By Bernard Burt

Shamrocks top the new swimming pool at SÁMAS Spa on the Ring of Kerry. Set in the expansive gardens at the Park Hotel Kenmare, this winning combination of traditional Irish hospitality and state-of-the-art spa just got better. With the opening of The Retreats residential wing, the spa gained an indoor, year-round aquatic center, the likes of which has never been seen in this part of Ireland.

Green roofs are an ancient Irish tradition, says hotel owner John Brennan.

“Now we’re protecting the environment and the view.”

Sámas is a Gaelic word meaning “indulgence of the senses.” Here by the Irish Sea, it’s a total mind-body-soul experience. The newest addition to the Park Hotel, The Retreats is linked to the spa by an underground grotto that houses the new 25-metre lap pool and expansive fitness room.

Very Victorian, the 46-room Park Hotel in Kenmare is for lovers of antiques, afternoon tea, and candlelight dining. Passing through a corridor, you emerge like Alice into the light-filled Sámas Spa. The glass-walled Sámas Spa contrasts with the Park Hotel’s old-fashioned charm. It resembles a space capsule: suspended in gardens, you soak in the outdoor pool. Inside, all is gleaming white and green, accented by natural stone floors that are heated, and a black granite waterfall. Light fills the lounges and saunas; separate thermal suites for women and men ensure privacy.

During a typical three-hour Sámas ritual, your body is scrubbed with Irish sea salt, massaged with precious oils of frankincense, myrhh, sandalwood, or rose geranium. Facials by ESPA are featured. For deep relaxation, try the neuromuscular massage given by Joseph Gaddo, a recent addition to the staff from Hungary. Check the spa’s website for special weeks featuring guest instructors. Yoga sessions are scheduled, as well as Pilates, tai chi, and an introduction to crystal healing.

The sea-tinged air induces a sense of well-being as you are served herbal tea and cocooned on a couch overlooking the water. Walks to the bay, and in public gardens along tidal marshes bordering Kenmare Golf Club, enhance your stay. Join the Saturday hike along Old Kerry Way, or take a traditional jogging cart drawn by pony. If it’s a wet day, borrow a pair of “Wellies” from the hotel concierge.

For most guests, Kenmare is a convenient base from which to explore the Ring of Kerry. A scenic, 110-mile drive, it runs along the shore of craggy Iveragh Peninsula. And there is a ferry to nearby islands as well as the Doonbeg golf resort. But the pleasures of being in Kenmare are small-scale: pubs, shops laden with woolen knits, and country lanes that lead to druid stones.

At the end of the day, after conversation and a wee taste of Irish whiskey in the tiny bar, I slipped into a four-poster bed, crisp linen sheets contrasting with chintz drapery. Time stands still in this Irish idyll.

For more information visit www.parkkenmare.com

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