The O’Neill family continue to invest in the historic Clonakilty hotel
As they mark 75 years in business at Fernhill House Hotel, the O’Neill family are also celebrating that the hotel has been named as the 12th best hotel in Ireland on Tripadvisor.
Over the 75 years, they have strived to keep making the hotel better and better, and this year is no exception.
As well as the recent success at the Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best Awards 2021, the team has been very busy over the various lockdowns, with major works being carried out to upgrade everything from the bedrooms and ballroom to the gardens, bar and reception.
Fourth Generation
Michael O’Neill Jnr is a fourth generation proprietor of Fernhill House Hotel. He says they have made lots of changes throughout the hotel.
‘We have completely renovated the new-look Woodfield Room Restaurant and we’ve refurbished all of our bedrooms with each one themed on a different Irish plant’.
‘We added new furniture, wainscoting, paint and over 200 pieces of locally sourced art’, says Michael Jnr.
New terrace
The newly opened terrace has been a welcome addition to their outdoor dining offering and is perfect for a spot of lunch, or to watch the sunset while enjoying an evening meal or drinks.
There are four bars onsite and each one has been given a new bar line, while the bar in the ballroom has been completely refurbished.
Couples who will be celebrating their wedding at the hotel will get to experience some wonderful additions to the ballroom including new centrepieces, and tablecloths that will give an elegant look.
‘We have also added state of the art ventilation systems to our ballroom and our main Woodfield Room Restaurant to help protect our guests from Covid’.
Upgrade
Decorative touches to the lobby, new artwork by local artist Geraldine O’Sullivan in the reception area and new tarmac on the entrance drive all give the hotel a fresh look.
In the marquee, new greenery around the chandeliers, fairy lights on the roof and a new cocktail bar all add something special, while the gardens have been renovated with new beds and a large stone sculpture, designed by the world-renowned Mary Reynolds.
‘To help reduce our carbon footprint we planted hundreds of young trees and installed more solar panels’.
The O’Neill family want to thank everyone for the continued support, especially the local community.
‘To say thank you to our amazing community, we have sponsored loads of different community groups, hosted a digital version of our hugely successful breast cancer awareness walk, and donated €2000 to West Cork Rapid Response’, concludes Michael Jnr.
While they have lots done, the O’Neill family will continue investing more to ensure that Fernhill House Hotel remains one of the top hotel destinations in Ireland.
