Cork's Great Escapes: A luxury river lodge - perfect for a romantic break or girlie getaway

When I opened the door of one of the Cottages For Couples’ river lodges along the River Ilen in Skibbereen, I was simply in awe.

I put my bags down and took in the tasteful decor of River Lodge 2, and realised I was going to have so much fun shooting content at this unique location.

The lay-out of the river lodges makes for clever use of space, with a walk-through bathroom area including a large sink with two basins and two mirrors, a large Jacuzzi, and two sliding doors into a separate toilet and shower.

The king-sized bed looks out onto the decking area, which has its own private hot tub and seating, and the pink velvet sofa is the perfect spot to watch some Netflix on the smart TV, or enjoy the complimentary bottle of Champagne provided on arrival.

There is also a kitchenette with a hob, oven, fridge, microwave, kettle and toaster, and all utensils are supplied, making it the perfect place to cook a meal. Super-fast broadband and a high-spec bluetooth speaker system also feature in each lodge.

The most striking thing about the accommodation is the beautiful decor which makes this feel like the perfect place for a romantic break or a girlie getaway.

The forest-themed wallpaper behind the bed, the monochrome pattern on the floor and stone-look wall in the bathroom area, the velvet sofa, large rug, cushions and floor lamp create an ambiance of timeless class while also being funky and fun.

After admiring the interior of the river lodge, it only got better when I opened the sliding door out onto the decking area, where guests have the use of their own private hot tub and additional seating.

There was something so calm and peaceful about the location, surrounded by trees - 60 of which were planted on site. And this is right on the riverside walkway into the centre of Skibbereen, 10 to 15 minutes away.

Wanting to make the most of my stay at the river lodge, I opted to take the walkway, which guests have exclusive access to via a gate at the bottom of the path. I bought a pizza and some nibbles in the local Aldi before returning to the lodge and making use of the hot tub while my pizza was in the oven.

Listening to the trees rustling in the breeze while in the hot tub was a stand-out moment during my stay, as it felt like a real treat - it’s not every day you get to enjoy the warm waters of a hot tub at your own private lodge!

The river lodge is one of three of Cottages For Couple’s most recent accommodation offerings, with owners Anna and Peter Warburton taking a leap of faith by developing the site from scratch.

Cottages For Couples also offers treehouse accommodation and a range of cottages in Skibbereen, the river lodges are the most recent venture, with the site completed in 2023 - just 18 months after the construction of the lodges began.

Having moved to Skibbereen in 1994 from the sunny Canary Islands, with their daughter Kelly, Peter and Anna purchased an old Georgian house on the outskirts of Skibbereen and set about restoring it so they could open an ‘upmarket’ guest house offering accommodation and meals.

In the years after, they restored the outbuildings to provide additional accommodation and added another couple of ruins that they also restored, but the banking crash forced Peter and Anna to close their doors in 2010.

In what she describes as a lightbulb moment, Anna says that one day in 2011, Peter emerged from the wooded area at the front of the main house and announced that he was going to build a treehouse - and so Cottages For Couples was born.

“Treehouse 1 was opened in 2012 and was so successful and popular that a second treehouse was opened in 2013. Treehouse 3 followed a few years later, and the treehouses have been our most popular cottages ever since. All of a sudden, Cottages for Couples was flying,” the couple said

“The brand became well known on a national scale and people travelled from all over Ireland to experience the treehouses.”

Realising the increasing popularity of eco-tourism, Cottages for Couples most recently purchased property and half an acre of land with planning permission at Newbridge in Skibbereen.

After 12 months’ research, Peter and Anna applied for, and were granted, planning permission for the construction of three eco-lodges facing the River Ilen - where Olympic gold medalists Paul O’Donovan and Fintan McCarthy honed their skills.

Designed completely from scratch by the couple, the lodges were built over an 18-month period under the supervision of local project manager Flor O’Driscoll, and officially opened on June 2, 2023 by Fianna Fáil TD Christopher O’Sullivan.

Since then, the lodges have enjoyed an 80% occupancy rate, with the couple saying that it seems the public agrees that luxury can still help to save the planet.

With sustainability in mind, each river lodge is insulated to retain heat and is clad in sustainable burnt larch timber, has a living ‘green roof’ of sedum, removing 300kg of CO2 from the atmosphere each year, has low energy LEDs throughout, and each hot tub uses just 950w/hr - 1/9th of the energy of a traditional hot-tub.

So, if you are a couple looking for a romantic getaway, two besties seeking a relaxing break, or a solo traveller wanting to get some ‘R&R’, I cannot recommend Cottages For Couples enough.

The river lodges are a truly unique overall experience that you have to try at least once in West Cork - and how lovely is it knowing that your stay is eco-friendly.

To book online, visit www.cottagesforcouples.ie

AT A GLANCE

Cost of Stay

• River Lodge Midweek Night - €199
• River Lodge Weekend Night - €239

Highlights

• Romantic getaway in a private, eco-friendly river lodge.
• Private deck with hot tub and river view.
• Exclusive access to the riverside walkway into Skibbereen.
• A perfect base for exploring West Cork.

ITINERARY

• Located 1 hour and 20 minutes from Cork city, 20 minutes from Rosscarbery, and 15 minutes from Baltimore, and a short stroll from Skibbereen, there is a large selection of amenities and activities near Cottages for Couples’ river lodges to include on your itinerary. Here are some suggestions:

Activities/Amenities

• Cape Clear Island and Fastnet Lighthouse tours (15-minute drive) - www.capeclearferries.com
• Atlantic Sea Kayaking (10-minute drive) - www.atlanticseakayaking.com
• Whale Watch West Cork (15-minute drive) - www.whalewatchwestcork.com
• Cre Pottery Studio (5-minute drive)
• James Turrell’s Sky Garden (5-minute drive)
• Lough Hyne and Knockomagh Summit (10-minute drive)
• Baltimore Beacon (20-minute drive)
• Toe Head Signal Tower (20-minute drive)
• Drombeg Stone Circle (20-minute drive)
• Day trips / Island hopping:
• Sherkin Island and Cape Clear Island from Baltimore (15-minute drive)
• Long Island from Colla Pier (30-minute drive)
• Cape Clear Island from Schull (23-minute drive)
• Mizen Head (50-minute drive)
• Crookhaven / Barleycove (50-minute drive)
• Sheep’s Head (1-hour drive)
• Bantry and Whiddy Island from Bantry (30-minute drive)
• Glengarriff (45-minute drive)
• Bere Island from Castletown-Bearhaven (1 hour 20 minute drive)
• Dursey Island via Dursey Cable Car (1 hour 50 minute drive)

Local Foodie Spots

• The Church in Skibbereen (3-minute drive)
• Riverside Café in Skibbereen (5-minute drive)
• The Eldon Hotel in Skibbereen (3-minute drive)
• Antiquity Café and Bookstore in Skibbereen (2-minute drive)
• Kennedy Restaurant at The West Cork Hotel (2-minute drive)
• Mary Ann’s in Castletownshend (15-minute drive)
• The Dock Wall in Union Hall (15-minute drive)
• The Algiers in Baltimore (15-minute drive)