The luxurious bedrooms at the Blue Haven Hotel are individually furnished with exquisite furniture, the ultimate in luxury pocket sprung beds, plasma TVs and finer touches to make each room unique.
Each bedroom is a rewarding union of timeless elegance, luxury and classic sophistication.
Fine Cuisine in an Elegant setting
The Blue Haven is famous for its fine cuisine and service excellence. Culinary ingenuity and the finest of the earth’s bounties come together for a superb dining experience in this restaurant ‘blu’. A founder member of Kinsale’s famous ‘Good Food Circle’, ‘blu’ features modern Irish cuisine with a broad array of international influences. Chefs here at the Blue Haven draw from local produce to create inspirational dishes, complimented with a wine list which is carefully selected to ensure the ultimate culinary experience.
Take time for coffee, tea or whatever you choose in the tastefully sophisticated Café Blue where there’s always the finest teas, coffees, soft drinks and a mouthwatering freshly baked range of scones, croissants, and cakes for the guest to sample. Why not stay for lunch or read today's news over afternoon tea? Guests are always welcome and there'll always be a smile so you'll know you're in an integral part of the New Blue Haven ethos.
The New look Blue Haven Bar is open with a new exciting menu served from 12noon to 10pm daily. An exclusive new Cocktail Menu is also now available.
The following locations are in close proximity to Kinsale Town
Cork City (35 mins)
In the bustling city of Cork, stroll the river walk at the University and pop into the Glucksman Gallery. Relax in a café, and hit Shandon Street, just a short walk from the main shopping district. Climb the 120 foot steeple, and ring the bells of Shandon. Soak up the city views as they fade into the countryside. Award-winning restaurants line the streets, and nightlife choices include Irish Traditional, classy nightclubs, theater, opera, plays, and dance. (Take the haunted night tour of the city jail—it’s a great way to start your evening with a bang.) Of course, there’s the Jameson Old Middleton Distillery in east Cork. Learn how Irish whiskey is made, and finish with a tasting. As for Ennis, her beautiful medieval streets, narrow and meandering past small colorful shops, are enchanting.
Skibbereen (1.5 hours)
This thriving town is the 'capital' of West Cork, centre for all the agricultural, industrial and tourist activities of the region. Its streets are full of life and character and it is an ideal base from which to discover the delights of West Cork. You could easily spend days or weeks exploring West Cork, wandering up and down its lovely quiet roads. Although popular, it is never crowded like Kerry, and there are always delightful places to discover. Around each western headland the unsuspecting visitor will discover coastlines dominated by scenic harbors and colorful fishing villages such as Glandore, Baltimore and Schull, secluded beaches and dozens of sparsely populated islands such as Sherkin and Cape Clear. These islands, which were once populated with Gaelic speaking colonies, now offer the visitor endless hours of exploring an old-world traditional Ireland.
Cobh (1 hour)
Cobh is a picturesque town situated on Great Island in Cork Harbour just south of Cork City. The island is connected to mainland Ireland by both rail and road. Cobh has a relatively short history by Irish standards, it was established in 1750, but has played an important role in Ireland's history. From 1848 to 1950, over six million Irishmen and women emigrated from Ireland and over 2.5 million of these departed from Cobh, making Cobh the single most important port of emigration in Ireland. During the famine years between 1845 and 1851 over 2 million people emigrated from Ireland, decreasing the country's population by half. Many of those emigrating left from Cobh and sailed to America to start a new life. You can find out more about Cobh's role in Irish emigration at the fascinating "Queenstown Story" visitor attraction at the Cobh railway station. Highly recommended! Cobh is also famous for being the last port of call for the ill-fated Titanic, which sank after striking an iceberg on Sunday April 14, 1912. Today, Cobh is a pleasant town with streets that climb up the steep slope of a hill to the top where the impressive St. Coleman's Cathedral stands. There are many wonderful restaurants to choose from, many serving fresh seafood dishes. There are also a variety of lively pubs in Cobh where you can escape from the brisk air and enjoy some traditional Irish music.
Blarney Castle & Stone (1 hour)
Only a few miles from Cork City, Blarney is a charming village, most renowned for its castle and stone. The impressive castle, perched on solid limestone, dates from 1446 and is situated on magnificent grounds. To acquire "the gift of gab" one must kiss the Blarney Stone, which is located under the battlements at the very top of Blarney Castle. This involves bending over backwards at quite a height - not to be attempted by the faint-hearted! The Blarney Stone is a block of bluestone built into the battlements of Blarney Castle, Blarney about 8 km from Cork, Ireland. According to legend, kissing the stone endows the kisser with the gift of gab (great eloquence or skill at flattery). The stone was set into a tower of the castle in 1446. The castle is a popular tourist site in Ireland, attracting visitors from all over the world to kiss the Stone and tour the castle and its gardens. The word blarney has come to mean clever, flattering, or coaxing talk.
Kenmare (3 hours- taking the scenic route via West Cork/Beara Peninsula)
Kenmare, with its pastel coloured houses, is the usual starting point for the Ring of Kerry round trip. The small town, founded by a handful of Englishmen in 1670, has every tourist convenience imaginable, including 2 of the most luxurious hotels in Ireland, both of which have been awarded the much coveted Michelin star: the Park Hotel and Sheen Falls Lodge. A trip round the peninsula of Iveragh should not be missed; it has some of the most magnificent landscape in Europe, as any of the hundreds of people on bicycles, motorbikes, cars and busses traveling the 110 mile long coast road will tell you. Starting the Ring of Kerry trip from Kenmare means that you will meet the countless busses from Killarney going the other way instead of being stuck behind them!
