("Diamond" being the welcoming house and "Rough" being the pristine beauty of the Black Valley!) Every bit of our stay was wonderful; the host(s), the house, the location, the moodiness of the weather and the ultra glorious landscape surrounding us. It worked quite well as a central location to explore the Ring of Kerry and neighboring peninsulas, and Agnes was happy to provide suggestions for activities and adventures from which it was a pleasure to return to the Ceim House. Already with memories of a lifetime, we would gladly return to stay here again and again!
Quite Possibly the Most Beautiful Location on Earth
Black Valley, where Ceim House is, is quite possibly the most beautiful place I have ever been. It changes with the light an the clouds by the moment. Spectacular. The home itself, and its host, were lovely and met every need we had. I could have stayed longer and will revisit in the future. This is an experience not to be missed. A few things to note: driving through the Dunloe Gap is not to be taken lightly. There are working jaunting carts and tractors that must have the right of way. Plan for extra time getting to and from the property. My suggestion is limiting the coming and going and enjoy the valley and the ample hiking opportunities. Also, be aware that you are amongst working farms with livestock. Agnes, the host, was wonderful. She met us at the house with a wonderful pie and gave us a quick introduction to the house and things to do in the area. Communication with her was exceptional. Again, we will gladly return to Ceim House in the future.
Agnes is an excellent host! Her communication is very fast and responsive. The information provided before our arrival also very helpful in planning our travel the day we checked in. I wish we had planned a week in this location instead of 3 nights. We followed her advice in how to spend one of our days and we all loved it. A big highlight was doing the home cooked meal that Agnes offers the night of arrival. Not having to worry about stopping to eat somewhere after a long day and having a fantastic dinner waiting was the best! Presentation in the dining room was so pretty and being able to sit at the table and talk with each other was priceless. Take her up on the offer!
I have visited Ireland over 40 times over the last 50 years. I have stayed at hotels, B&Bs, and have rented houses from Fanah Head to Mizen Head. This Ceim House in the Black Valley is the absolute best!
The hostess/owner, Agnes, could not do more to make every second of our stay quite memorable.
In short, if you want to combine a once in a lifetime experience that combines the magic of the Irish countryside with the warmth of the Irish people, book a week at the Ceim House!
I found this property when looking for somewhere in the Irish countryside. I did not realize how amazing this would be. The host, Agnes, goes above and beyond to insure her guests are comfortable in the home, gets them checked in personally and give the most amazing advice on where to go and what to do. She responds to all messages with great speed and accuracy. She helped us find hikes around the property, a location for a five star restaurant experience and made us feel like we were family staying in her home. Look up Black Valley to see some of the beauty of the area. We very much want to bring our family back to stay here.
We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Agnesâs place! It was a beautiful and clean home but we most enjoyed the stunning scenery from the front porch! You will not find a better location to access the Gap of Dunloe, Killarney National Park, or Ring of Kerry. Such stunning scenery and secluded location with lots of hiking available right out of the front door. If youâre looking for an authentic Irish home stay, this is the place for you!