History

The timeless beauty of Aghadoe, with its spectacular sweeping views and ancient ruins, has attracted visitors to this spot for more than a century. In the mid 1960's. in his mid 60's Louis O'Hara spotted an opportunity to buy a plot of land, and the Aghadoe Heights Bar and restaurant was born. It opened in June 1967, and was an instant hit with both visitors and locals as a great place to unwind with a drink while looking out over the panoramic views of the Killarney Lakes.

However, Mr. O'Hara could see the site had far greater potential, and in the winter of the same year he began working on the extension to the bar lounge and reopened for business in May 1968. The Aghadoe Heights turned into an even more bustling place, popular for excellent food and a relaxed atmosphere.

In 1969, as the tourist industry began to boom, the then owner Dermot Moore began to develop the business further. In March 1970, he opened 45 bedrooms, transforming the Aghadoe Heights into a hotel for the first time.

The hotel changed hands in 1989, when it was bought by Fredrick Losel, the owner of an established and successful hotel in Maidenhead, near London. As well as knowing the business inside and out, he was familiar with the Aghadoe Heights Hotel as his wife, Noreen, has grown up in the area. He invested heavily in the hotel, in 1990 he created the Lake Room Restaurant, three years later, a leisure centre. He was also keen on staff training, and all his efforts paid off when the hotel was awarded five-star status.

In 1998. Jerry O'Reilly bought the hotel. Mr. O'Reilly a successful property developer who grew up near the hotel in the village of Beaufort, launched a major revamp. Between 1999 and 2003, a Euro 8 million redevelopment programme saw the bedrooms and public area completely remodelled, changing the hotel into the palatial and modern classic you see today.

In 2014, Mr. Thomas Röggla purchased the hotel, an Austrian business man who had a keen interest in buying a luxury Irish property. He is passionate about customer service and excellence and with the help of fully committed staff, have firmly established the hotel as a luxury resort destination. The hotel as won a string of awards, including the prestigious AA Hotel of the Year Award, Resorts Worldwide Property Award and the RAC Golf Ribbon award. The hotel has been a proud recipient of the Irish Golf Tour Operators Association Award and IGTOA Service Excellence Property. Quality Employer Award in 2018 and Best in service Irish Tatler Awards.