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About
4.0
#4 of 5 hotels in Kinsale
Location
Rooms
Value
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
The Blue Haven is a stylish, nautical, AA 4 star boutique hotel, located in the heart of Kinsale and awarded No. 1 Best Boutique Hotel in Ireland in the Irish Hospitality Awards. Blue Haven is a proud member of the Historical Hotels of Europe. Voted one of the top 20 seafood spots in Ireland, awarded an AA rosette for culinary excellence and winner for Best Customer Service, The Blue Haven is a well-known culinary gem and its reputation for excellent food, friendly personal service and meticulous attention to detail will always ensure your visit to Kinsale is a special one. The Blue Haven has an array of dining options to choose from: our luxurious Bar & Bistro, Rare 1784 Cocktail Bar & Fine Dining Experience and The Newport Lounge. All dishes combine seasonal produce and fresh seafood from local shores, carefully prepared by a team of the best international chefs. Experience our Gin and Tonic selection, our Premium Whiskeys and The Ultimate Irish Coffee, bespoke cocktails prepared by our master mixologist whilst listening to great live music in our Bar. Home baked cookies, King , Apple TV's, Dyson supersonic hairdryers and air purifiers and Nespresso machines in rooms. The Blue Haven is located at the start of The Wild Atlantic Way close to all amenities and attractions.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
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The Blue Haven Hotel Kinsale is often commended for its warm and lively atmosphere, particularly in its restaurant and bar, where excellent live music and friendly staff contribute to an enjoyable experience. While the rooms and amenities are appreciated by some for their comfort and quality, others have pointed out the need for renovations and a more thorough cleaning.
Service is generally praised for attentiveness, though there have been occasional lapses. However, guests frequently cite the hotel as overpriced, with the value proposition called into question, especially regarding room conditions and dining experiences.
Atmosphere
Lively
Rooms
Neglected
Value
Expensive
Cleanliness
Mixed
Service
Friendly
Amenities
Satisfactory
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Stayed here for one night recently and I can honestly say it was great. It’s our second time this year staying on this hotel and it definitely won’t be the last. We were given a fabulous room with all the necessary mod -cons. Great coffee machine and a Dyson fan which was badly needed as we were in kinsale on a very hot day. There are areas in the hotel that probably need some upgrading. Some paintwork was very shabby but I wouldn’t let it put me off staying here again. The staff are lovely and friendly and really helpful. There was one Spanish girl in particular who was exceptional.We didn’t eat dinner here this time but have on previous occasion and it was fab. There was a great choice at breakfast and we weren’t waiting long for it.Really enjoyed our stay here and will do so again.
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Date of stay: August 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Parking is difficult at busy times. We got a space outside the hotel so it wasn’t too bad
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Upon arrival there was some difficulty with the room. Staying with a family member, we had requested a double twin room when booking on the phone, instead was given a small double room looking out at the noisy fans and over looking the kitchen area, side note; if the smell of fish and deep fat fried chips turn you on, then you’ll love it wafting into the room everyday.
Service in hotel was poor - a lot of young staff presumably doing it just as ‘the summer job’ with no training whatsoever. Not a manager or what would normally be expected a trained member of staff in sight. (breakfast especially was a inconsistent regarding food standards each morning and timing of service).
Dinner in the hotel was great in the Bistro bar. Wonderful attentive staff, and beautifully presented food with wonderful flavours - highly recommend the Bistro Bar food.
Worth noting, this was during the time of covid-19 and the equipment provided for both hand sanitisation and temperature checks were very well done. These were implemented throughout the hotel, so made staying at the hotel good with regards to health and safety concerns.
Overall a mixed experience.
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Date of stay: July 2020Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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My family and I dined at this renowned and well established restaurant on a Saturday evening in October. Despite many attempts to make a reservation over the phone, the calls went unanswered. Followed by an initial refusal at the door, we eventually were seated. For the entirety of our stay there were many free tables beside us. However dispute this pleasantness, our food was fantastic we all got the fish and chips, which were perfect. The chips had a beautiful seasoning and the fish fresh and crisp. My husband ordered a side of onion rings, there was plenty to share. They were homemade and deserved a rating of 10/10. For dessert, they were simply exquisite. My daughter and I also both had wine and cocktails. The Pinot paired perfectly with the fish and was very light and tasty. As for the cocktails, we both ordered a mojito, I admired the mint plant used behind the bar. The mojito was very refreshing it had plenty of ice, mint and lime. Our overall experience with the service was positive the waitresses were attentive and very helpful. Couldn’t have asked for more, but still can’t forget the initial unneeded rudeness at the door. We would all give this restaurant an install rating of 9/10
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Date of stay: October 2021Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The Blue Haven had always been our go to for family occasions, we even had our wedding there 13 years ago. However every time we have gone in the last few years we have been disappointed, reducing our visits greatly.
We ate lunch there recently, a big deal for us as it was first time out for a meal since quarantine - 2 adults, 4 kids to celebrate 6 quarantine birthdays.
The food was good. The prices were bad. The service was atrocious.
Our initial waitress (and there were many) had no knowledge of the menu and had to double check every little question. We waited 1 hour and 20 minutes for food. And after specifying many times there was to be no dairy, my daughter’s ‘plain’ steak was swimming in garlic butter, which led to her having to wait even longer. And they tried to charge extra for the onion rings which should have been included with the steak The Cauliflower Steak was very tasty, but €16 for half a small head of cauliflower with no sides is laughable.
The basics of table service were absent. We had to ask for empty dishes to be removed and remind them of drinks 3 times. The restaurant was a little busy but there was more than enough staff there to cope.
A manager (we think?) asked if everything was ok. We explained it wasn’t, got a token apology with no offer of actual compensation.
These locals will not be back.
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Date of stay: August 2020
Value
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We really enjoyed our overnight getaway in the Blue Haven hotel: beautiful room that was spotlessly clean, with thoughtful, homey touches; the food in both Hamlets & the main hotel were top notch (Pitmaster in Hamlets was one of the best burgers I’ve ever had!); amazing cocktails, thanks to their in house mixologist (class passion fruit & mango daiquiri); and attentive, friendly staff. A standout throughout our stay was the diligent management of new COVID-19 procedures introduced, which gave us a sense of safety during such a challenging time. We’d highly recommend & we’ll definitely be back.
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Date of stay: July 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Ciaran Fitzgerald, Owner at Blue Haven Hotel Kinsale
Responded 15 Mar 2021
Dear mossyp2020, Thank you so much for your excellent feedback from your stay with us here at The Blue Haven. We are delighted to read that you enjoyed your time with us and your review serves as a testament to the amazing team that we have here. I will be sure to share your excellent comments with them. Looking forward to having the opportunity to welcome you back to The Blue Haven Collection in the near future to sample some of our new Cocktails. Kind Regards, Ciaran Fitzgerald – Owner
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I went to the blue haven today with my family as we always do on New Year’s Day. To say that I was disappointed would be an under statement. We asked if they had any sharing starter so our waitress suggested scampi we ordered it and for €9 we got 3 pieces of scampi and they were quite small. My mother asked for a smoked salmon starter and they said that it was all gone so she asked for brown bread which we were charged for. For maim course my father and I ordered the fillet of salmon which was €22 each. The menu also said that there would be carrots and potatoes. There was ONE baby carrot and a scoop of potatoes along with a sliver of fish. As there was no veg on the plate we ordered some veg and more potatoes. We got a bowl of broccoli after asking for veg. We were charged €4 for the potatoes and €4 for the veg (broccoli). By time the potatoes and broccoli came we had both finished our “main course”. We also had to wait 15 minutes for 2 cups of coffee. This was a terrible meal there was very little choice on the menus , what we got was not that nice and very much over priced.
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Date of stay: January 2020Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Myself and a group of friends booked a meal in this restaurant recently and were very disappointed with both the service and the food! It was exceptionally busy and very short staffed. We were waiting over 1 hour between starters and main course and when if came what was on the plate was all you got. One friend ordered fish with chips and side salad and only got a plate of fish. When we eventually got a server to help us and asked for veg and chips we only got a small bowl of broccoli and one portion of chips, after we had finished meal. For the price we paid it was appalling. We would not visit this restaurant again
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Date of stay: March 2020Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from CiaranKinsale, Owner at Blue Haven Hotel Kinsale
Responded 30 Mar 2020
Thank you for your feedback as this is how we evolve and develop the business. We appreciate both positive and negative feedback to help us improve. I am disappointed to read your review and I have investigated this in full as to why you were waiting that time for your food and all details. On the evening in question we had a situation where two group bookings turned up late which put us in a situation where all bookings hit our team and the kitchen at the same time as well as a number of A la carte bookings. This is not a regular occurrence and unfortunately this did impact on us and we did our best to minimise the impact on other guests. We have already spoken about it as a team and put further measures in place to make sure this does not happen again. We take a lot of pride in what we do and we do deliver a consistent product and service but for this one occasion where our team here accepts we were under severe pressure to try deal with all the bookings in one go. I sincerely apologise for the negative impact it had on our booking. We do value your business and we would hope that you would return and dine with us again in the near future and allow us to show you the unique, special Blue Haven experience at its best.
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Just spent 3 nights in the beautiful Blue Haven with my husband and friends. What a lovely hotel!! Our room was gorgeous very comfortable and spotlessly clean. Staff were so friendly and helpful. Temperature checks and hand sanitizers at the entrances and all staff wearing masks. Food was delicious. We absolutely loved our stay there and can't wait to go back!!
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Date of stay: October 2020Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Ciaran Fitzgerald, Owner at Blue Haven Hotel Kinsale
Responded 17 Nov 2020
Thank you for your positive great review and taking the time to post this. Its wonderful to hear and see this. We will certainly share this with our great team. We do hope to see you again soon.
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The experience you will get from a visit to the hotel will leave a long lasting impression of satisfaction, making it very easy to return. The Covid safety procedures they have implemented is simply second to none. The staff are fantastic. They are so tuned into looking after their guests it’s impossible not to feel at home. Absolutely nothing is a problem for them to solve. It’s an amazing experience to feel so well looked after. The food is always delicious regardless of tastes. The location is brilliant, right in the centre of all activities, Every conceivable thing is within walking distance. This place and it’s staff are so professional.,You will struggle to find at a nicer place. A must for those that enjoy a feeling of home from home !
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Date of stay: June 2021Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Nothing to avoid , even if it’s raining !
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Spent 2 fabulous nights in the Blue Haven. One way system in place with sanitising and temperature stations at the entrance. The staff were all very accommodating working in particularly difficult circumstances. The restaurant was fabulous for breakfast and dinner. For breakfast I would highly recommend the wild boar organic full Irish, well worth the €4.00 supplement. Evening Dinner was excellent with a nice choice of steaks and seafood. Rooms are a little tight but adequate. The hotel in right in the centre of town close to everything.
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Date of stay: August 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Ciaran Fitzgerald, Owner at Blue Haven Hotel Kinsale
Responded 15 Mar 2021
Dear KieranKDublin, Thank you so much for your excellent feedback from your stay with us here at The Blue Haven. We are delighted to read that you enjoyed your time with us and your review serves as a testament to the amazing team that we have here. I will be sure to share your excellent comments with them. Looking forward to having the opportunity to welcome you back to The Blue Haven Collection in the near future. Kind Regards, Ciaran Fitzgerald – Owner
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Brighton, United Kingdom326 contributions215 helpful votes
Hi Suzanne I am sorry to hear this as I don’t know if small hotels providing Conditioner or shampoo only big Posh hotels. Whilst we stayed there we had no issues at all with anything . And there should hAve been a night staff member there to assist you if needed. So I would speak with the General manager Directly to get a good answer back
If you have a car and the weather is good FOTA wildlife park is a lovely day out. If you don’t have a car walk over to sandy cove beach. If it’s raining there are plenty of buses into the city. Cinema, bowling, shopping, escape rooms, all available in there.
There are more places to choose from in the Kinsale area.
PRICE RANGE
€97 - €141 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
hotel blue haven
LOCATION
IrelandProvince of MunsterCounty CorkKinsale
NUMBER OF ROOMS
16
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