THE HOTEL
The Montenotte is the sister property of the boutique Wilder Townhouse hotel in Dublin’s city centre. It sits high on a hill overlooking Cork and the River Lee and is about a 20-minute (uphill) walk or five-minute taxi ride from Cork’s main train station.In August 2024 it introduced the Woodland Suite Experience, nine standalone luxury lodges that sit at the bottom of the property in an area that was once overgrown forest and wasteland. Woodland Suites is an initiative built around sustainability principles: for every stay Montenotte plants a tree, part of a Nights for Nature initiative with Irish charity, Hometree.
THE CHECK-IN
My stay was on a Sunday and the hotel was busy with lunchtime guests. Woodland Suite guests (adults only) have their own check-in area – The Clubhouse – and are taken down to their suite by a golf buggy. We stopped to look at the ‘Sunken Victorian Garden’, with its plants and sculptures by Irish and international artists.
THE ROOM
There’s two different design styles: ‘Woodland’ (slightly more private) and ‘River’ (slightly more spacious). My circular Woodland suite was innovative and modern, with integrated lounge and bedroom areas: a rice paper screen acts as a sliding partition. An eye-catching centrepiece in every suite is a two-metre Red Japanese Maple curated from recycled natural wood trunks and branches. The oak king-size bed occupies the middle of the room, with a self-contained kitchenette area. Other features include underfloor heating and a private patio, with two chairs and a table, that provides views down to the river and city.
THE FACILITIES
Woodland Suite guests can take breakfast in The Clubhouse, which also offers a complimentary daily Sundowner hour (17.30-18.30). The Panorama restaurant features an outdoor patio area while Glasshouse is a rooftop cocktail bar. There’s an on-site cinema, which can be used as a meeting room, a Spa and a health club with a Jacuzzi, sauna, steam room and a 20-metre swimming pool.
THE VERDICT
Blending modern luxury with the natural beauty of Cork’s landscape, the Woodland Suites Experience offers a sophisticated premium ‘getaway’.
THE DETAILS
Woodland Suite Experience rates from €610 per night.
