Killarney, IrelandAghadoe
Aghadoe Heights Hotel & Spa
Modernist lakeside resort
Aghadoe Killarney, Ireland
Renovated
2003
Price
$$$
Rated for
Design Wellness LocalOutside the door
Modernist lakeside resort
The hotel trades traditional castle stone for sixties modernist architecture, looking out over Lough Leane and the Kerry mountains.
What it’s good at
What they say
Michelin Selected
Michelin
This 73-room resort overlooking the Lakes of Killarney is a Sixties-era modernist building, and it’s got interiors to match; here antique leather club chairs are replaced with pieces by the 20th century’s top designers.
Tucked away
A place apart: the property is the destination.
Killarney National Park sits minutes down the hill, and the Ring of Kerry scenic drive begins nearby.
The rooms
Full-length windows look straight across to the mountains, letting the Kerry landscape fill the spacious bedrooms.
The pool and gym
Bring a swimsuit.
A 15-metre indoor pool sits under conservatory windows, and the fitness room looks down over the water.
The thermal suite
Curved mosaic loungers rest under blue lighting, and an outdoor hot tub looks across Lough Leane.
The Lake Room Restaurant
Curved floor-to-ceiling windows look toward MacGillycuddy's Reeks, and the kitchen sources seafood from nearby Cromane.
At the table
The terrace bar pours Irish whiskey tasting flights and draft Guinness against views of the surrounding mountains.
How it began
The property began as a scenic hilltop bar in 1967, expanding into a 45-room hotel three years later.
Killarney
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Our shorthand
How we rate hotels.
The medals
Gold
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Silver
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
Bronze
They did this well. You’ll notice.
Listed
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Design
Built around a vision. Even the door handles have a designer.
Luxe
Cared for at every turn. The bath is drawn before you ask.
Local
It could only be here. You wake up knowing where you are.
Social
Where the city goes out. The bar is full and the night is young.
Heritage
A building with a story. Once a palace, a monastery, a station.
Wellness
You leave feeling new. Rest, sweat, soak and sleep like a stone.
Classic
The city grew up with it. Same rituals, same regulars, same bar.
Resort
A world of its own. Something to do from breakfast to nightcap.
The scene
Lively
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Central
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Secluded
A place apart: the property is the destination.