Kinsale Hotel & Spa

Cannot recommend Kinsale Hotel & Spa and the team enough. It is important to mention the team because they are what makes this hotel as special as it is. From the moment we met our wedding coordinator Alison we knew we would be well looked after. Any queries or questions were quickly answered, sometimes even on her scheduled days off. All of this was true before covid, and the same stands for when it started to affect weddings. Even though our wedding was still a few months out when we went into lockdown, Alison reached out to let us know that she would let us know if things developed on her side. She did this and more. With every new restriction, she came with a solution and nothing was too much trouble. On the day, everyone commented on how even though there was only 50 people in the room, it felt full because of how it had been laid out. The food was out of this world; all of our guests still mention it and how it wasn't like typical wedding food - the standard was exceptional and it was perfect from starter to dessert to evening food. The packages on offer were by far the most well rounded and best value that we had seen across the venues we went to see, with a lot of options available for each course - it actually made it extremely difficult to pick! Alison, Ronan and the team made sure everything ran smoothly for the whole day and if there were any issues that needed to be dealt with, we didn't even know! Their professionalism and exceptional standards are second to none. Alison promised us the best day ever when we met her and it was delivered by the bucketload. Cannot recommend Kinsale Hotel and Spa enough :)

You are in safe hands with Alison, the wedding co ordinator and manager Ronan. I cannot fault either as both were extremely helpful along with all the staff at Kinsale hotel and spa. A fantastic venue for a wedding.

Everything that we have to say about our experience with the Kinsale Hotel and Spa is undoubtedly positive but they really surpassed all of our expectations as we like to think that we were probably the last wedding in Ireland before the lockdown! We were looking for something a little bit different for our wedding, we really liked the idea of doing a lot of it ourselves with DIY elements (too many Pinterest ideas) and having a BBQ as the main meal. We first met Alison Walsh, the wedding coordinator for the Kinsale Hotel and Spa, at a wedding fair and we instantly felt that she was the right fit for us. Every idea we had she responded too with enthusiasm and positivity, never saying 'no' and even giving us better suggestions and ideas. The whole way through the planning process, Alison supported us. Alison put together a personalised wedding package for us so we didn't have to force ourselves into a package that we didn't want. The managers and reception staff in the hotel were also great to deal with when we called by to meet with Alison or check something in the function room. Alison was always a quick phone call away and was great to deal with through email, responding quickly. To explain the professionalism and flexibility of the The Kinsale Hotel & Spa, on the week prior to the wedding on the 16th of March each single day brought a new development because of COVID-19. There were a number of restrictions put in place that we could not foresee such as social distancing, cocooning, sanitising requirements, limiting indoor event numbers and the closure of bars. While these measures are all commonplace now, at the time each day put a new hurdle in our way. We had a confirmed guest list of 155 a week before the wedding, three days before the wedding it dropped to 98 and on the day we had 75 guests. The venue was great with dealing with it all, taking everything in stride and adapting the plan without having to be asked by putting protection measures in place even though there weren't any published at the time. Everyone on the day was and felt safe. In the days coming up to the wedding, we didn't know if the location for our ceremony would still be open, Alison was fast to offer that the ceremony could be hosted in the hotel which really gave us peace of mind as actually getting legally married was so important to us - luckily the ceremony went ahead at the original location but the offer was very appreciated. One of the big issues on the day was that the band could no longer play as they were advised to go into self-isolation. They contacted Alison directly the morning of the wedding and she was then able to contact our DJ to let him know and ask that he be there to take their place. All of it was handled so effortlessly by Alison, not needing to get me involved and letting the bridesmaids know so they could tell me at the right time after the reception. Alison was so great with dealing with all of the suppliers and obviously from all of her experience knew them all already so was on great terms with them! I got ready in the bridal suite with my bridemaids which had plenty of space for hair and makeup. We were really taken care of with breakfast and snacks throughout the morning. The balcony and serene setting really helped to create a peaceful morning and looked great in the photos. After the ceremony, Alison greeted us at the door with a red carpet and champagne. We had our reception in the resident’s bar and dining area. We were lucky that the area was just refurbished so it looked fantastic, the bar area was cosy while the adjoining dining area was spacious and bright, it let all the guests find a place that was most comfortable for them. We had lovely pastries and warm scones with the tea/coffee which on the day was needed as it was a bit chilly. The venue also created a selection of homemade fruit punch which were amazing, I think I had three myself. The bridal suite was only a quick walk away, so it was easy to slip out to freshen up. The function room really met all of our needs. There was a great view of Oysterhaven Bay and the grounds, letting in plenty of natural light. The bar is central in the room with plenty of space which avoided queues or anyone leaving the room or gathering on one side. There were two doors leading out onto the balcony with space heaters at night that were in plenty of use. We were able to play music from our phones over the sound system so we could play an entrance song and playlists during the meal and at the end of the night to put our own spin on the atmosphere. The function room has three screens that come down from the ceiling and projectors, two of which we used (on either side of the main table) to play a photo presentation showing our lives together, with appearances of all of the guests which got a good few laughs. The venue was so accommodating with us putting a personal touch on the day, we were able to drop off all of the decorations beforehand with a plan and they were all laid out as planned, I didn’t have to worry about it. Obviously, our table plan had some drastic reductions so tables had to be removed, moved and reduced which we were able to do up until the night before in a very un-standard scenario. The BBQ main meal was so good, some guests went back for seconds and thirds and we were all so well fed. There was a great selection of food and the venue had no problem with preparing foods for any of the guests with allergen or dietary requirements (of which there were many). We would like to give a special mention to the bar staff, who even the guests commented on as being great. They we all very friendly and upbeat, paying special attention to the preparation of each drink especially our signature Mr & Mrs Cocktails. They stayed on top of everything and were very attentive. The following morning, we were lucky to feel good enough for a walk so we took advantage of being able to walk around the grounds before breakfast, down to the waters edge through the forest. It was lovely to have some peaceful moments together after the celebrations the night before. The costs and billing were very transparent throughout the planning with Alison providing regular updates. It really gave peace of mind that there were no surprises waiting for us after the event. The guests loved the day so much they are hoping that we will make it into a yearly event! It was a once in a lifetime event, it wouldn’t be the same doing it again but I’m sure everyone would carry on without us! We loved the experience at the Kinsale Hotel and Spa and would not have changed it for the world, would definitely recommend.