Ireland, Killarney, Killeen House Hotel - a golf hotel of world class

KILLEEN HOUSE HOTEL
Where: Northern outskirts of Killarney, and was originally a home for one of the Catholic Church's highest local leaders before the buildings were converted sequentially into a farm and then a retirement home. Before the Rosneys took over ownership of Killeen House it was a maternity hospital.
Number of Rooms: 23.
Distance to major locations in Ireland: Cork - 1.5 hours by car, Shannon - 2 hours, Limerick - 1.5 hours.
Opening hours: Follows the local golf season, which means March - mid November. The answer Michael Rosney usually gives when someone asks about the pub opening hours is, "it closes in mid-November ..."
Homepage: www.killeenhousehotel.com
Mail address: charming@indigo.ie

Ireland, Killarney, Killeen House Hotel

On the west coast of Ireland you find Killeen House Hotel a few kilometres from the centre of Killarney. If you’re looking for a golf hotel with a capital G, it is without a doubt Killen House that you’re looking for.

An example of hospitality is that if you get a hole-in-one, owners Micael and Geraldine Rosney will rip up your bill on your behalf, serve you a bottle of champagne on the house and put on the fire alarm. Whatever the time of day!

Another example of something that the Rosney pair say that is unique to them, at least in Europe, is that you can pay for your pint at the bar with a golf ball.

"Right. I think we have the only bar in Europe, if not the world, where you can use golf balls as legal tender. We also accept bag badges as payment. The only requirement is that Geraldine and I approve the logo that the ball carries, "says Michael.

His assertion on the purchasing power of golf balls is illustrated by the bar's walls, which are filled with balls up to the roof.

"Last we counted, we got about 9,000 balls and a couple of hundred bag badges. So it’s gone towards pints, "says Michael, laughing.

When he and his wife were asked to take over the running of the hotel sixteen years ago they didn’t hesitate many seconds.

"I had been manager for several hotels and had long talked about concentrating on something of my own. When Geraldine and I decided to take over operation of the Killeen House we agreed that we would go for golfers. We’ve now done for over sixteen years. "

"Our guests consist of approximately 90 percent golfers from around the world. The remaining ten percent, we work hard to get rid of, "says Geraldine, laughing.

"We are also proud of the fact that we offer services that are tailored to golfers’ needs. We serve, for example, full breakfast from six o'clock and if you would like to have dinner at ten o'clock in the evening after a long day on the course, it’s no problem."

That Killeen House has become the starting point for many a golf tourist is not surprising as after less than an hour’s drive you reach famous courses in Tralee, Ballybunion, Waterville, Dooks and Adare Manor Hotel & Golf Resort.

Add another dozen good courses that are only a few kilometres from the hotel. Less than five minutes from the hotel is the Killarney Golf and Fishing Club with its three courses: Killeen, the Mahoney's Point and varnish Bane. The club has hosted several European Tour competitions.

Just so you know, the fire alarm has sounded in the hotel seventeen times during the Rosney spouses’ time as owners.

Text and photo: Stefan Bratt