Sheen Falls Lodge

The staff were courteous throughout both of my stays, and the food was delicious. There are lots of activities to enjoy, with Kenmare village just a short stroll away. The hotel sits surrounded by nature and beautiful scenery. My room and suite were spacious and beautifully decorated, with the most comfortable beds. In the suite, huge windows gave a panoramic river view from the bathroom, living room and bedroom. I could never get enough of it. The calming sound of the water helped me disconnect from everyday stress and routine. Both stays were stunning experiences. I hope to return soon! My only suggestion is that the gym could be a little bigger. Thank you.

We had a lovely stay, and this is a beautiful part of the world with stunning scenery. We chose Sheen Falls Lodge to mark my wife’s ‘big birthday,’ thinking the recent high-profile awards and Relais and Chateaux membership meant we couldn’t go wrong. I’m writing about some shortcomings that might help set expectations, and I hope the hotel can address the simpler ones. The Falls Suite was amazing, with a great view over the falls, two balconies and a huge separate living area. There’s a large fridge, though it isn’t stocked like a minibar. My wife’s family had arranged champagne for our arrival. The card was there, but sadly no champagne. Our first impressions had been good. A friendly young Irish porter took our cases and showed us to reception. He was one of very few Irish people we encountered during our stay. The hotel is in Ireland, but seemed to have almost no Irish staff. That doesn’t mean the staff were all bad, but we missed the warm Irish charm, or ‘craic’, we’ve enjoyed at similar hotels in Ireland. The receptionist was capable but frankly unfriendly. On the long walk to our room, she only mentioned that it was the hotel’s biggest room and told us breakfast times. No one showed us how the heating or lights worked. Dining was a mixed experience. We got to the hotel around 1pm, then went to the bar for a light lunch at about 2pm. It wasn’t especially busy, but our two bowls of soup took half an hour, and I suspect longer if we hadn’t chased them. On the first night we had the 4 Hands Tasting menu. We arrived at 7.30pm and waited an hour for the first course. Since everyone had the same menu, we thought service might move faster, but it didn’t. We eventually left before the final course because it was late and we were tired of waiting. At breakfast the next morning, we arrived at 10am, which is admittedly quite late, but weren’t seated until 10.30am. We were told to wait on a windowsill in the buffet area. It seemed they forgot us while seating other guests. There were empty tables, but staff weren’t resetting them with any urgency. In all three of those dining experiences, the staff were not particularly friendly and certainly not Irish. The food, when it finally came, was very good. The Stables restaurant on our last night was much better, with friendly, attentive staff, good food and good service. The hotel also offers free lifts to Kenmare, but doesn’t mention this. We only heard about it from a local taxi driver who asked why we weren’t using the service. Finally, as we left, I pushed our cases from the lift to the hotel door past doormen who watched and didn’t ask if we needed help. I didn’t need it, but it was a very unusual experience at a 5-star hotel. There are real shortcomings here, and while the hotel should be an amazing place to stay, at the prices they charge you may have to fight for the service you can reasonably expect.

I was so taken with Sheen Falls on earlier visits that I knew it was where I wanted to get married. We got married there in October 2025, and the wedding felt as though it had taken years to plan, even though I secured one of the last few dates available in 2025 at relatively short notice. That care made the day wonderful for us and our families. Huge thanks to Marcio and Clodagh on the events/wedding team for being so patient, flexible and accommodating, and to the rest of the staff for the beautiful memories. I’ve stayed at the hotel at least 5 other times over the past five years. It’s without a doubt my favourite hotel in the world, with a breathtaking location, lovely rooms, divine food and service and staff second to none. I can’t recommend it enough. A truly premium experience from start to finish, and we’ll be back as soon as we can.

The Sheen Lounge was a highlight of my recent stay at Sheen Falls Lodge. Its breathtaking views of the waterfalls and Kenmare Bay made it feel like stepping into a postcard, and the setting was perfect for relaxing. Housekeeping kept everything pristine and made us feel cared for. The spa treatments were pure bliss and added a luxurious touch to the trip. We could see the team’s warmth and dedication throughout, though the hotel seemed a bit understaffed in some areas. Porter service could use more hands, as there were some delays, and booking the hotel car, the shuttle, was trickier than expected. Those were small snags in an otherwise seamless stay. Sheen Falls Lodge is a dream destination, and we can’t wait to return. A little fine-tuning around staffing and shuttle bookings would make it absolutely flawless. I’d highly recommend it for a serene escape in County Kerry!