Doneraile Wildlife Park

The location and atmosphere

Parking was hard to find as well as the lobby ! The building is undergoing renovations and the lobby is on the first floor - little awkward signage …but clean and comfortable

The Hayfield Manor was a lovely place to stay while we explored Cork and the surrounding areas. The hotel is currently undergoing some renovations, but our room was already completed -- and it was beautiful with great touches like the Victrola and records, bath salts for the enormous bathtub (hint: the drain plug works by spinning it sideways), heated tiles in the bathroom, and the most comfortable bed we've ever encountered in a hotel. The hotel has a lovely garden that we would have enjoyed had it not been raining! The in-house restaurants are delicious. The carpet in some areas of the hotel appear worn, but it had been replaced in our room. The hotel is about a 20-25 minute walk to St. Fin Barre's Cathedral and the English Market. We also enjoyed exploring the grounds at University College Cork, directly across the street from Hayfield Manor. A short walk is the beautiful Fitzgerald Park with a magical fairy tree (that's what I call it, anyway -- it is covered with mosaic glass!), a pond, a playground, and a rose garden on the banks of the river. Note that this hotel is "old school" in that you are offered a sip of Irish whiskey upon arrival, and room keys are actual keys that must be turned in at the front desk whenever you leave the property. The staff are attentive and observant: when we entered after an excursion to the English Market and I came in with flowers, they brought a vase and scissors to our room so we could arrange them before we could even ask.