Situated in its own grounds, a short stroll from the town centre, the Treacy family’s luxurious, well-run hotel is deceptively modern - despite its classical good looks, it only dates from the 1990s.
However, it has already undergone more than one transformation - indeed, constant improvement is so much a theme here that it can be hard to keep up with developments as they occur. The exceptionally welcoming atmosphere strikes you from the moment the doorman first greets you, as you pass through to a series of stylish seating areas, with open fires and invitingly grouped sofas and armchairs; the same sense of comfort characterises the Garden Bar and also the quiet Library.
Elegant public areas are punctuated by a sweeping staircase leading to bedrooms luxuriously furnished in contrasting styles. Spacious traditional suites have a private entrance hall and an elegant sitting area with a fireplace, creating a real home from home feeling; all the older rooms are also furnished in a similar warm country house style.
However, the junior suites offer a dramatically contemporary style - thoughtfully and individually designed with a real wow-factor, they have air conditioning, well-planned bathrooms and the many small details that make a hotel room really comfortable.
Housekeeping is impeccable and the staff are committed to looking after guests with warmth and discretion.
Amenities include not only a health & fitness club with 20m swimming pool, but also one of Ireland’s most highly regarded health spas, offering eight treatment rooms, outdoor hot tub, plunge pool and jacuzzi; the menu of treatments offered is seriously seductive and it may well happen that some guests never feel the need to leave the hotel at all during their stay. [Park Hotel Killarney was our Hotel of the Year in 2002.]
*Nearby is this Killarney hotels sister establishment The Ross Hotel.
The Peregrine Restaurant:
The Killarney Park has always had a name for excellent food and it earned a reputation for its main restaurant as a dining destination in its own right - and one that porudly showcased seasonal local produce - at an early stage, making it a great asset to this fine hotel.
The large and opulent room has the essential elements of grandeur - the ornate ceiling, glittering chandeliers - but it has also reinvented itself several times, so there is always a sense of freshness and excitement at the prospect of a meal here. Most recently, a major transformation in 2022 recreated this wonderful dining room as The Peregrine, which is inspired by the beauty of the nearby Killarney National Park and also a reflection of the hotel's commitments to sustainability. An uplifting combination of classic special occasion ambience and fuss-free dining (modern table settings and smart linen napkins but no tablecloths), it's a lovely - and very comfortable - setting for creative seasonal cooking by Head Chef Seán Doyle and a talented kitchen team.
Menus are appealing and, although not overlong, they offer plenty of choice and are well designed - the underlying style is classical but this is creative food, cooked with panache. And it’s very much food with a local Irish flavour - seen in named ingredients like Kerry lamb and Killarney cheese - and seasonal home grown produce from the hotel garden is an important part of the mix.
Courteous, knowledgeable service and the presence of a pianist add to the sense of occasion, along with a wide-ranging wine list that includes many of the classics, a fair choice of half bottles and plenty by the glass. An interesting feature of the restaurant is an open wine cellar, which guests are free to browse.
*The Peregrine is also the fine dining venue for The Killarney Park's sister hotel across the road, The Ross.
Seats 90 (private room, 40); Breakfast 7-10.30am; D Wed-Sun 6.30-9pm; à la carte. House wines from €36. SC discretionary. Children welcome (high chair, special children's menu, baby changing facilities); reservations required; air conditioning; toilets wheelchair accessible. *Seán Doyle is also responsible for the excellent bistro-style food served in The Garden Bar where - as elsewhere in the hotel - children are made very welcome; also a special Afternoon Tea (with or without a glass of champagne), in The Drawing Room.
Food is served daily in The Garden Bar and The Terrace,12.30-9pm (to 9.30pm Fri, Sat & bank hol Sun); reservations accepted indoors. All Day Menu, Whiskey & Cheese Menu, Vegan & Vegetarian Menu, Kids Menu. *Seán Doyle is also responsible for the excellent bistro-style food served in The Garden Bar where - as elsewhere in the hotel - children are made very welcome; also a special Afternoon Tea (with or without a glass of champagne), in The Drawing Room.
