The Marine Hotel and Restaurant has been a fixture in this popular North Kerry seaside resort since 1922.
New owners since 2019, Derek Nagle and Elaine Bennett have put a thoroughly modern stamp on the imposing seafront building, painting it in ocean blue, and renovating the interior to create a warm, welcoming and comfortable boutique hotel. With 10 seaview bedrooms - and plans to open more - guests wake up to views of the Atlantic Ocean, and the beach is just a short stroll away.
Derek is a chef, so food comes first here - like the rest of the hotel, the spacious restaurant is modern and smartly-decorated and, in fine weather, guests can opt to relax at one of the many outside tables, all positioned to take in the spectacular view. If it’s a little chilly, the friendly staff offer blankets, and there will be plenty of space inside when the time comes to move in.
Dinner at The Marine includes a 2/3-course Early Bird menu which offers excellent value, and later diners will also find very fair prices on the à la carte menu, which features a range of attractive dishes inspired by the area and its many quality producers.
Seafood lovers might like a creamy Wild Atlantic Way chowder, or spiced tempura of hake, for example, while more carnivorous guests should enjoy a traditional roast supreme of Irish chicken, or ever-popular steak from nearby J. Browne’s butchers. There is a srong sense of locality on Derek Nagle's menus and he does name check places of origin - sourcing Cromane mussels from Glenbeigh, for example, and crab from Dingle Bay - if not the actual producers. (It would be nice to see a supplier list crediting all producers.) There's a proper - and well-priced - children's menu too, and special dietary requirements are happily accommodated on request.
Much has changed in Ballybunion over the last century, but genuine hospitality, quality Irish food, and a view that takes in some spectacular sunsets as well as the Atlantic Ocean are sure to please holidaymakers - and in all of this, The Marine excels.
