I decided to stay at Knocktopher Abbey because of its central location to many famous castles, sights, and landmarks. 

THE RESORT

Driving southwest out of Dublin on the M9 highway (which is part toll road), Knocktopher is about 2 hours and 20 minutes south and 2 km off the highway exit (about half-way between Kilkenny and Waterford).  The village of Knocktopher is quite small, with only a few local pubs and eating establishments.  The Abbey, which was established in the 13^th century, sits on 17 acres. A tennis court is on-site and an 18-hole golf course is nearby. Most of the original abbey was integrated with present building, which has been converted into various sizes of suites. 

I arrived at the Abbey late in the evening just after the office had closed for the day.  They have a way for you to pick up the room key in case you arrive late.  And it worked out perfectly, with one exception.  I almost missed the entrance in the dark (even at 6:30pm in January). Before leaving the US, I viewed the resort on Google Maps and that helped me know what to expect.  The light fog hanging in the dark evening made the drive up from the road to the Abbey slightly mysterious.  I took a picture the next morning (see below) to capture some of its mystique.

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ACCOMMODATIONS

After finding the envelope with my key and resort instructions, I headed up the staircase to 3rd floor – no elevator.  There were some dim lights on in the hallways. The place reminded me of the famous lyrics from the Eagles song “Hotel California”. You know, the place where you can “check out any time you like, but you can never leave.”

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The eight suites inside the main Abbey building are spacious, though a 1950s version of antiquated.  Yet, the room was adequate. Knowing ahead of time that the Abbey is only ranked 3-stars, I was not shocked by my accommodations.  I did not use the small kitchen, but it had everything necessary had I wanted to cook my own meals.  The water in the bathroom took some time to heat up before using, but again it was sufficient.  Most of the bedding was threadbare and dull. But it was clean.

FOOD

Meals are not accessible at the resort, except dinner was available one evening during the week.  Tea and coffee were available in the evening, along with biscuits (cookies).  And the same was available in the morning.  The village has a couple restaurants, but otherwise, I ate most of my meals in the neighboring larger towns.

NEAR BY

Waterford was an easy 30 minutes south from the Abbey via the M9 highway.  The Rock of Cashel, one of the most famous castles in Ireland, is only a little over an hour away. 

While over by The Rock of Cashel, I suggest dropping south to Cahir to see the Cahir Castle too.  The country roads to both are rather meager with old stone walls and hedges butting up tight to the roadway.  If you get a late start, you might find the roads slightly terrifying coming back late at night.  I suggest heading back before dark. 

There are a ton of castles and interesting sites in Wexford, Ireland, just an hour to the east of Knocktopher.  Visiting Cork is about a 2 hours drive from the Abbey. But if you wish to kiss the Blarney Stone at Blarney Castle, you’ll have to plan for that long drive. Nevertheless, the round-trip to visit the Blarney Castle is doable, but makes for a long day.

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