RESTAURANTS AND FOOD: Sneem Black Pudding

Thursday, April 6, 2023

Walking The Dog At The Lovely Sneem Hotel

Walking The Dog

At The Lovely Sneem Hotel

Walking the dog is probably the wrong way to put it…

After a hearty breakfast in the Sneem Hotel, we decided to take the walk in front of the hotel that winds around part of the nearby inlet, and also provides a delightful view from your room.

Window view. Also pictured this the evening before and it got
over 10,000 impressions on Twitter.

So with coat and hat on, we headed out the front door and were immediately accompanied by Red. Red? Well he is the hotel’s resident dog and is a big friendly Red Setter that we had met briefly while enjoying a drink in the lounge the previous evening.

He bounded on ahead of us this promising morning and we walked on down to the water and around the path. Every now and then he came back to us and then headed off again. When we turned back towards the hotel he headed off in front. But there was a little delay as we stopped to take a few photos. All of a sudden he rushed back - I’m pretty sure he was checking on us. Back at the hotel, he walked in ahead of us, probable seeking someone else to guide.

Chicken

It is a dog friendly hotel but has much else going for it, including that terrific view - make sure you book a sea-view room as it is well worth the supplement. Besides the view, the room is very spacious, very comfortable and you’ll have everything you’ll need.

One of the more unusual treats here is the facility to enjoy an open air Seaweed bath near the hotel. “It is scientifically proven that having a seaweed bath is beneficial for supporting our nervous system and making us feel more calm.” Over to you! Don't worry too much though - the water is heated

Curry

The hotel is in the village where you have quite a lot to do, including checking out the dozens of sculptures around the two sections of Sneem. That done, you may want to check out quite a variety of food options.

Sneem is of course on the Ring of Kerry. Kenmare, another lively little town packed with bars and restaurants, is less than half an hour away to the east. Nearby, to the west there is the iron-age Staigue Stone Fort.

Beyond that, the marvellous Derrynane House and gardens, once the home of the the Liberator Daniel O’Connell, and well worth a visit. After that there is Waterville and so much more of the Wild Atlantic Way.

After your trip, you might like to dine in the hotel (either restaurant or bar). We had a very satisfactory lunch earlier in Killarney so weren’t going for the full dinner but were well pleased with our meal.

Just one course needed as it turned out, accompanied by draught pale ale from the Killarney Brewing Company, a beer that you find in quite a few establishments in the area.

One dish enjoyed was the Thai Red Curry with seafood and Jasmine rice and topped with cashew nuts. No shortage of fish here and everything was very acceptable and easy to dispatch. The other, also a quite satisfactory plate, was Chicken Breast with spiced pumpkin purée, fondant potatoes, mushroom, and chicken velouté.

In Derrynane Gardens

Breakfast was mainly from the buffet, a supervised one which always lends itself to better quality. Very happy with that, especially the outstanding local Sneem black-pudding. And another aspect that helped was the fact that the tea wasn’t delivered as you sat down, coming instead as you started to eat and was much the better for it. So often the pot is delivered early on and is lukewarm when you really need it!

After that final cuppa, it was time for the walk with our unexpected escort, a nice ending to our stay in this lovely place with welcoming and friendly staff.