 December. €€ to €€€

Web site: www.flynnhotels.com

Jurys Cork Inn, Anderson's Quay, Cork City, tel. 021-494-3000; fax 021-427-6144; e-mail: jurysinncork@jurysdoyle.com. Few hotels in Cork city centre can beat the flat rate per room price of this modern five-story hotel — whether occupied by two or three adults, or two adults and two children. The 133 guest rooms provide all the usual comforts of a 3-star hotel, and many rooms overlook the River Lee. With an attractive brick façade that blends in with Cork's Victorian architecture, it is located beside a public car park, one block from the bus station, and three blocks from Patrick Street, the city's main thoroughfare. Closed: 24-27 December. € Web site: www.bookajurysinn.com

Kingsley Hotel, Victoria Cross, Cork City, tel. 021-480-0500; fax 021-480-0527; e-mail: resv@kingsleyhotel.com. One of Cork City's newest hotels (opened in 1998), the Kingsley stands out on the western edge of town, with a bright pastel-colored Art Deco-style façade amid a stunning setting beside a rushing weir of the River Lee with a backdrop of some of Cork's finest Victorian buildings. Consequently, back half of the hotel (including the restaurant, lounge, library, and many bedrooms) offers lovely river views. The welcoming traditional interior includes open fireplaces and posh leather furnishings. The 131 guest rooms are top notch with air-conditioning, internet access, all the latest high-tech comforts. The indoor leisure club gives guests access to an indoor swimming pool, steam room, Jacuzzi, saunas, gym, solarium and health juice bar. Outdoors, there's a heli-pad, patio, landscaped gardens, riverside promenade, and ample parking. The hotel is a bit far from the city center for most walkers, but a public bus can whisk you downtown in 5 minutes. Note: due to flooding in Cork in Nov. 2009, this hotel has been closed temporarily, but plans to re-open soon. €€ to €€€€ Web site:  www.kingsleyhotel.com

Maryborough House Hotel, Maryborough Hill, Douglas, Cork City, tel. 021-436-5555; fax 021-436-5662; e-mail: info@maryborough.ie. Surrounded by colorful gardens brimming with ancient oaks and rhododendrons in a residential suburb 2 miles south of the city centre, the three-story Georgian-style Maryborough House was for almost 300 years a private estate. Now this 18th century mansion is part of a $10 million 4-star hotel complex. The main house, which has retained its old world charm with original plasterwork, open fireplaces, curved staircases, chandeliers, and antiques, is connected via a glass-enclosed passageway to a new brick-fronted wing of 79 modern guest rooms. Each is furnished with the usual modern amenities and enhanced by a veranda or balcony overlooking the gardens and orchards. Facilities include a restaurant, bar, and leisure centre with spa, indoor heated swimming pool, Jacuzzi, steam room, sauna, and gym, plus 24 acres of nature walks outside. Closed: 24-26 December. €€€ to €€€€

Web site:  www.maryborough.com

Radisson Blu Hotel, Cork Airport, Cork, Co. Cork; tel. 021-494-7500; fax 021-494-7501; e-mail: info.airport.cork@radissonblu.com. One of Cork's most modern hotels is not in the city centre at all but at Cork Airport, midway between the downtown area and Kinsale, making it a convenient base for touring in either direction as well as for those using the airport. The public areas and 81 guestrooms are furnished with sleek contemporary furniture and every 21st century amenity. Facilities include a restaurant, bar, business centre, a gym with sauna and Jacuzzi, and ample outdoor parking. Although an easy walk from the main Cork Airport terminal, this hotel is set apart in its own grounds, and the staff work hard to convey a traditional welcoming atmosphere. In other words, it is not just another airport hotel but a good central choice for any visitor to Cork City and Kinsale. Closed: 24-26 December.  €€ to €€€

Web site: www.radissonblu.ie/hotel-corkairport

River Lee Hotel, Western Rd., Cork City, tel. 021-425-2700; fax 021-427-4477; e-mail: cork@doylecollection.com. Perched beside the River Lee on the western edge of the city next to UCC and within a mile's walk of the Grand Parade, this modern hotel was completely rebuilt and refurbished in 2006.  The 182 guest rooms are equipped with air-conditioning, widescreen plasma TV, work desk, mini-bar, garment press, iron and ironing board, and many rooms have 6 ft. king-size beds. Bathrooms have separate bath and shower units. Leisure facilities include a swimming pool, whirlpool, gym, saunas. steam room, and two exercise rooms. Public areas include the Leeside Bistro and Bar, overlooking the river, and a coffee bar. 

€€€ to €€€€  Web site: www.doylecollection.com

Cork City Guesthouses

Lancaster Lodge, Western Rd., Cork City, tel. 021-425-1125; fax 021-425-1126; e-mail: info@lancasterlodge.com. One of Cork's newest lodgings, this purpose-built 4-star guesthouse offers all the comforts of a hotel with much lower prices. It sits beside the vast Jurys Hotel complex on the western edge of the city, easily walkable to the city centre. The 39 guest rooms are compact and well-equipped (including desks with modem access), and some rooms are wheelchair-friendly; there are two suites with Jacuzzi baths as well. Unlike many guesthouses, it has an elevator and ample car parking on the grounds. The breakfast menu is extensive and creative, and the staff is on duty 24 hours a day. Closed: 22-25 December. € to €€€  Web site: www.lancasterlodge.com

Lotamore House, Dublin Rd., Tivoli, Cork City, tel. 021-482-2344; fax 021-482-2219; e-mail: lotamore@iol.ie. For many years, this 4-star guesthouse has been one of my favorites on the outskirts of Cork City (a 5-minute drive). A sprawling Georgian residence surrounded by four acres of gardens and trees, formerly owned by a doctor — so the beds are orthopedic and the breakfasts are healthy (freshly squeezed juices, etc). Although the 20 guest rooms provide modern comforts, the public areas impart an 18th century aura - from a sweeping staircase, ornate plasterwork, and crystal chandeliers to a 1791 drawing room fireplace. It's a good place to relax. Closed: 22 December - 5 January. €€  Web site:  www.lotamorehouse.com


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