Known by the owners and visitors alike as “The place God made when He was in good humour”, Killeen House Hotel is a lovely cottage-style hotel tucked away in a beautiful corner of Ireland.
Why is this place an object of our blog post? Well, we stayed there for 3 nights whilst attending TBEX Ireland and experienced the warmest Irish hospitality you can only imagine, thus we couldn’t find the better way to say thank you to Michael & Geraldine (the owners) and the whole crew for that.
We fully dedicate this blog post to them and hope more people will stay at the Killeen House Hotel and Rozzers Restaurant that is perfectly placed for anyone looking to explore the Irish countryside like us.
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ToggleThe History of Killeen House
Killeen House, the building within which the hotel is now located, was built in 1838 as the rectory of an Archdeacon known as Nathaniel P. Foresters. It came with the flair and stylings of a quaint country cottage and was designed to be a beautiful home set amongst the Irish countryside.
After the Archdeacon moved on, the hotel passed hands many times; it didn’t immediately become a hotel. First, it was a farmhouse, then a dower house, then a home for the elderly, and then a maternity home. When it finally became a hotel, Killeen House had more than a few stories to tell. Stories which Michael, the hotel’s owner, will be more than happy to share with any guest who is interested.
Yet all along, Killeen House kept it’s rustic and homely charm. Even after renovations in 1990 to add a touch of modern convenience to the building, Killeen House Hotel remained the perfect place for anyone looking to escape to the Irish countryside.
Room Booking and Check-in
Four Chimneys rest on top of the building’s grey roofing. In front of it, red lines highlight the curves of the building. Inside, a small model of the hotel sits on a table, whilst armchairs and couches, covered in decorative patterns, sit around a warm and welcoming living room. Instantly, Killeen strikes us as personal and intimate. It is homely.
We had a reservation for three nights at Killeen House Hotel before we arrived. You can book your stay really easy, and conveniently online. When we arrived, Michael, the owner, greeted us himself, along with his team. They checked us in pronto and made sure that we knew where everything was and that we felt comfortable. The hotel is quite small, so we already felt we knew where to go, but it was nice to catch up with the owner and know a little bit about the history of the building and its surroundings.
The Room
We occupied a twin room so that everything was convenient for getting up in the morning. Inside the room, there were two beds. One was a little smaller than the other, but both big enough to sleep in a starfish-style.
The decor was simple, with everything you would expect from a hotel room. The blankets and covers were clean, and the pillows were plump. We didn’t feel as though the bedding was too old or had been washed too many times. When we arrived in the room, we were also greeted by a small piece of paper, which told us some important information about the hotel, just in case Michael had missed anything, we guessed.
In the bathroom, there was an actual bath. It was clean and easily accessible. There were also two sinks. Yup, that’s right, Killeen House Hotel considered that this was a twin room and put in a sink for each of us! This really helped to make the stay much more convenient, especially during the morning rush!
The Hotel Atmosphere
As already stated, the hotel’s atmosphere was homely. Michael made us feel as though the home was ours. Once we had a little time, we managed to catch up with Michael and Geraldine his wife more. They told us about the history of the hotel and some great local areas. It’s also Michael who first told us about Astro-tourism which really piqued our interest.
Outside the back of the hotel, there is a lovely garden. From the garden, it’s possible to see mountains stretching off into infinity and the local church. We can imagine it would be awesome to come out here during summer and just take in the views.
Nearby, there are a lot of great attractions, including the Killarney National Park. This is especially true, and convenient if you have a car. It’s no secret that Ireland is home to some of the best road trips in Europe. If you want to go further afield (in different parts of Ireland), you can always head out to either Blarney Castle or Malahide Castle. Two of Ireland’s best castles, and which we also highly recommend.
Rozzers Restaurant
We know we say this all the time, but it seems like each trip we go on, something new and even better pops up. Rozzers Restaurant, within the Killeen Hotel, was exactly what we needed.
The breakfast they served us was perfect. It might have been the fact that they tailor-made it to our exact specifications. It might have been the fact that it tasted fresh and healthy. It might have been the fact that it perfectly complemented the Irish Autumn weather. Whatever it was, it was good. We called it our Breakfast of Champions.
On top of the gorgeous breakfast every day, we were also provided with brilliant service. Michael, the owner, was incredibly passionate about his hotel and restaurant.
He’s the kind of person who, no matter what, wants to make sure that your stay has been good. And like a helpful guide, he took us through everything we needed in the restaurant.
A Homely Hotel
The service here is impeccable, and the breakfast next to none. Moreover, with its location so close to many of Ireland’s great attractions, it makes this the perfect place to “set up camp” whilst exploring this beautiful country.
With this review, we recommend Killeen House Hotel to anyone who wants to visit Ireland. To everyone else, we implore you to start thinking about it.
14 thoughts on “Experiencing the Irish Hospitality at the Killeen House Hotel”
Looks awesome! I’ll favorite this so I’ll remember to look them up when the time comes. Thanks.
Thanks a bunch, Leanne. ;)
wow it’s gorgeous! Such a beautiful spot! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for your comment, Andy! It is really breathtaking.
It looks like an amazing place with some very nice breakfast (very, very important part ?). It is incredible how much a place and the experience of it can change when it is dedicated people running it. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks, Becci. I couldn’t agree more with you. ;)
Looks like a lovely place to stay. It’s my dream to experience the Irish countryside and what better way than this :)
It is an awesome place to stay, Renuka. Warmly recommended. ;)
Nooooo! I can’t believe that you were in Ireland for TBEX. Did you say somewhere that you were going to attend?
I had previously booked my ticket and my hotel, but had to cancel, as I had to travel to the UK to visit the family instead!
I’m so glad that you had a good time, ‘cos judging by this lovely house, you did!
It was an awesome experience, Vic! I mentioned it on Instagram. :)
Ach! I’m not on Instragram. I’m probably the only lifestyle travel blogger who isn’t…!
Did they mention where the next Asian or European TBEX destination, would be?
Nope, but rumor has it it’s going to be Prague … :) not sure about Asia, though.
That would be so cool, as it’s really close to home, and Prague is always so much fun! Or probably somewhere more obscure like Bulgaria or Romania, would also be quite interesting. Fingers crossed!
That’s true, Vic! Fingers crossed. ;)