The beautiful Liss Ard Estate is a hidden gem and a magical place to stay when visiting West Cork (Ireland). Liss Ard Estate is situated just a few minutes from Skibbereen, right in the midst of the Irish countryside. The place goes back to the 1850; today the mansion is a place of enchantment and relaxation (and some big time rockstars as famous guests).
Sleeping with rock stars
Think: an elegant Georgian mansion dating back to 1850, surrounded by stunning countryside and a fantastic, mysterious lake. In the past it used to be a private haven for celebrities like Oasis, Lou Reed, Van Morrison, Patti Smith and Nick Cave. In recent years it has evolved to a fantastic place to stay for individual travelers, groups and families with kids.
Inside The Crater
Facilities are very complete and luxurious, but the biggest plus are the fantastic gardens with best of all: the ‘Irish Sky Garden’. This garden is actually a piece of art created by the American artist James Turrel: ‘The Crater’ is – not very surprisingly – a crater with a stone in the middle. It’s a mysterious yet calming and relaxing place, and if you lie on the stone the only thing you can see is the sky, and nothing else.
The way to the crater 
The entrance
Inside the Crater 
No, were’re not being sacraficed
Midnight adventures
For a more intense experience, we were told to go into the crater by night, lie on our back on the stone and gaze at the stars. The thought of going into the woods at night did scare me a bit – big mouth but I’m really not your bravest girl – but this was a small midnight excursion I didn’t want to miss. We waited until it was completely dark, took our torches, headed into the woods and found a complete silent – and very dark – crater. Yes, it wàs a bit scary, but the stars were amazing and the atmosphere very mysterious.
Our stay
Liss Ard Estate offers a variety of luxury accommodation, like the Victorian Country House (with contemporary design, the adjacent Garden Mews (a former 1800s stable block) and the Lake Lodge (a Victorian Dower house (available for self–catering or individual guest stays). We stayed in the Garden Mews and found it wonderful. Breakfast and diner were just amazing, and the staff made us feel right at home.
Apart from the fab stay, there the surroundings you never get tired of looking at: the forest and the lake are just absolutely mysterious and intriguing, it feels like you’re in a very special place.
The guesthouse livingroom 
Our bedroom
The kitchen for self-catering. 
And Nick Cave was in the house.
Our thoughts:
- Perfect for groups and families.
- Dinner and lunch is available, but there are possibilities to go self catering.
- Kids love it here: there’s a special playroom and outdoor playground to keep them busy. During school holidays there’s a Kids’ Club.
- Things to do: there are fishing boats, canoes, kayaks and bikes available. You can go walking and hiking, or explore the surroundings and go sightseeing.
- The rooms are spacious and all have a romantic atmosphere.
- It’s luxurious but still very relaxed and comfy, you’ll feel right at home. It’s the perfect place to escape everyday stress and enjoy nature.
- Great in summer but also a perfect stay for a winter-break.
