Hotel review: This residents-only West Cork escape feels like exclusive luxury

9/10

Style and design

With its Victorian facade embellished with a fine cast iron verandah, Perryville strikes an imposing figure along the town’s colourful main thoroughfare. The property is strictly residents-only, so guests arrive via its decorative original doorway, which also features automated glass doors which add an extra layer of security —and indeed exclusivity.

Once, inside, Perryville has a period oasis feel with its sumptuously renovated interiors adorned with antique furnishings, oil portraits (including one of original owner Captain Adam Warren Perry) plus a profusion of fine floral displays. There’s a hint of boutique Shelbourne hotel here and the property feels luxurious, prim, and supremely polished.

9/10

Service

The young receptionist who checks me in also provides a room tour which elevates the welcome. A friendly porter offers food recommendations, however I’m not addressed by the bartender as I enter, or leave, the intimate Garden Room for a snoop. That very bar closes at 9pm so this isn’t a property for nightcaps, which is a pity given its inviting lounges — and its price point — but it also meant come evening, where guests were not inclined to linger, the property’s serenity teetered a little towards the anonymous. The vibe is a lot more lively and personable in the morning. The breakfast room is bustling with warm, friendly staff, while the owner is bantering with guests as they check out.

8/10

Rooms

Deceptively large, Perryville offers 30 rooms which are calmly absorbed by the scale of the property. Categories range from superior doubles with courtyard views to waterside suites overlooking the town’s yacht-pierced marina. I was staying in one of the hotel’s deluxe doubles which featured a half four- poster bed accented with myriad antique furniture pieces and an opulent en suite with both shower and deep-soak bath, blushed with interiors of dappled white marble and a bold peony wallpaper. One unusual addition in my room (and much of the guesthouse) is a coarse coir carpet which, although effective in neutralising some of the floral designs, feels a little rustic and is almost squidgy to walk upon at times. But all in all, it’s a room which looks — and indeed smells — extremely well. The presence of Voya diffusers add a lovely element of fragrance, often absent from many a five star hotel experience.

9/10

In-room perks

Unlike some more traditionally rooted Ireland’s Blue Book properties, Perryville House offers in-room tea and coffee facilities with a Nespresso machine and a pre-packaged cookie.

8/10

On the menu

Perryville’s breakfast is served in the property’s formal breakfast room which is a gorgeous space verdant with indoor foliage and elegantly laid tables. And it’s a pretty sublime encounter. Coffee, ice water, and orange juice are offered immediately after seating and while no buffet is on offer, there’s a mouthwatering menu of starters and mains to choose from.

Starters range from cardamom scented porridge oats with boozy prunes to roast plums dolloped with Greek style yoghurt and pomegranate molasses. Mains include market fish with oven roasted tomatoes and nasturtium butter, or mushrooms with toasted hazelnut, burnt leek and spring onion crème on sourdough with poached egg. Add-ons like home made scones and Perryville’s very own gluten free bread add extra indulgence to what is a truly outstanding breakfast and adds a delicious crescendo to a very fine stay.

10/10

Activities and amenities

Perryville offers no onsite amenities though afternoon tea is available for guests. Beyond Kinsale’s culinary and cultural delights, there are several scenic trails reachable from the property, not least the Scilly Walk which leads to the impressive Charles Fort.

6/10

The bill

Superior doubles from €320.

• Perryville House, Kinsale, Co Cork. perryvillehouse.com

The Hotel Examiner was a guest of Ireland’s Blue Book.