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4.5
#1 of 5 guest houses in Portmagee
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Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Nestled into the picturesque seafront of Portmagee, the Moorings Guesthouse overlooks the village's busy working harbour. Just a 30 second walk from the pier, where boats leave for the Skelligs every morning, and right at the heart of village life, there's simply nowhere more convenient to base yourself when you stay in Portmagee. Offering 16 rooms in total, the owners have created a calm and surprisingly luxurious ambience through the use of traditional yet contemporary furnishings with crisp, clean lines of soft ivory against vibrant reds. The Moorings strive to deliver personal, attentive service while matching the very best standards in efficiency and attention to detail that you've encountered elsewhere. Room facilities include direct-dial telephone, satellite TV, tea- and coffee-making facilities, iron and ironing board, ensuite marble bathroom with power shower, bath, hairdryer and Gilchrest & Soames toiletries. Complimentary Wi-Fi Internet access is available throughout the guesthouse and there is free car parking for guests. There's nothing more endearing than knowing that some of the Hollywood's biggest movie stars like Mark Hamill and Director J.J Abrams have visited the sleepy village of Portmagee, and even sat in the Bridge Bar local pub where Mark Hamill poured a pint of Guinness behind the bar. The Moorings was home to the pre-production team of the Star Wars VII movie and you can visit the room where all the magic took place and listen to the stories told by the staff. The Moorings is open all year round. Great food served all day with traditional music at weekends. Trips to Skellig Michael can be arranged and packages are available from April to September. Cois Cuain gift shop is open from March to January. The Moorings is located in a fishing village with a working harbour, post office, general store, coffee shop, bar, restaurant overlooking Valentia Island. The Moorings received a platinum award for green hospitality in 2013. They have introduced a 'Green' package which offers two nights B&B in The Moorings Guesthouse, a guide to a wildlife shore search and a special '30 mile' menu where all main ingredients are sourced within a 30 mile radius.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Mid-range
Great View
Languages Spoken
English
Location
Main Street, Portmagee V23 RX05 Ireland
The Moorings Portmagee
571 reviews
Getting there
Somewhat walkable
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
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Nestled in Portmagee, The Moorings Portmagee hotel is often celebrated for its snug atmosphere and inviting rooms, boasting commendable views and cleanliness. A haven for those seeking a blend of comfort and convenience, the establishment's proximity to local attractions and its well-regarded dining options, complete with live music, enhance its charm.
While the majority of guests appreciate the value, a few express concerns over noise and food pricing. The staff's efficiency and friendliness, however, consistently earn high marks, contributing to a pleasant and satisfying stay.
Atmosphere
Inviting
Rooms
Comfortable
Value
Reasonable
Cleanliness
Pristine
Service
Helpful
Amenities
Well-appointed
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If you’re going to South Kerry, make time to stay at the Moorings AND make sure to have dinner. You can’t go wrong with any of the choices but the fish is diviiiine, particularly the fish plate. Lovely Grace served us in the restaurant and we got a trip out on the Lady Clare boat around Skellig. If you are on the fence about going, GO! It’s absolutely jaw dropping stuff. The beds are so comfortable as well and a beautiful sea view option is well worth the extra few pound! Thank you Moorings 🥰
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Date of stay: May 2021Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We booked the Moorings for the night before our trip to the Skelligs and couldn’t fault the place. Staff all extremely welcoming, great bar with seats outside in the sun and the food in the restaurant was lovely too. The room was spacious, clean and comfortable and the breakfast was not to be missed. We had originally paid for four but only two of us could make the trip and we were given a room discount proactively on checking out which I thought was a lovely gesture and there’s no question we will be back. If you are making a trip to the Skelligs or just want somewhere nice to relax in Kerry then I highly recommend the Moorings
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Date of stay: August 2021Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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This is a very relaxing guesthouse / hotel in the perfect location to enjoy a stunning part of Kerry. As it is located in the harbour you are literally a few steps walk to the many boats that offer tours of Skellig Micheal. The rooms are very comfortable, staff are warm , friendly professional people who engage with customers. We had a room at the front of the hotel and what a view to look out on the harbour and coast line. The restaurant has real character and the food is very good served by friendly staff. If I could ask for one thing it would be some vegan options. We only stayed two days and will definitely be coming back for a longer stay as it’s a welcoming place.
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Date of stay: August 2021Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Â Make this tour base for trips to Skellig Michael or exploring the area
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We stayed for two nights, booking initially for proximity to boat for Skellig Michael. It’s also an excellent location for Valentina Island, walking to the Kerry Cliffs and the many local beaches and amazing sights. Unfortunately the bed in the superior room was the most uncomfortable I’ve ever tried to sleep in. The metal springs were really obvious and uncomfortable, not of a standard for a hospitality business. Not great either for when you want to make the most of all the local area has to offer. The breakfast menu is extensive but the quality could be improved, the full Irish was not good quality and no fresh fruit was available on either morning. We had booked for dinner both nights but cancelled the second night. The seafood platter had beautiful fresh cold fish but the cooked fish was completely overdone and tasted like it had been cooked in a deep fat fryer, completely ruining the fish. The seafood chowder lacked favour and was mediocre. The roast beef was only okay. The meal was too expensive for the food provided. Most of the staff and the owner were very friendly. The Moorings needs to review the standard of cooking and the basics of ensuring guests can have a good night’s sleep if they wish to continue charging their current prices. The rooms were very clean but extremely basic for the prices charged. No water, refillable toiletry containers and sanitary ware that have seen better days. We discovered there were better options available nearby to eat and stay and felt we paid far too much for what was provided.
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Date of stay: August 2021
Rooms
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Room pretty basic, no sea views available. Booked 2 nights, Sunday and Monday night at a cost of €240 for both of us for room and breakfast only. Purchased meals that evening , was ok, was nice to eat in and have a drink afterwards inside. When we went to bed, the mattress seem very soft until I realized the springs were gone in the mattress so I had to move to the smaller bed, not a good start for a couple of days away. Next evening at another average meal I mentioned it to the, I am guessing either the owner or the manager about the bed. He suggested another room. After the meal we went up more steps to another room, again no sea view and again springs gone in the mattress. He took us to another room, along another hallway, and that bed was ok, but too many steps to get to it as I had a injured knee and my partner has mobility issues. We finally told him its ok we'll keep the room we had as we were leaving next morning anyway and too much hassle to move stuff. Went to bed that night and was woken at 6.45am by a fire alarm. We looked out the hall and window and saw no smoke or anyone else. So we quickly dressed and went to the tiny lobby only to be told it was a false alarm!!! Now there wasn't many in the hotel on the Monday night, I do not understand why they did not ring the room to let us know??? So we had to wait until 8am for breakfast and the alarm still rang until 7.45am outside our room. After breakfast we went home, wouldn't recommend. Good things was the location for a visit to Valencia Island and breakfast in the morning, which was very good. Staff were friendly. Even the cocktails I ordered did not have a real orange slice but a dried one....
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Date of stay: June 2021
Value
Rooms
Service
Room Tip:Â A lot of stairs to climb, no elevator. Test beds before accepting the room
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I truly don't know where the other persons who provided reviews stayed. We requested a quiet room and were given Room 6, at the top of the stairs, right under the reception area and the dining room. Noisy all night, heard every conversation and person coming up the stairway. The room our friends had had black mold in the shower and on the shower curtain. When these things were brought to the attention of the front desk, I was told our room was the most expensive, which is of no consequence since it wasn't adequate for our request, and we couldn't be moved. The food in the restaurant was awful and at they tried to charge us with drinks we never had ordered. Very disorganized and bad service. This place was part of the tour that we were on. If we use the tour service again, we will definitely look for a tour that doesn't include this stop.
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Date of stay: September 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Myself and my husband spent 3 nights at the Moorings guesthouse in beautiful Portmagee. Our only regret was that we could not stay longer. Room was clean and cosy overlooking the harbour. Comfy bed and bathroom spotless. Breakfast menu you would not see anywhere with such a selection and all freshly cooked food. Dinners were so good that we ate there on the three nights we stayed. Nothing was a hassle for the staff and all so professional and helpful. Great atmosphere in the place and it was always packed. Adhering to all guidelines for Covid 19 but without making you feel under pressure. Gerard and Patricia so helpful and on our first night at dinner Gerard made sure that we had all the information for the area of places to see and visit of interest. Thank you so much for making our time in Portmagee so memorable. Will most certainly be back. A lot of places could take a leaf out of your book. Thanks again to the owners and staff. G&A
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Date of stay: September 2020
Location
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We stopped at the Moorings for dinner the night before our trip to Skellig Michael. We were greeted by a man who asked if we had a reservation. When we told him no, he said it would be about an hour wait; this despite several empty tables and one party getting up to leave their table. We told him we didn't want to wait and turned around and walked back outside. While we were standing outside trying to figure out where to go, the man came out and said that he would be able to seat us right away as a table just opened up. It was strange, but there isn't much in Portmagee. The food was fantastic. The mussels were especially good. The service was great.
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Date of stay: July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We traveled the Wild Atlantic Way for 2 weeks and stayed in Portmagee for a couple of nights. We decided to try The Moorings for dinner one night and would recommend it to anyone. The nicest food we had on our whole trip, staff were extremely friendly and got chatting to the owner about the Star Wars filming and cast, who stayed in the guesthouse. Would highly recommend this place and next time we visit Portmagee we'll make sure to stay here too!
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Date of stay: August 2021
Rooms
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Stayed in the Moorings for 2 nights. Had a lovely time. Staff so friendly and welcoming. The owners checked in on us to see if all was ok and to ensure we were enjoying our visit to the area gave us tips on places to visit. Room and public areas were spotless. Thoroughly enjoyed our dinner there . Can definitely recommend the mixed fish platter and my husband said the Eton Mess was the best he had tasted in a long time. Breakfast was super, so many choices. The grilled sole was delicious. Thank you for making our stay so enjoyable.
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Date of stay: August 2021Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
There are more places to choose from in the Portmagee area.
PRICE RANGE
â‚ą11,157 - â‚ą21,307 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
the moorings guesthouse hotel portmagee
LOCATION
IrelandProvince of MunsterCounty KerryPortmagee
NUMBER OF ROOMS
17
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect average nightly room rates, including taxes and fees that are fixed, known to our partners, and due at time of booking. Please see our partners for more details.
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