The Victoria

In County Kerry, in the far southwest of Ireland, is the Killarney National Park, home to some of the country’s most inspiring landscapes, including three interconnected lakes, vast woodlands that long pre-date any human settlement, and the remains of structures, like Innisfallen Abbey, that are over a thousand years old. It is, in some ways, a trip back in time — which makes it all the more surprising that just outside the town of Killarney is a totally contemporary boutique hotel: The Victoria.

In style, of course, it’s a classic country-house hotel, full of details that recall, perhaps not coincidentally, the Victorian era. The colors, however, are rather bolder than you might expect, and there’s a light touch to the décor (and the artwork) that marks The Victoria as a contemporary product of the boutique-hotel era. Its thirty-three rooms vary in size and shape but all contain comforts like goose-down duvets and in-room coffee and tea sets.

The hotel’s restaurant, The Courtyard, is something of a local destination, and the Ivy Lounge offers light fare all day alongside its bar and its twin fireplaces. And from here the town of Killarney, the waters of Lough Leane, and the rest of the Killarney National Park are right at your feet — the local walking trail crosses the hotel’s property, as does a bike path, and bike rentals are available right next door to send you on your way.