★★★★★ Rated 5.0 on Google
What Our Guests Say
Shantalla is a restored traditional farmhouse in the hills above Cousane Gap, twenty minutes from Bantry in West Cork. Below are the words of the people who have actually stayed here — about the views, the hot tub and sauna, the quiet, and the small touches that make the house feel like a home rather than a rental. Lightly shortened for length; the full reviews are on Google.
In Our Guests’ Own Words
Every review below was left by a guest on Google and is reproduced in full, in their own words.
“The view is magnificent.”
This place is a gem! We couldn't have been welcomed more warmly and the owners provide everything needed for a delightfully relaxing stay. The view is magnificent and to enjoy it with all of the amenities the house offers is a real treat. We thoroughly recommend Shantalla for a relaxing retreat in the heart of West Cork. Thank you for your warm hospitality and for sharing your beautiful home.
Karolyn M. · Google review
“Would absolutely stay here again.”
I cannot recommend this place enough. We needed a space to accommodate three adults and to prep snacks and meals for our long days in the car. Located about 20 min east of Bantry, it was far enough to enjoy the peace and quiet of the country, but convenient for grocery store runs and restaurants. We stayed for 3 days, using it as our base for Mizen Head, Sheep's Head, and the Beara Peninsula drives, worked perfectly.
Things to keep in mind, the some of the doorways have low thresholds, which is part of the charm, just something to be aware of, as my 6'3 boyfriend discovered a few times the hard way. One bathroom is upstairs, and one downstairs. Having a washer dryer on site was also a huge bonus. Great place for adults, or families.
Amy A. · Google review
“The farmhouse is superb.”
Just had a fabulous stay at the Shantalla West Cork. The farmhouse is superb, clean and tidy with everything you need for your stay. A welcome pack on arrival was a lovely and unexpected treat. The accommodation is situated perfectly to explore West Cork, and the views are amazing. Cannot reccomend highly enough.
Heather M. · Google review
“Do the sauna at night, amazing views!”
Wonderful rural break with the extended family, only a short spin into Bantry for great dinner and few pints. The house is ancient but refurbished in a way that still feels cosy. Our weather was a but iffy but didnt matter cos of the hot tub and sauna. Id recommend a trip to the michael collins memorial nearby and lunch in glengarriff. The young lads went off for a hike on the opposite mountain, we did the hot tub for the afternoon. Do the sauna at night, amazing views!! Excellent stay, spotless and very comfortable. Good value too. We'll be back!
Derek F. · Google review
“A truly special place to unwind.”
We had a fantastic stay at Shantalla and couldn't recommend it highly enough. Nestled in a beautiful and peaceful setting, it was perfectly located for exploring West Cork, with Bantry only 20 minutes away, Skibbereen around 30 minutes, and Clonakilty just 40 minutes from the house.
Our children had a wonderful time making the most of the basketball net, little bikes, and toys, which kept them entertained for hours. They were particularly delighted by the charming statues dotted around the house and garden, along with the collection of rubber ducks and geese, which caused great excitement amongst the smallies!
For the adults, the hot tub and sauna were a real treat and made the experience even more special. It was the perfect place to unwind, slow down, and enjoy some peace and quiet while taking in the beautiful surroundings.
To top it all off, we were blessed with absolutely glorious weather throughout our stay, making every day feel like a holiday postcard.
Thank you for creating such a welcoming and memorable place. Shantalla is truly a special place to relax, recharge, and enjoy quality time together. We can't wait to come back.
Val · Google review
“The attention to detail is just gorgeous.”
We have just returned from a three day break at Shantalla, in West Cork. What a fabulous time we had, such a relaxing fun and chilled out weekend — we were so sad to say goodbye!
The house has everything you could hope for in a holiday cottage. It feels homely and comfortable. It really is a home away from home. An absolutely idyllic view of the hills and the sheep and mountain goats, a fabulous sunny spot at the porch side, there's also the hot tub and a sauna, a beautiful sloped grassy garden and even a slide for any little people looking to have some outdoor fun! There were lovely extras left outside for the kids too, a basketball hoop and ball, tennis rackets, swing ball, hammock chair, the list goes on!
It continues inside with the top-notch facilities, beautifully designed bathrooms upstairs and down and unique, custom-made furniture to fit into the style and quirky space of the house. It's such a traditional cosy place to be in, you just can't help but feel more relaxed while staying there. There was a living room with a TV and two other cosy rooms to sit around in, chat, read a magazine, as well as the very well equipped kitchen with a view you could just look out at all day!! Loads of toys games and books for both kids and big kids to have fun with. Great wifi and the qr codes being displayed to connect to the network were so handy instead of having to faff around typing in passwords to all your devices.
The beds we slept in were so comfy and the sheets felt lovely. Our kids loved the bunkbeds they shared and the main bedroom was really spacious and had a balcony, so a perfect place to have a cup of tea or a glass of wine enjoying the views plus there was also plenty of fluffy towels available!!
There's such lovely thoughtful touches all over the house so you really feel like you're in a home there. They even have a dedicated booklet that showcases the house and all the amenities. The attention to detail is just gorgeous. Look out for all the clocks in the house that are set to different times, you are supposed to forget in a way that the outside world exists so you can just relax and not worry about time there, it's a very effective way to keep a calm environment throughout the house.
Shantalla is in a brilliant location. You can't walk to anywhere really, but that's just adds to the tranquility. We visited Bantry, Skibbereen and Dunmanway during our stay and even driving to those towns was part of the experience as it is such a scenic corner of the world. We stayed over a weekend so we got to visit Bantry market on the Friday morning and Skibbereen market on the Saturday. The weather was glorious so it was just the icing on the cake really! We plan to go to Glengarriff and Garnish Island the next time we go there because we will definitely be back. It's the perfect place for adventures around West Cork.
All in all we were absolutely delighted with our little trip to Shantalla, just take a deep breath, relax, watch the weather change at the drop of a hat and enjoy every minute of it!
Thank you, Cormac and Mary for offering your gorgeous property for others to enjoy, we absolutely loved it!!
Patricia M. · Google review
Already Stayed With Us?
If Shantalla made your trip to West Cork a little more memorable, we would be very grateful if you would share a few words on Google. It takes less than a minute, and honest reviews from past guests are far and away the best way for new visitors to find us. A small, family-run farmhouse doesn't have the marketing budget of the big hotels, so your words genuinely matter to us.
Not sure what to write? Guests often mention the views, the hot tub and sauna, how handy the house is for Mizen Head and Sheep's Head, or simply how quiet it is up here. Whatever stood out for you is exactly what the next guest wants to know.
Thank you — it means a lot to us.
Cormac and Mary, Shantalla West Cork
