Fastnet Rock Vacations from $450

Great hotel, friendly staff, fantastic spa facilities, lovely views.

The Hayfield Manor was a lovely place to stay while we explored Cork and the surrounding areas. The hotel is currently undergoing some renovations, but our room was already completed -- and it was beautiful with great touches like the Victrola and records, bath salts for the enormous bathtub (hint: the drain plug works by spinning it sideways), heated tiles in the bathroom, and the most comfortable bed we've ever encountered in a hotel. The hotel has a lovely garden that we would have enjoyed had it not been raining! The in-house restaurants are delicious. The carpet in some areas of the hotel appear worn, but it had been replaced in our room. The hotel is about a 20-25 minute walk to St. Fin Barre's Cathedral and the English Market. We also enjoyed exploring the grounds at University College Cork, directly across the street from Hayfield Manor. A short walk is the beautiful Fitzgerald Park with a magical fairy tree (that's what I call it, anyway -- it is covered with mosaic glass!), a pond, a playground, and a rose garden on the banks of the river. Note that this hotel is "old school" in that you are offered a sip of Irish whiskey upon arrival, and room keys are actual keys that must be turned in at the front desk whenever you leave the property. The staff are attentive and observant: when we entered after an excursion to the English Market and I came in with flowers, they brought a vase and scissors to our room so we could arrange them before we could even ask.

Everything was great except for the food. The room, amenities, spa, grounds are all amazing. Exceeded our expectations. Food wasn’t great. Over cooked every meal. And it seemed like they water down the drinks. But other than that great!

We had a lovely stay at the hotel. The facilities are great, the staff are incredibly friendly and helpful, and the food was excellent throughout. While some areas are starting to feel a little tired, it didn’t take away from the overall experience. I really enjoyed my time here and will definitely be back!

Lovely breakfast. Pool was great for the kids.