On a rainy weekend spent in Sheen Falls Lodge in her native Co. Kerry, writer Édaein O' Connell discovered a haven of relaxation and luxury and realised Ireland in the rain isn't all that bad.
As the rain pelted relentlessly against the window and I sipped on my glass of port, I turned around to my mother and said: “Aren’t we lucky, Mary?” She didn’t reply. My doting matriarch was lying in a comatose state on her king-size bed in the stunning Sheen Falls Lodge in Kenmare, Co. Kerry. Now, it could have been the cheese (or the port) but my mother became the embodiment of the five-star hotel. She became zen and relaxation personified. Her second name was ‘Luxury’ and her firstborn was called ‘Opulence.’ I followed in her footsteps, soaking up every single morsel of grandeur I could.
And it was easily done during a weekend break at Sheen Falls. Nestled in beautiful Kenmare Bay, from the view to the interiors to the food, it’s a feast for the senses. Escapism at its finest, the hotel is just a short drive from Kenmare town and is an ideal getaway to exploring the Ring of Kerry and the Beara Peninsula.
As a very proud woman from the Kingdom, I often wax lyrical about the greatness of the county. You can’t change my opinion that it’s the most beautiful place in the world on a sunny day. I try not to be biased about my home, but even if I wasn’t made of green and gold, I would say the same. Sadly, on the weekend I ventured to Kenmare with my mother, the heavens opened on the Saturday in the most violent of manners. However, there is no better place to be than Sheen Falls on a wet and dreary day.
Our room had panoramic views of the river adjacent to the hotels and the surrounding mountains. The powerful rain, mixed with the imperious landscape and the cosy setting of our temporary home, made for a weekend of serious R&R. From the moment we arrived, we indulged in all the hotel had to offer.
On our first evening, we enjoyed a glass of bubbles and a beautiful bottle of Sauvignon Blanc by the fire in the Sheen Lounge before making our way to The Stables Brasserie. With a relaxed and inviting atmosphere, the restaurant offers a broad contemporary dining menu. Make sure to try the Cromane Mussels and ask for the Catch of the Day. From there, we caught a sliver of sun and dry weather and strolled around the grounds of the hotel while enjoying the sunset. Then we made our way back to the lounge for a nightcap and an evening of mother-daughter chat. This mostly consisted of me talking at her, while she shook her head and tried to advise me on the frivolous problems in my life.
Saturday was saturated and so, we were forced to take rest within the walls of the hotel. This is how my mother ended up horizontal on the bed and I became overly grateful for life while sipping on that glass of port. In between these periods of repose, we enjoyed a delicious table service breakfast of pancakes, read books we had long forgotten about and watched reruns of Heartbeat. We were shut away from the rain and the real world and every single second of it was bliss.
Just when we thought it couldn’t get any better – and I seriously questioned if my mother would rise from the bed at all – it was time for a spa treatment. The Irish name for a waterfall, the Easanna Spa draws inspiration from the tranquillity of the Sheen River that flows by the hotel. With an extensive treatment list, guests can enjoy luxury pampering from brands like ELEMIS, GROUND Wellbeing and SEABODY. My treatment of choice was a SEABODY Rebalance Body Wrap. A Tralee-based luxury brand, SEABODY was co-founded by Dr Helena McMahon and uses the regenerative power of ocean algae from the Irish Atlantic coastline to create products powered by sustainable cellular biotech. Sustainable, plant-based and cruelty-free, SEABODY thinks about the planet, all the while keeping its luxury prestige and skincare principles.
The body wrap is a holistic 75-minute treatment designed to rejuvenate the body and mind and that is exactly what it did. The experience begins with calming breathwork and a grounding ceremony before a thorough body exfoliation. This effectively got rid of dead skin and immediately my body felt smoother and softer, with a more radiant finish.
Then a detoxifying cold-pressed sea gel body mask – packed with potent health and wellness benefits – was applied. As this was left to soak and work its magic, hot stones were placed on my back, delivering soothing heat that melted away any tension my body was holding onto. Finally, I was treated to a refreshing facial cleanse combined with a luxurious scalp massage.
As you can imagine, I walked out of the spa in a daze of delicious post-treatment delirium, but soon it was time to wake up, dress up and make our way to dinner. Overlooking the bay, The Falls Restaurant offers a refined culinary experience to guests. Showcasing imaginative flavours and local produce, the menu is thrilling and will delight any fine dining devotee. The lobster and the black sole were highlights for me.
By this stage, the rain had cleared and the setting sun peaked through the parting clouds. It was poetic in a way, as my mother and I realised our time at Sheen Falls was drawing to a close.
Delightfully full and wonderfully revitalised, we toasted the remains of our wine and my mother finally paid heed to my expression of gratefulness earlier in the day.
“Despite the rain, aren’t we lucky?” she said.
“Yes, we are Mary,” I replied. “Yes, we are.”
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