Liss Ard Estate

The site of an ancient ring fort, Liss Ard is a former estate where history abounds. At Liss Ard, there are beautiful trails and walking paths, a fine small spa and gym, birding (the great purple heron has been spotted) , boating, and the Irish Sky Garden. Few art experiences are more magical than “gardening the sky” at night at the Irish Sky Garden.

This was our second time visiting Liss Ard and our first time bringing my husband’s adult daughters. The simplest way to write this review would be to state that we are all deeply in love with Liss Ard. The first time that we stayed here we had a room in the old stables above the gardens. When we made our reservation this time we couldn’t get two rooms in the same building. We booked one room in the old stables for ourselves and one in the Lake House for our companions. A few days later, unprompted by us the staff had moved our reservation to the Lake house as well and notified us of the change by email. This goes to the heart of Liss Ard and those who work there: how can we make the experience meaningful. The Lake House is beautiful. Getting to the main house & restaurant via the well marked forest paths is a treat. The estate’s gardeners have mastered the art of clearing just enough that specimen plants can be identified, but not so much that it takes away from the wildness of the land. The location is central to numerous activités including night Kayaking on Lough Hyne with the Atlantic Sea Kayaking outfitters The James Turell Sky Garden is a treasure. Pick a quiet time to go as the original idea is for no more than two people at a time to experience it in silence. The people who run Liss Ard on a daily basis are its heart and you could not find a kinder, more thoughtful, or competent staff. Many have worked there for years, if not decades and have invested themselves in making this estate the special place that it is.

You can do much better for the price - and we did as part of a wider holiday in this part of Ireland. Great location and stunning main house let down badly by weak management as evidenced by poorly trained and resourced staff.

Staff welcoming from the moment we arrived through to our departure. The experience was seamless including organising local transport. The Sky Garden and Lake House are fantastic to visit on a walk around the grounds. Will definitely be back

Terrible lack of service attention in common areas - Bar & Lounge. No Spa but 40.00euro for Sauna Pod ! Massage great - but wellness lodge is not a destination - far from hotel (although golf buggy provided) its a building that needs a lot of work.

The Liss Ard Estate and grounds were a beautiful and relaxing home base for exploring the southwest of Ireland. We were in a King bed in the main Manor part of the hotel. The staff were all extremely helpful, from the bellman who parked our vehicle for us and brought our bags up at arrival, to the front desk who helped me book a table at a place only taking reservations over the phone, to the lovely staff in the restaurant and bar. Wandering the property, you could also see the care taken to maintain the gardens and landscaping (especially around the lakehouse!). There are trails that take you down to the lake, to the Sky Garden, and the wellness huts (some basic weights and cardio machines). We loved it!!