FAQ

Staying at The Castle

Do I have to book through Booking.com?

No, you can avail of the best rates by booking directly through our website.

We are delighted to offer discounted rates for stays of more than two nights in 2021 — get in touch to find out more!

I am travelling with kids — is The Castle suitable for families?

Most of our rooms are designed to accommodate up to two people. There is one twin room with two double beds, which could sleep up to four. However, The Castle is an old historic building with antiques and is therefore not suitable for young children.

We want The Castle to be a quiet, peaceful environment for people to get away to, and the ambiance and experience for our guests is very important to us. As such, we respectfully ask that any older children who stay with us are well-behaved and mindful of other guests.

If you do have little ones travelling with you, then our self-catering cottages will give you more space, comfort and family-friendly facilities. Just email us and we’ll be happy to help you choose the most suitable accommodation for you.

I travel everywhere with my dog. Are dogs welcome to stay at The Castle?

We love dogs! Unfortunately The Castle itself is not suitable for our four-legged friends, but they are more than welcome in our self-catering cottages. They’ll have a safe, enclosed garden to run around in, and as a guest you’ll have access to the spacious Castle grounds and beautiful woodlands for walking.

Please note, no dogs are to be left in cars overnight in our car park.

We will be arriving late — can we check in after 7pm?

Check-in time is between 4pm and 7pm. Late check-in may be available upon request but this must be arranged beforehand to ensure I am here to greet you and show you in. There is no 24 hour reception service. 

Can we rent a cottage for less than a week?

Yes, cottages can be rented for a minimum of two nights, excluding the months of July & August.

During July and August, cottages are only available to let on a weekly basis (mainly from Saturday to Saturday).

Can The Castle host our wedding or special occasion?

The Castle is not available for group bookings or to host large events such as weddings. 

However, there is no shortage of beautiful venues to choose from in the area. We recommend Baltimore Castle, Liss Ard Estate and Inish Beg Estate, which are all not too far away and perfect for your big day.

Getting Here

The sat nav is telling me a different route than following the N71. What should I do?

We strongly recommend following the N71 to Skibbereen, then the R596 to Castletownshend. If you’re travelling from Cork, follow signs for Bandon and Clonakilty. If you’re coming from the Killarney direction, head for Kinsale and Ballydehob. 

Some sat navs will suggest the small “R” roads as the quickest route.  But those who are familiar with Irish roads know that these are not the most straightforward roads and are mostly unmarked, so in reality it will take longer than the initial (distance x max speed) calculation.

However, if it is a scenic country route you want then go ahead, follow the sat nav and enjoy the journey… just remember to adjust your travelling time accordingly!

The Local Area

Where can we go for dinner?

West Cork is famous for its fresh, locally-produced food, and no visit to Castletownshend is complete without a visit to Mary Ann’s. This award-winning bar and restaurant is just a 2 minute walk from The Castle and serves delicious food until 9pm throughout the year.

To avoid disappointment, we recommend booking a table by calling Fergus on +353(0)28 36146.

If you don’t mind driving, there are lots of excellent places to eat within a 10 or 20 minute drive of The Castle. Here are some popular ones:

What is there to do in the area?

West Cork is full of things to do — it’s impossible to get bored! Here are a few of our favourite ways to spend the day:

I’m staying in the area. Can I come and look inside The Castle ?

Because The Castle is our home, it is only open to guests who are staying with us for bed and breakfast.

However, we do offer tours inside The Castle at certain times throughout the year, such as the Taste of West Cork Food Festival in September. Please check out our Tours page for more details.

*** Please note that our café and grounds are now closed to the public, but we hope to resume tours later this year. ***

Can I buy a voucher as a gift?

Yes! You can buy a voucher for any value which can be used towards a stay with us. There are no expiry dates on purchased vouchers and they can be posted to any address you like. Simply email us and we’ll be happy to arrange it for you.

MENU