A Luxury Holiday Home in West Cork

Experience island living in an idyllic landscape

The Main House & Gardens

Gortadrohid is one of the most luxurious 6-bedroom holiday homes West Cork has to offer. An exceptionally private waterfront holiday rental with over 1/4-mile sea frontage, private slipway and strand, set in 24 acres of beautiful, unspoilt land.
Wildflower meadows frame the stunning views across Baltimore Harbour and Roaringwater Bay.

This large holiday home was rebuilt in 2015 to Passive House standards. It offers beautifully furnished light-filled spaces testament to the owner’s background in interior design. There are also outstanding views from all the principal rooms, whether you’re cooking a family dinner as the sun sets across the strand or waking up to the first glimpse of daylight in one of the house’s five luxury bedrooms, or in the additional bedroom located in the studio.

The main house caters for 11 guests comfortably (the studio is necessary for 12 guests), and is designed to offer the best luxury self-catering experience West Cork has to offer. The fabulous 40-foot kitchen is the perfect place to enjoy the company of friends or family, with excellent cooking facilities. The space is flanked by two terraces, with tables and chairs for al fresco dining.

The Kitchen

Bright and open plan, with an efficient underfloor heating system warming the traditional flagstone floor and generous views of the sea, Spanish Island and Mount Gabriel, Gortadrohid’s kitchen sets the standard for luxury self catering, and is unequivocally the place to gather and look out over the waterfront.

The American-style fridge-freezer, large range cooker, two dishwashers, and expansive worktop space make cooking for large groups a breeze, and the classic Majorcan farmhouse table seats up to fourteen. There is a large corner sofa in the open plan sitting area of the kitchen, which is a great place to relax without being cut-off from the rest of the house.

The Sitting Room

Get the fire roaring, dim the lights, and hunker down for a cosy evening around the Smart TV, reading a good book, or even just recalling the day’s events. The sitting room is a separate quiet space enjoying amazing views in 3 directions. It also offers direct access to the West facing terrace.

The Bathrooms

In the main house, you’ll find a family bathroom with both a bath and shower, an additional shower room, and two ensuite bedrooms.

The Utilities

Offering a large load washing machine, tumble dryer, drying rack, coat hanging and hat rack, the utility room is there to ensure you’ll never have to pull on a pair of jeans soggy with yesterday’s rain.

The Bedrooms

The house’s five bedrooms can accommodate up to eleven guests:

Bedroom 1: Super king bed with ensuite, featuring shower and bath
Bedroom 2: Super king bed (zip and link) with ensuite, featuring shower
Bedroom 3: Super king bed (zip and link)
Bedroom 4: Bunk beds and a single bed
Bedroom 5: King-size bed

Outside

The house sits at the end of a long, private driveway and is served by ample parking and an EV charging point. The property’s 24 acres feature wildflower meadows, grass paths, paved patios, and well-kept lawns. You’ll also find a barbecue, sandpit, a private well supplying fresh water, and plenty of concealed lighting for long evenings spent out on the terrace. The house is also served by a private slipway and moorings and shingle strand.

The Front of House with mount Gabrial Behind

Details about our prices and to book your

luxury self-catering holiday home in West Cork.

Pricing & Bookings

The Artist’s Studio

The studio is built from traditional local stone and features an additional bedroom on the first floor with a super king bed and single bed, along with the ensuite. It’s also served by a generously appointed kitchenette and has its own outdoor seating area.

The Island

The Most South-West You Can Go…

This was the place we dreamed of but thought we would never find – a home by the sea with space to roam and outstanding views of the island of Ringarogy, wherever you stand. This little world is tranquil and secluded – moved by its own rhythm rather than the usual passage of time – but don’t mistake seclusion for isolation – there are some excellent towns and villages just a few minutes down the road.

There is a mooring by the private slipway and excellent sailing and fishing in Roaring Water Bay, as well as many islands and beaches perfect for a day’s escape. A network of mown paths runs around the land passing through secret meadows, a small glade, and a wildlife pond. There are hares, otters, and many different varieties of birds. Seals will swim up to the strand and slipway. Wildflowers – from heather and gorse to orchids, bluebells, and many other inland and coastal flora – can be found on the land and shoreline.

Beyond The Island

West Cork is renowned for its superb food, and there are local restaurants featured in the Michelin Guide –

Customs House & Restaurant Chestnut.

There are also wonderful pubs and restaurants in Baltimore and Skibbereen, and regular markets offering fantastic local produce.

Whether you’re interested in history, nature, art or music, there are many places to visit and different activities to try. Then again, you may prefer to just enjoy the peace and beauty of West Cork, watch the tide draw in and out, and wonder at the breath-taking sunsets that colour the endless sky over Gortadrohid each and every night.

Find out about the area

Our Guests Say It Best

Testimonials from our visitors

Our stay at Gortadoid will forever be etched into our memories as one of the most unique holidays we have ever had. The house is so comfortable, cosy and beautifully decorated. The kitchen is especially outstanding with state of the art appliances (having 2 dishwashers is a really nice touch) with knockout views surrounding. The beds are super comfy and the bedrooms all have amazing views. Stunning walks surround the house and the beach is so close, some seals even popped up to say hi! A great spot for families as there is so much to do. One of my favourite things is the drive to the house from the main road, it feels like something out of a fairytale, so magical and special. Couldn’t recommend this house more.

Jess & Moses Van den Bogaerde

If it is free: book it! The house itself is stunning: spacious, light, comfortable and well appointed. You come into a huge hallway. To the right a lovely drawing room with comfy sofas and a wood burning stove and a state of the art TV. Ahead a massive kitchen, dining and living room with sea views in one direction and garden views to the other. To the left a spare bedroom, utility room and bathroom. Upstairs? Two delightful double bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms, two other bedrooms and a family bathroom. Everything is state of the art from the sound system to the wifi and from the heating to the power showers. If you are a cook, by the way, you will love the kitchen. Outside? Immediately around the house a sheltered flower garden and two terraces. Elsewhere acres and acres of wild garden. One path leads to a little, private harbour. The location, by the way, is private and breathtakingly beautiful. As I say, if it is free: book it!

Jonathan Self

We have stayed at Gortadrohid twice, in October and then again in July and each time the bay and surrounding countryside has shown itself in the most beautiful seasonal colours. The house, contemporary, light and airy sits atop a hill from which one can see wild flowers, green fields and Roaringwater bay that changes colour with the time of day. A ruined house on a nearby island and the occasional passing fishing boat in the bay adds to the sense of being far removed from the everyday. A path down the hill leads to a secluded beach that makes a fine place for a swim in the bay.

As to the nearby village of Skibbereen and the surrounding countryside I can only say that my first visit to Gortadrohid was also my first visit to Ireland and to me it is not like England at all. The light seems softer, the fields greener and the shops are brightly painted with a joyful attitude to colour combinations. The Heritage Museum is definitely worth a look, and do try to get to Castletownshend and it’s castle.