Spending the night in a treehouse is the stuff of childhood fantasies, but as grown-ups the logistics are far from luxurious.
All those treetop pods look cute on social media, but do you really want to be swaying around in high winds or, horror of horrors, climbing down a rickety ladder at night to use the bathroom?
Thankfully, The Woodland Suites at The Montenotte in Cork, Ireland, have all the childish delight of staying in your own treetop cabin but with all the luxurious mod cons at your disposal. From the moment you arrive from Cork airport – just a quick hop from Gatwick to a convenient city airport – you are in excellent hands.
A pint-sized covered buggy transports you down the hill to your own private clubhouse for a check in accompanied by a glass of champagne. Hotel check-ins are hardly an arduous task, but it’s a luxurious touch that underscores how seamless and private these new eco-lodge style residences are. Jutting out of the steep hillside, each suite is accessible via a bridge.
Interiors inspiration
To call it a suite almost feels like a disservice. I’ve lived in London apartments that are smaller and less well appointed. Created in a Japandi style by Dublin-based interior designer Roisin Lafferty, they are spaces designed to be at ease in.
Good luck coming away without a camera reel full of interior inspirations to attempt back home. The vast bed takes centre stage, with uninterrupted views out through the treeline and down to the harbour. When we visited in spring the trees weren’t yet in full leaf, but the woodlands around the site were already bursting with forest flowers.
Everything is in soothing green tones and natural wood, with a standalone reddish marble sink flanked by an actual tree and a freestanding tub positioned in front of the wraparound balcony. Each room has been strategically positioned so that there is no overlooking – you can bathe with the doors pulled back to enjoy the spring breeze, like a hot tub without the chlorine. Dreamy. A separate bathroom with a rainfall shower is tucked behind more mirrored doors.
Yes, there are a lot of mirrors – both side walls are floor-to-ceiling – but they are carefully positioned so you’re not staring yourself in the face when in bed. Also, they’re tinted a gorgeous honey colour that makes you look incredibly sunkissed. I wish all my mirrors at home were this colour, just as I wish all my bathroom surfaces were stocked with Ortigia Sicilia products.
See more: The chicest treehouse stays in the UK
The kitchenette and mini bar has also been stocked with a tasteful eye – and with all the accouterments you need to make the house cocktail. Turndown doesn’t just involve pillow chocolates, you get a hand tied sprig of lavender on your pillows too. It is all in the details, and the team at The Montenotte really have thought of everything.
Join the club
However nice a hotel room is, my partner and I are usually the kind of travellers to use it as a staging post for seeing the sights. But the Woodland Suites are seductive – you really will just want to hang out for an afternoon nap listening to the wind in the trees, or take an hour-long bath with a book.
Leaving the peaceful bubble is rewarding, if you can drag yourself to. Staying in the suites gives you access to the aforementioned clubhouse, which hosts nightly Sundowners, a cocktail hour with a view and charming staff on hand to whip you up a drink of your choosing to enjoy with canapes, and give you tips for when you finally venture around town.
For our first evening we were hosted in the Panorama Bistro & Terrace, which, as the name suggests, has serious views over Cork. We watched a dramatic storm roll in as we ate, safe with the comforts of a well thought-out wine list and a live jazz pianist. Music is clearly important here – there’s also The Glasshouse, a funky cocktail bar where they serve a custom gin (blended during lockdown with notes taken from the woodland flora) and a live Cuban band every Friday night.
Breakfast is also served in the clubhouse, with your own chef to whip up menu items plus a smorgasbord of a buffet. I am still thinking gluttonous thoughts about the cheeseboard and the addictive parmesan crackers they serve with them. While I admit I consumed an inadvisable amount of dairy during our stay, my excuse was it was historically on theme.
Butter you up
The Montenette was originally a grand mansion called built by one of Cork’s butter barons – the city, with its deep natural harbour (the second deepest in the world according to locals; a hotly contested title according to the internet) was perfectly situated to dominate export of Ireland’s famed grass-fed beef and butter to the Americas during the 18th century. That butter was very different to the global phenomenon that is Kerrygold today – so salted you would have to wash it.
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You can admire some of the original details of the main house while en route to the spa, via the Victorian-style sunken gardens. My facial, delivered on a heated bed, was very relaxing - and you get access to a peaceful salt room afterwards, where you can feel extra buttery as you snack on sorbet and absorb the salty goodness.
While you could easily spend an entire weekend in the Woodland Suites and their surrounds, Cork is a very walkable city and only a brisk trot down the hill from The Montenotte. We hit The Butter Museum first, obviously. Set by the old Cork Butter Market it’s a thorough education on how the dairy industry shaped the city over the centuries - plus you can marvel at some very ancient bog butter.
Mysteriously hungry again, we crossed the River Lee and made our way through the port. While it looks entirely industrial (my partner was bemused I’d taken him to such an un-scenic locale), you eventually come to the Marina Market. This warehouse space has been converted into a food hall stuffed with tasty choices. The only downside is there’s no alcohol served there, which necessitated a post-lunch pub crawl.
Going for Goldie
Despite having a population the size of Hackney, Cork arguably has more and better pubs (and more convivial patrons) per square mile. I can’t take credit for our venue selection - that was all my glamorous colleague Niamh’s doing - but I can heartily recommend the following route: The Welcome Inn for pints of stout and the races on TV; Arthur Mayne’s Pharmacy for another cheeseboard and the vintage make-up display in the ladies bathroom; The Oval Bar for a chilled out pint after a snoop round The English Market; and Mutton Lane for the vibes and impressive bar staff.
To round off the day, I’d gotten lucky with a 9pm booking for Goldie. This “fin-to-gill” seafood restaurant is worth the trip to Cork alone. Chef Aishling Moore, barely pushing 30, has already nabbed a Michelin Bib Gourmand for its unfussy atmosphere and smart menu. I didn’t know I needed a cod tail schnitzel with a salted egg yolk in my life until now. The kitchen window at pot-washing height is a fun touch, too. Serendipitously Moore was there while we visited, and she graciously signed our copy of her book Whole Catch. We eschewed the advised cab ride home to walk it all off.
With a disclaimer that we got exceedingly lucky with the weather, a mini break in The Woodland Suites genuinely felt like an actual, well, break. Genuine relaxation without fretting over Making The Most Of It. Part this is down to the thought that The Montenotte has clearly put into the experience. And some of the credit should go to the trees - the forest bathers and biophilic truthers are right, a night or two in the woods does you good.
Starting room rates for The Woodland Suite Experience are from €610 per night on a B&B basis, including a private buggy transfer to The Clubhouse, Champagne on arrival, exclusive breakfast and Sundowner cocktails & canapés from 5:30 to 6:30pm in The Clubhouse, Nights-for-Nature tree planting in partnership with Hometree, and access to all The Montenotte's facilities and amenities. themontenottehotel.com
