Aghadoe Heights Hotel & Spa

““We got married in the Aghadoe Heights in July after a relatively short engagement of ten months. Over the years we had spent many weekends in the hotel and had always had a wonderful time there, for us it was a no-brainer that we should host our wedding party in our special place, Aghadoe. The Aghadoe Height’s setting, food, staff and service are the ultimate five star experience. Many of our friends who joined us from the UK for the wedding still refer to it as the best day of their lives! We can’t recommend it highly enough as a wedding destination. It offers something a little more exclusive to your standard wedding offering. It was evident to us from our first appointment with our wedding planner, Marie, that we had made the right decision. The whole process was so enjoyable and stress-free. We were living in the UK at the time but it made no difference, we simply liaised regularly over email about the finer details of the day. I can safely say that every request we made, it was met positively and accommodated. Marie ran through everything with us a number of times and provided some wonderful suggestions throughout the planning process; it ultimately ensured that the day worked so seamlessly. As neither of us are from Kerry, it was invaluable to receive recommendations of what works best. We opted for the exclusive Aghadoe wedding as we loved the idea of having all of our 190 wedding guests together in such a beautiful relaxed intimate setting. The day itself was so beyond our wildest expectations. It was the most lavish party; the attention to the finer details was incredible. The whole day was managed with military like precision. The staff in the Aghadoe Heights are a wonderful bunch of people. The majority have been there for years; which is so rare in the hospitality sector. They really make you feel so welcome and couldn’t be more accommodating. From our visits over the years, we have grown to know many of them personally and it really adds to the whole experience, we simply couldn’t speak more highly of them. From arrival at the hotel, after our wedding ceremony in the Cathedral, the drinks reception was just fabulously glamourous affair. There was something for everyone from Hendricks’s gin cocktails to strawberry daiquiris to a selection of beers. There was something for everyone. We have attended so many weddings over the years all over the country and I can safely say that the food in Aghadoe Heights is as good as you’ll get, it really is a five star luxury experience. One of our most enjoyable experiences in the lead up to the wedding was the food tasting experience at the hotel. The food on the day was impeccable and teamed with the ultimate silver service provided, it completely surmounted our expectations. The setting of the hotel, on the Kerry lakes is so picturesque. As the Irish weather is so unpredictable we wanted to go with a venue that regardless of the weather on the day, we would be able to enjoy it. That’s the beauty of the Aghadoe Heights; on a rainy day tucked up in the hotel the view of the lakes remains enchanting. For us, sitting up in the Lake room during the wedding speeches looking out on the view with all of our nearest and dearest, it was just perfect. We decided to make the most of it and had our first dance out on the lawn in front of the hotel. It was one of my favourite memories from the day, it was just magical. We had wanted to do something a little different and Marie couldn’t have been more accommodating. It had been raining during the day and so we weren’t sure if it would be possible but there was a small dance floor assembled out on the lawn. It was marvellous, we had so much fun. Later in the evening, we enjoyed an intimate gig in the Heights Piano Lounge. It was wonderful, the room is an ideal size and the dancefloor was hopping all night! The penthouse suite is another wonderful touch; we popped up numerous times to take a breather throughout the day. We tried our best to savour the whole experience, it was just perfect. On our first wedding anniversary we returned and loved every minute of it. We plan to continue this ritual for many years to come and we look forward to returning this summer with our baby boy. Aghadoe Heights is the perfect wedding venue and we really couldn’t recommend it highly enough, it is the ultimate five star experience. All of the little touches combined to the most perfect day and fill us with the most incredible memories of our special day that we will always hold dearly.””