Killarney Inn, located on the main road leading into town, is set back from the street with a small parking lot in front. The lot was full during our stay and we were told to park in the lot across the street belonging to another hotel that was closed. Not sure where you park when that hotel opens for the season.
When we arrived, there was some construction going on inside the hotel and an electrical extension cord was run under the front door making it difficult to open the door. As no one was sitting at the reception desk I knocked for a while before someone came from a back room and yelled that I should 'push hard' to enter, instead of walking over to open the door for us.
I guess I have gotten accustomed to the wonderful welcomes I have received from all sorts of accommodations we have stayed at in Ireland and this lack luster reception was disheartening.
After checking in the receptionist instructed us to walk down a hall and up a back staircase two floors. The hotel had an assortment of sitting areas throughout the hallways. The staircases have wooden railings and are carpeted. There are fire extinguishers in the common areas and post cards for guests to take on little tables throughout the property.
Once we found our room we really got a 'wow' upon opening the door. The room was quite spacious with a small canopy above the bed giving it a very regal air. The bed linens are also quite nice having a textured pattern which lends to that feel of staying somewhere special. The windows overlooked a roof, dumpsters, and a side street. Well, the room is big.
The desk in a corner included a coffee / tea tray and the hairdryer is on the wall. The tea tray included little chocolate snacks that I did not try but my SO fell in love and ordered them online when we got home. Two straight back chairs are provided, and for the size of the room a nice comfortable chair or two would have been appreciated as well. Sometime you just want to sit in a chair at the end of the day instead of the bed and there is plenty of room in here for a comfortable sofa at the foot of the bed facing the TV.
The bathroom is updated and a good size, but there were no amenities. One bar of soap on the sink and liquid soup dispenser in the shower. No wash clothes, shampoo, shower cap, etc. A small shelf over the sink fit some toiletries while others sat on the windowsill. The armoire by the door is large and provides plenty of space to hang coats, shirts, etc, but there is no place to set your suitcase down. The room had a 'damp' feeling the entire time we stayed and our towels always felt wet, so we hung them over the radiator each night so they were warm and dry in the morning.
Our room was off the main corridor at the end of the hotel making me wonder if that is why the room felt damp. It did rain most of the time during our visit. The staff were not Irish (the accent could have been eastern European) which makes me wonder if this is why we did not get that amazing Irish welcome we've come to expect. The room gives a nice impression. All the sitting areas throughout the hotel give the halls a bit of a cluttered feel but do offer a place to rest if you are not accustomed to walking all the stairs.
It's a half hour walk to Muckross Castle, or walk into town and take a pony cart to the castle, about a 5 minute walk to the Killarney Brewing Co. which serves their beer and pizza as well as offer tours in summer, 12 minutes to town and 15 minutes to the Wild Atlantic Tour company pick up spot, making it an easy location for getting around on foot. read more