Goodness me! The amount of messages I received from people within minutes of posting just a few taster photos on my Facebook page was overwhelming! And if you take a quick glance through the photos below, I'm sure you can see why...
First off, let me say that the other half knocked it out of the park with this one. It was honestly the best Valentine's Day I've ever had, and it will be very tough to beat - I'm already itching to go back!
The Cottages
However, the romantic setting of the cottages is not just for Valentine's Day. They provide such a service and quality all year round in any of their 10 cottages (including one in Spain) - some of which can house more than two people.
In their variety of West Cork locations (all situated in or around Skibbereen), you have a choice of the following cottages;
Courtyard Cottage 1 - Houses 2 people, rustic feel with cut-stone walls and a private elevated deck with out-door hot-tub/jacuzzi. Prices start from €119 per mid-week night and €159 on weekends.
Courtyard Cottage 2 - Houses 2 people, similar style and layout to Courtyard Cottage 1, but with an indoor jacuzzi suite situated just off the bedroom, as well as an out-door sun-deck with hot-tub/jacuzzi. Prices start from €119 per mid-week night and €159 on weekends.
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| Courtyard Cottage 1. Source: Facebook via Cottages for Couples. |
The Barn at Grove House - Houses 4-5 people, this is the largest of the cottages at Grove House, with a similar rustic feel to the Courtyard Cottages with cut-stone walls, inside a converted barn. It has a large lounge and dining area, indoor jacuzzi and out-door hot-tub/jacuzzi, as well as a large lawn and deck. Prices start from €119 per mid-week night and €159 on weekends.
Treehouse 1 at Grove House - Houses 2 people, a unique and quirky offering nestled in the trees of the woods in front of Grove House. Luxury combined with nature, this 'cottage' is Eco-friendly and features an open-plan living, sleeping and dining area and comes complete with electricity, constant hot water and electric radiators, and a private out-door hot-tub/jacuzzi on the outside deck. Prices start from €149 per mid-week night and €189 on weekends.
Treehouse 2 at Grove House - Houses 2 people, exact same as Treehouse 1 - see above description. Prices start from €149 per mid-week night and €189 on weekends.
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| Riverbank Cottage. Source: Facebook via Cottages for Couples. |
Riverbank Cottage - Houses 2 people, authentic 150 year old traditional stone building restored and converted into a luxury cottage. Complete with an old-fashioned iron bed and a wood-burning stove in the living area fireplace for an authentic country cottage feel. The building is enclosed by a stone courtyard, where you can find Riverbank resident Whiskers the cat, with a small meadow in front of the property that slopes down to a small river. There is also an indoor bedroom jacuzzi, but note that this cottage does not include an outdoor hot-tub/jacuzzi. Prices start from €99 per mid-week night and €149 on weekends.
Riverbank Barn - Houses 2 people, also part of the authentic 150 year old traditional stone buildings as Riverbank Cottage. Riverbank Barn is slightly more compact, yet cosy. A wrought iron spiral staircase leads from the living area down to the large bedroom, complete with an indoor jacuzzi. There is also a two-tier deck outside with an out-door hot-tub/jacuzzi, and as the Barn is located in the same vicinity as Riverbank Cottage, you also have the pleasure of meeting Riverbank resident Whiskers the cat. Prices start from €119 per mid-week night and €159 on weekends.
Lassanroe Cottage - Houses 2-4 people (second bedroom is noted as only suitable for children). Despite being a 150 year old stone house, this cottage is certainly one of the more contemporary style and larger offerings - featuring a large, galleried living space, mood lighting and a wood-burning stove, as well as an indoor jacuzzi in the master bedroom and an out-door hot-tub/jacuzzi on the outside deck, and an enclosed courtyard. Prices start from €129 per mid-week night and €169 on weekends.
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| Lassanroe Cottage. Source: Facebook via Cottages for Couples. |
Lassanroe Barn - Houses 2-4 people (second bedroom is noted as only suitable for children). Situated on the same property as Lassanroe Cottage, the barn is also 150 years old, yet houses a similar modern and spacious style to the cottage. Also features a bedroom jacuzzi in the master bedroom, out-door hot-tub/jacuzzi on the outside deck, and the enclosed courtyard. Prices start from €129 per mid-week night and €169 on weekends.
For more information (and to see many more photos) on any of the above cottages, or on their Spanish cottage - Casa Torrox - please scroll down to Price/Contact Details below.
All of the cottages are self-catering and complete with fully-fitted kitchen units and lounge areas, and include satellite (SKY) TV and complimentary Wi-Fi. All of the rates given above are based on a minimum 2 night stay for two people sharing. One night stays are subject to availability and a supplement charge of €30.
The 'cottage' we went with was Treehouse 2 - yes, it was an actual Treehouse above the ground, built among the trees! - and I personally think we chose one of if not the best cottage (out of the 5 located at Grove house, anyways).
We had a ramble around the grounds on our second day there, and got to have a bit of a goo at the other 4 cottages that are located at Grove House. In comparison, both Treehouses seemed to have the most privacy and comfort in terms of having our own private and enclosed deck with the out-door hot-tub/jacuzzi, so we didn't have to worry about rain or people walking by us while in the tub, whereas the hot-tubs at the Courtyard Cottages and The Barn at Grove house were not so concealed as we could clearly see some of them while on our ramble, and there didn't seem to be anything overhead to protect from rain.
Not that that would stop me from wanting to stay there in future, as I would love to try out all of the cottages, but it's still something worth noting and taking into consideration if you want the best privacy.
Anyways, let's back-track. I've always, always wanted to stay somewhere like this, particularly for Valentine's Day. I mean, come ON, the height of romance! (Yes, I'm a hopeless romantic). And believe it or not, I just happened across this place by accident about a year ago when an ad for it popped up on the side of my Facebook page - so to the owners, Anna and Peter, those sponsored ads are certainly working for ya!
I showed it to my boyfriend, and he was just as impressed as I was - and the seed was planted! (Okay, I suggested that we go for Valentine's Day and may have told him my order of preference for the cottages, but the boy came through and definitely did good! :P Fast forward a few months and there we were! :D )
Lay of the Land of our Treehouse
We arrived on the Sunday (14th February) and stayed two nights (as mentioned above, there is a minimum of two-nights stay). We got a taxi from Skibbereen town, which was only a 5-minute journey, and it dropped us right at the end of the tree-trunk lamp-lined gravel path that leads to Treehouse 1 and 2, which are only a few feet apart (yet still secluded).
We walked up the tree-trunk steps that led to the front deck. On the left is a discreet, built-in recycling bin, behind which is a view of Treehouse 1 and the gravel path from where we came.
On the right is part of a tree around which the Treehouse is built, behind which sits a small table and chairs if we wished to sit outside. Grove House can be seen directly in front of us from the front deck.
The owners of the cottages, Anna and Peter Warburton, had previously contacted us to let us know they would be away and unable to greet us upon arrival, but left us our key and instructions for entry.
When you enter inside the house, to the left is the kitchen area, complete with all the amenities you could need during your stay - kettle, teapot, fridge, oven and hob, pots and pans, cups, glasses, plates, cutlery etc as well as cleaning supplies (remember, it's self-catering so you'll have to clean up after yourself). Anna and Peter also kindly left us fresh milk in the fridge, and tea, coffee and sugar is provided.
We stopped off in Cork City on our way to Skibbereen where we picked up a few essentials in Tesco - wine (yes, essentials! :P), bread, and stuff for breakfast the next morning. I would recommend bringing supplies with you, depending on how you're travelling (more about this below), purely out of convenience. But don't worry if not, as Skibbereen town is only 5 minutes away (by car) where there are a few local shops/supermarkets, including SuperValu.
To your right when you walk in the front door is the toilet and shower room (with heating so fabulous, you feel like you're in a sauna! Perfect after the hot-tub!)
Further in on your right is the bed. How beautiful is that presentation? Yes, those are (false) rose petals, a (real) rose, bath robes and love-heart candies.
They really go for the love/romance theme with the colour scheme, candles and hand-written welcome hanging off the part of the tree that's indoors. I love how unique and quirky this is.
Opposite the bed is a huge bath-tub (which I can confirm you can disappear in) and TV equipped with SKY TV and a DVD player. Further facilities in the cottage include free Wi-Fi** and an iPod dock. They really give you everything you could need!
Then you have the 'dining area', complete with more candles and flowers - too cute! And to the right of this is a comfy little sofa and coffee table, with complimentary magazines.
Waiting for us was a note and information booklet with all the info we could possibly need - hot tub instructions, phone numbers for house-keeping, taxi services and take-aways, suggestions of things to do nearby - as well as a complimentary bottle of bubbly with a note stating they offer this to all guests, simply asking us to spread the word of our wonderful stay with family and friends in return.
The French doors at the back lead out onto our private deck with beautiful views of the surrounding countryside, ensconced in the serene sounds of birds chirping and running water from a nearby stream.
On the left sits another set of table and chairs if you wish to sit out and relax, either in the crisp day-time or to admire the stars at night. To the right is the pièce de résistance - the hot-tub/jacuzzi!
We didn't hesitate for very long after our arrival to jump in - it was already heated and ready to go! Pure bliss. And you don't need to worry about hygiene or those who were in it before you as you are assured that the water is changed and sanitized with chlorine prior to each guest arrival.
We sat back and relaxed with a bottle or two of wine and settled in for the night - peace, quiet and heaven.
Skibbereen Town
The next morning we had to venture into town to find a shop as, although we brought breakfast stuff with us, being the bright sparks that we are, we forgot to get butter - typical! We rang one of the taxi numbers on the list we were given (approx. 20 minute wait) and had a ramble around the town while we were there, before heading home to make breakfast.
The town was big enough with quite a large selection of shops (some quite unique - I even spotted a rare book store that would be worth a visit!), pubs and restaurants. Our stay was more about peace, quiet and solitude, so we didn't do much exploring in the town - but that's not to say there's nothing to offer. See for yourself! :)
Surrounding Area
After breakfast we went for our little ramble around the grounds and nearby countryside to get a bit of fresh air. I love living in Dublin, I'm a city girl at heart, but I really love coming away to places like this from time to time and being surrounded by nature and the raw beauty of Ireland.
We headed home to the hot-tub again after our walk in the crisp, cold air - you can imagine how good that felt, like a hot bath after a long, cold day but 1000 times better - and we settled in again for our last night.
Food
Both nights we availed of the local take-aways. On the first night we ordered Chinese from Dynasty and on the second we ordered pizza from 3 in 1 Take Away.
Both great value, delicious and surprisingly speedy deliveries considering we're literally staying in the middle of nowhere (40 minutes or less - sometimes you wouldn't even get that in Dublin).
There are a variety of places you can order from to deliver to any of the cottages - some of which include special offers to guests. For example, Dynasty Chinese offers 10% discount on takeaways and in restaurant, plus free delivery to guests.
Some of the other restaurants in Skibbereen provide special offers to Cottages for Couples guests too, upon presentation of your guest card (given to you upon arrival). The Paragon Bar & Bistro, for example, offer a complimentary bottle of house wine when you spend €25 per person, or Chapter 72 offers 10% discount on lunch plus a complimentary glass of prosecco or dessert with dinner when you spend €25 per person.
For a full list of available take-aways and nearby restaurants, and to view all special offers available to guests click here. All cottages provide take-away menus and guides to nearby restaurants.
Overall Rating/Opinion
10/10 - without a doubt.
**The only problem we encountered was that the Wi-Fi didn't work for us. Thankfully the other half is very technically minded and identified the problem as being the lack of an Ethernet cable. He took this as an excuse to go look around a techie shop while we were in town on our second day (like a child in a toy store!), and he picked up a cable there and we were good to go with the Wi-Fi once he connected it.
Now this may have been a once off, as this was genuinely the only fault we found. The other half loves buying and having spares of things like this, but it is worth noting that to someone else this could be a hassle, especially if they're not so technologically inclined and at a loss for what to do. But hopefully this isn't a regular issue. Then again, if you come away to somewhere like this to get away from everything then Wi-Fi may not be a priority!
In terms of the Treehouse itself, I must say I was amazed. Not just in terms of quality and presentation - all of which was flawless - but in how it's built.
I had a ramble around the outside of the Treehouse to see what it's like underneath, and as you can see in the photos, it's an amazing foundation fixed on top of large, solid and sturdy tree trunks.
I was also very impressed at how well it holds heat. It was quite cold while we were there, but once inside you're kept exceptionally toasty - I even had to leave the French doors open a little one of the nights because I was too warm. But on the off chance you might get cold, a cute little heart-decorated hot water bottle is provided, too :)
You will also find, probably due to said heating and to the fact that the entire thing is made of wood, that the Treehouse creaks a lot - so don't freak out if you hear such noises!
And girly girls need not worry about being so enveloped by nature if it's not your 'thing' - I was surprised to find that I only encountered two bugs during our stay, which was a bit odd considering we were actually in a tree(s). So if you're hesitant at all, definitely don't let anything stop you from experiencing this place - you will be more than comfortable.
Things worth noting:
- Travel arrangements and driving specifications - we took a train from Dublin to Cork City, where we then got a bus for another couple of hours to Skibbereen, followed by a taxi to the cottage, so it's quite a trek. Make sure to take travel arrangements and costs into consideration when planning your trip.
If driving, you're advised not to type 'Grove House' into Google Maps as it will bring you to another Grove House (this is where all guests must check-in), and not to use Sat Nav as you will be sent on a crazy route to Skibbereen. You will be provided with simpler directions to follow prior to your stay.
- Taxis - when ordering a taxi from one of the numbers provided, either to or from Skibbereen town, remember that you're in the country so it's not unusual to be asked to bunk in with a few people, or with the driver's family/friends while running errands. It's more like locals giving you a lift than a taxi service (for a fee, obvs.) Also, take waiting time into consideration. You're in the middle of nowhere, and they could be at the other end of nowhere when you call, so you could be waiting between 20-40 minutes or longer - or fewer if you're lucky and they just happen to be 5 minutes away - luck of the draw!
- Self-catering - remember this and ensure you either bring or pick up everything you need in the nearby town - don't forget the butter!!
- Check-out promptly at 11am - you will get a knock at the door on the button, so be sure to be all packed and ready, and order your taxi ahead of time if needed.
Things To Do Nearby
There is an array of things to do and see in and around Skibbereen, such as a visit to Skibbereen Heritage Centre or a trip to Lough Hyne.
Booklets and leaflets are provided in the cottages with suggestions of things for couples to do, including Whale Watching and Atlantic Sea Kayaking. You can find more information and many more suggestions here, here and here.
Price/Contact Details
For more information about Cottages for Couples you can view their website, or to contact them with an enquiry or to make a booking you can call them on +353 (0)28 22957 or contact them via this link.
Prices range from €99 to €189 per night, depending on the cottage and time of year.
For more information on each of the cottages and to browse through plenty more photos of each one, click here and see which ones tickle your fancy!
Thank you so much Peter and Anna, we can't wait to come back again!
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