Riverside views and luxury offerings make The Kingsley a prime summer destination

On a riverside location overlooking the river Lee, The Kingsley Hotel has been sprucing up its offerings to make its location summer ready. A new addition just opened is Perch Coffee & Wine, a riverside outdoor terraced spot with a daytime and evening menus.

Fergal Harte, general manager at The Kingsley, said the offering allows people to enjoy a meal or drink in one of Cork’s most beautiful locations.

“The hotel recently opened this fabulous new addition to its food and beverage offerings, which has a range of high-quality breakfast and lunch options,” he said. “The daytime menu includes fresh pastries, homemade sandwiches, salads, and many sweet treats such as homemade cookies and cakes. In the evenings, Perch transforms into a vibey wine bar, serving small plates, cheese boards, charcuterie, and an eclectic wine list. The hotel’s riverside location on the banks of the River Lee provides a unique setting for both leisure and business guests.”

Many of the hotel’s public spaces and bedrooms offer spectacular views of the river and the notable historical landmarks dotted along its bank

Harte said the Kingsley is a popular choice for summer stays in Cork city, offering luxurious accommodation, a wide range of dining options, an extensive health club and a top-quality spa.

“The Kingsley offers a luxurious spa experience with natural wellness treatments using high-quality products, so it’s the ideal getaway for those seeking relaxation and rejuvenation,” he said. “Our newly refurbished meeting and event spaces are designed to accommodate business meetings, functions of all kinds and family events. The large and flexible Deane Woodward function room on the ground floor is perfectly complemented by four meeting rooms on the first floor, which are ideally suited to corporate meetings and events. As well as all of this, The Kingsley is a prestigious venue for couples-to-be, offering an opulent setting overlooking the River Lee and luxurious interiors.”

The Kingsley has been given a major facelift over the past two years by award-winning local designer Sinead Cassidy, with particular focus on its public areas, catering outlets, main function room and meeting spaces. While each area has its own individuality, there are shared themes in the textures and colours that make it all flow.

“Particular attention was given to the hotel’s setting beside the river Lee and the design, colours, artworks and historical local photography, all nod to this unique setting,” said Harte. “The refurbishment includes updated design features such as textured metallic wallpaper, green corduroy-effect wall coverings, herringbone flooring, and bespoke chairs from Irish suppliers.”

Drawn from 27 nationalities, The Kingsley employs a team of 220 across its 132 bedrooms, four restaurants and catering outlets, spa and health club, meeting and event spaces, and 19 two- and three-bedroom apartments. The hotel’s HR team is led by Catriona Sheehan, who is the Irish Hotel Institute’s HR & Training Manager of the Year. Launched last year, the hotel’s Kave space is a dedicated staff wellness, meditation, and sensory area designed to provide a relaxing space for employees to unwind and socialise before, during, and after work hours. The hotel was the proud recipient of the Great Place to Work Institute’s prestigious 2024 Wellbeing Award as well as being named in their list of Ireland’s top 20 medium-sized workplaces.

“There’s so much to offer our visiting guests,” said Harte. “The Kingsley’s unique setting on the banks of the river Lee provides a distinctive backdrop for guests. Many of the hotel’s public spaces and bedrooms offer spectacular views of the river and the notable historical landmarks dotted along its banks. Headed by spa development manager Melissa Jones, the hotel’s spa, which includes a fabulous thermal suite complete with heated mosaic loungers, a salt therapy room, steam rooms and jacuzzi, has won numerous awards in recent years and is regarded as one of the finest in the country.

“Our health club features an outdoor hydro pool with fabulous views of the river Lee, and the health club facilities also include a large state-of-the-art gym and an 18-metre indoor pool. The health club manager, Lloyd Fitzgerald, ably balances the usage requirements of more than 1,600 local members with huge numbers of hotel residents. And we can’t forget the historical significance of the location. The hotel is located on the site of Cork’s historic Lee Baths, which were open-air swimming pools that operated from 1934 to 1986. The hotel honours this connection to Cork’s past throughout its design, facilities, the names of outlets like The Springboard Restaurant and various artworks around the building.”

Ireland’s hotel accommodation market has shown significant improvement since the pandemic years. The Kingsley’s refurbishments, focus on luxury spa experiences and exciting plans for the future demonstrate the hotel’s commitment to providing high-quality services and amenities, which are likely to see it continue to grow in popularity and reputation over the coming years.

“In conjunction with its owners, the hotel’s senior team, led by general manager Fergal Harte, deputy general manager Damien Linehan, and commercial director Finola Twomey, we are working on exciting plans for the near future, which include significant bedroom refurbishments and the enhancement of the hotel’s spa and health club facilities.

“We also offer a wide range of dining options, including the newly opened Perch Coffee and Wine Bar, Fairbanks Restaurant, The K Lounge, Fishers Bar, and The Springboard Restaurant, providing something for every taste,” said Harte. “With the assistance of our food and beverage manager Rodrigo Del Fino Bender, executive chef Tim Daly’s commitment to quality and creativity has made him a notable figure in the culinary scene of Cork.”

For more information, see TheKingsley.ie