The Hotel

Surrounded by the waters of Lough Mahon, less than a 30-minute drive from the bustle of central Cork, the five-star Fota Island Resort sits on its own private island amid an interplay of woodlands and golf courses spanning on an approximately 780-acre parkland.

Guests can relax in self-catering lodges surrounded by oaks, sycamores and fuchsia plants. Boasting contemporary style, the lodges come complete with fully equipped kitchens, living and dining areas, three bedrooms, TVs and Wi-Fi, making for a lovely home away from home.

The resort’s bistro-style Fota Restaurant invites guests to indulge in freshly cooked dinners and Irish and buffet breakfast, whereas the Amber Lounge offers desserts, a choice of whiskeys and baked treats. Guests can also head to the Spike Bar, where a range of refreshments is served in a congenial ambiance ennobled by views of the Deerpark course.

Pampering treatments can be enjoyed at the spa and leisure centre, with spa facilities including a heated pool and hydrotherapy suite. Travellers may also visit the Deerpark, Belvelly and Barryscourt championship golf courses, although prior booking may be required to use them.

Groupon’s Guide To County Cork

The largest of all the counties in Ireland, County Cork takes travellers through an array of rugged mountain slopes and scattered cliffs, flat peatlands and lush woodlands, with a shore laced by pebbly beaches, promontories and peninsulas. Washed by the River Bandon, the River Blackwater and the River Lee, County Cork’s landscape is also dotted with tens of lakes.

Cork is the largest city in the county, a hub for heritage tourism based around sights such as the 18th-century English Market, the 8-bell Church of St Anne, the City Hall and the Opera House. St. Patrick’s Street is the biggest shopping area in Cork., while Fota Island is particularly appealing to tourists interested in wildlife, being home to the namesake Wildlife Park and to the Fota House and Gardens.