Go overnight

GEMMA TIPTONstays at The Malton, in Killarney

'ON THE WHOLE, Killarney disappointed us all,” wrote Sir Walter Scott when he visited in 1825. Perhaps he was worn out by the days of being rattled around in a horse-drawn carriage it would have taken him to get there. That all changed in 1854, when the railway at last reached farther west than Mallow, and a grand hotel opened, just across the road from Killarney station, to receive distinguished travellers.

Back in the 19th century the railways were romantic, glamorous even, and the Railway Hotels (later to become the Great Southerns) reflected that mood. Killarney’s Great Southern, now called the Malton, was the first to be built, and it still has a whiff of glamour. It’s also incredibly convenient: you step off the train and you’re practically in the front door.

Not everyone was thrilled with the new railways, though: John Ruskin saw them as destroyers of the countryside, while the duke of Wellington (himself an Irishman) thought “they would encourage the lower classes to move about”.

Maybe Killarney has been slightly spoiled, not by “the lower classes” but by the sheer volume of newer hotels, the swathes of shops selling all sorts of shamrockery, and bars upon bars piping diddly-eye music into the streets.

On a sunny spring day, however, I found I rather liked it all. In one shop an American girl was happily trying to remember which way the heart should face in her new Claddagh ring; in another, couples compared the patterns in Aran sweaters. I almost bought one myself.

Whatever your feelings about Killarney town, I would defy anyone to agree with Scott on the environs. Killarney National Park, with Muckross House and the atmospheric ruins of Muckross Abbey, is stunning, and a ride in one of the (controversial) jaunting cars is enough to turn even a hardened cynic into a grinning tourist. A drive over Moll’s Gap, with a stop for coffee in Avoca at the top, is thrilling, though stepping out of the car, with the wind whipping, I again harboured acquisitive thoughts of Aran jumpers; looking around, I was about the only person not wearing one.

Back at the Malton that touch of Aran diminishes. Instead the decor is a mixture of Victorian grandeur and contemporary touches, and the two styles sit very well together. The old, original part of the hotel houses the beautiful Garden Room restaurant, the bar, library and coffee lounges, and also Peppers restaurant, where, during the 1970s, the cast of Ryan's Daughterwould repair to watch the day's rushes. Nowadays Peppers is the domain of John O'Leary, and his food is fantastic.

Fantastic food is part of the hotel’s history; even before the organic movement took off, its own farm supplied the hotel kitchens with the best of everything. In 1967 the farm won the prize for best pure-bred Kerry heifer at the county agricultural show. The whole hotel staff celebrated – before, presumably, guests ate the heifer.

Rooms are relatively large, and the beds are big and wide. I discovered extra pillows in the wardrobe, plus Damana toiletries (very nice) in the bathroom. Ask for a room with a garden view when you book. If there is a god of hotel rooms, then he must think I like car-park views. I do know, from a previous stay, that some of the rooms look out over the three-hectare gardens and over to the mountains, which this time were epic and beautiful.

The staff are friendly and helpful, breakfast was excellent and I forgave the view in face of all the other good feelings the hotel engendered.

The Great Southern chain was once famous for its high standards, and for its collection of Irish art. When the chain was sold off, in 2006, the art was dispersed, and the name rights went, too. The Galway Great Southern is now the Meyrick; the Killarney hotel took its new name from the stunning set of Malton prints (one of only three full sets in existence) that still adorn its walls. The Maltons are something to be proud of, but it’s a shame the name had to change. An era of history is tied up in the idea of the Great Southerns – a history that, in Killarney, includes time spent occupied by the Free State Army in the 1920s, as well as later visits from the likes of Charlie Chaplin, Tyrone Power and Princess Grace.

The name may have been sold, but they can’t take way that special sense of more than 150 years of giving visitors to Killarney the experience of being looked after, pampered and having a lovely time.

WhereThe Malton, Killarney, Co Kerry, 064-6638000, themalton.com.

WhatFour-star hotel.

Rooms171, including 34 suites and presidential suite, plus nine apartments.

Best ratesMidweek BB from €65pps; two nights' BB in a junior suite, with dinner one night, from €165pps.

Restaurants and barsGarden Room and Peppers restaurants, Punchbowl bar.

Child-friendlinessChildren welcome. Family rooms. Family packages available during school holidays.

AccessTwo wheelchair- accessible rooms.

AmenitiesPool, spa, tennis courts, gym, meeting rooms, conference facilities, parking, internet available in library, large gardens.