Overlooking Bantry Bay, the new Four Star Maritime Hotel and Suites offers modern and contemporary accommodation in beautiful Bantry, West Cork. This award wining hotel
has excelled in the area of customer care so you can be assured of exemplary service and attention to detail during your stay.
The Club Maritime Leisure Centre, Ocean Restaurant and Maritime Bar help make the hotel a perfect venue for a relaxing holiday and an ideal base for exploring the wonders and gardens of West Cork. (visit the hotel website).
| DAY ONE: |
Check in Gresham Metropole Hotel Cork |
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| DAY TWO: |
Full Irish or continental breakfast at the Hotel |
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Ceder Lodge, Midleton
An award-winning garden of two acres, specialising in rare and unusual plants in mixed borders of shrubs and herbaceous perennials. Special features include a large bed of exotic grasses, a 100ft pergola draped with climbers, patio and gravel areas, and a 'figure of eight' pond with rockery and bog garden. A large collection of hellebores scattered around the garden ensures that interest begins in early spring, followed by a profusion of colourful shrubs and herbaceous, keeping the garden interesting right through to November.......garden details |
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Ballymaloe Cookery School Gardens, East Cork
The gardens date back to the 19th century. This outstanding herb and vegetable garden is one of the largest in Ireland...........garden details |
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Lunch |
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Lakemount garden, Glanmire
Owners Brian and Rose Cross will guide us through their garden in the hills high above Cork City. Called a flagship garden by the Royal Horticultural Society, its plantings were carefully selected to provide year-round enjoyment. Enjoy a tea or coffee.......garden details |
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Check in at Hotel |
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Dinner in hotel restaurant |
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| DAY THREE: |
Full Irish or continental breakfast at the Hotel |
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Aultaghreagh Cottage Garden - Dunmanway
Set against a magnificent mountain backdrop, this colourful 1 acre garden features a kaleidoscope of cottage perennials, a large fishpond with water lilies and a living willow arbour, and a secret walled courtyard garden.......garden details |
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Glenview Gardens, Enniskeane
A recently redeveloped multi-themed garden which includes a sunken white garden, a Japanese garden, wild garden and an Italian formal garden.......garden details |
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Lunch |
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Ardnavaha House, Ballinascarthy
A country garden of 40 acres of a lovely wooded valley which we can have lunch as there are many picnic tables available to enjoy the peace and tranquillity and views across the lake........garden details |
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Lisselan Gardens
Designed in the 1800's a beautiful sculpted garden set on the banks of the Argideen River. Many features throughout, rockery, rustic bridges, flagstone pathways, and many unusual plants adding character and charm to this Robinsonian Garden, making every season special......garden details |
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Dinner in hotel restaurant |
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| DAY FOUR: |
Full Irish or continental breakfast at the Hotel |
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Muckross House and gardens Killarney
These extensive world-renowned gardens are situated on the shores of Muckross Lake amid the spectacular landscapes of Killarney National Park. Its features include a Sunken Garden, a Rock Garden and a Stream Garden. as well as an Arboretum containing many trees from the Southern Hemisphere. A recently added Victorian Walled Garden is further complemented by the recreation of a mid 19th century parterre and recently restored Edwardian Glasshouses........garden details |
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Lunch |
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The sea bound Dereen Gardens, Kenmare known as the Rainforest of Kerry, the luxuriant woodlands of Dereen Gardens on one side and majestic countryside on the other. Owners David and Anthea Bingham guide us as we tour their rarest specimens, including tree ferns, bamboo groves, eucalyptus trees and rhododendrons, some of which tower over 60 feet high.........garden details |
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Dinner in hotel restaurant |
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| DAY FIVE: |
Full Irish or continental breakfast at the Hotel |
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Bantry Country Market
A chance to explore one of the most colourful farmers markets in Ireland. |
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Lunch |
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Bantry House and Gardens
Extending to 45 acres in total on the edge of Bantry Bay, the gardens and grounds are a wonderful mix of formal and informal. Arranged over seven terraces, highlights include the Italianate garden with its formal yew and box hedging and elevated ancient Wisteria
Circle......garden details |
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Dinner in hotel restaurant |
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| DAY SIX: |
Full Irish or continental breakfast at the Hotel |
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Garnish Island by boat also known as Ilnacullin, or the Island of Holly, Garnish Island is perhaps the most magical setting a garden could have. Known to horticulturalists the world over as an oasis of rare beauty, these 15 hectares of garden boasts a rich variety of plant life. Be on the lookout for the seal colonies that call the surrounding waters home.....garden details |
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Lunch |
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Glengarrif Bamboo Park.
This unique, exotic garden is home to over 30 species of Bamboo, 12 different species of palm tree, huge tree ferns, eucalyptus, and other plants that thrive in our mild climate. You will surely want to linger on the superb coastal walks......garden details |
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The Ewe Gallery & Sculpture Garden, Glengarriff
This Ewe is a unique combination of nature and art set by a beautiful waterfall in a lush forest.......garden details |
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Dinner in hotel restaurant |
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| DAY SEVEN: |
Full Irish or continental breakfast at the Hotel |
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Carraig Abhainn Gardens Durrus
A series of unique bridges across a river and millstream will bring you to this tranquil island garden of 2 acres. Truly a haven of serenity, its beautiful, fragrant blossoms and gentle waterfalls create a treat for all the senses.......garden details |
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Lunch |
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Kilvarock Gardens
Overlooking Dunmanus Bay this 2 acre garden is home to a wide variety of plants. There are collections from both the Northern & Southern Hemisphere......garden details |
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Cois Cuain Garden
This garden of 2 acres is entirely within 30 metres of the sea. It contains many rare plants from the Southern Hemisphere as well as salt and wind resisting plants......garden details |
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Dinner in hotel restaurant |
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| DAY EIGHT: |
Full Irish or continental breakfast at the Hotel |
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Check out |
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Return coach transfer to Cork |
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| Cost euro: |
1035.00 per person sharing |
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190.00 single supplement |
| Cost sterling: |
930.00 per person sharing |
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175.00 single supplement |
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booking deposit:
150 euro , 120 stg |
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sterling prices subject to currency fluctuation |
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departures subject to minimum numbers |
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supplement for Maritime Hotel on request |
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Price Includes
- 7 nights accommodation on a Dinner, Bed & Breakfast Basis
- Luxury coach transportation
- Garden Tours and entrance fees
- Tour Guide and services of Essence of Ireland Representative
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| For bookings or enquiries please call us on 00353 23 8863400 or email us at res@essenceofireland.ie |
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