The hotel we were staying in on our Staycation in Kerry was so nice, I figured it deserves its own post. We have stayed in many different hotels over the years. As a family of four it is very important to us to have a room with lots of space. Though you are only there to sleep, when you have kids you want to wind down for a little bit, too.
When I did my research on the hotel we would stay in, I came across Ballygarry House Hotel in Tralee. I always read the reviews before we book a place. We had some bad experiences in the past and so it’s always good to read the reviews of the hotels Facebook page or Tripadvisor. Of course there is always the odd one that didn’t have a good experience but for this hotel 81% said it’s fabulous. Having a staycation in Ireland isn’t the cheapest option. Sometimes you are better off booking something abroad. However this hotel had a special offer which allowed 15% off if you stay at least three nights. We planned to stay four nights anyway, so this saved us a lot of money. (That offer is still valid now)
The hotel was very easy to find. It’s just a few metres away from the roundabout where you head either to Dingle, Tralee town or Killarney, you couldn’t be more central. There is plenty of parking available and the hotel is located right beside Ballyseed Woods. We went for a walk one of the evenings there.
We were greeted by the receptionist behind the desk and the check in itself was very quick. She explained to me how to get to the room, as well as where breakfast in the morning is located and also where we could go for dinner any evening without booking ahead. Our family room was very spacious. Apart from the general things you would get in a hotel room, we had a DVD player beside the TV. For a deposit you could rent DVD’s each night. We were always so busy though that we didn’t avail of the service. They provided us with two bottles of still and two bottles of sparkling water each day.
We had a lovely view onto the gardens and the mountains. The kids loved sitting on the window sill, not just to look out but also to play.
Our stay included breakfast each morning. There was a cold buffet and hot food was presented on a menu card. We had plenty of choice. The kids had pancakes one morning and scones the others. I really liked the french toast with berry compot. I would recommend it if you are going to stay here in the near future. The scones stood out for me too. They were very light but so delicious with butter and jam. If you are a fry person, there was plenty of options for that too. I didn’t opt for it this time though.
One evening we decided to eat in the restaurant “The Brasserie”. We were handed the menus while the kids got a page and some crayons to colour. On the back of the page it had the kids menu. There was plenty to choose from for them. I decided I would go for a Chicken Caesar Salad this time as I used to have them quite a lot. It was delicious and definitely enough for a main course.
Two of the evenings we all had a drink in the bar which is located beside the restaurant we dined in previously. They have plenty of cosy little corners. The kids enjoyed some Miwaldi orange and crisps while the parents had a cocktail and a beer. It was very relaxing. Chloe was entertained by a baby who was sitting at the table beside us. Matthew played on the Nintendo Switch for a little while.
Another evening Chloe and me explored the grounds of the hotel. Ballygarry House Hotel is mostly known as a wedding venue I figured at the end of our stay. However in my opinion it’s very family friendly. On a nice day you could sit in the garden on one of the lounger with a drink in your hand and let the kids run wild on the huge green. Chloe explored every aspect of the garden. We even found a little fairy door and she potted a hedgehog sculpture by the bridge.
The hotel is big enough to get lost in it on arrival. There are a few rooms you can sit down for a quiet drink or a good book, whichever you prefer.
If we were ever going back to Kerry in the near future as a family, then this hotel would definitely be our first choice again, with the offer that is.
