Kippure Estate offers plenty of holiday rental properties within its 240 acres of private estate in the Wicklow mountains. First impressions are the properties are in a remote location well suited to people who want to get away from it. However, the Estate also doubles up as a team building/corporate centre so it can be far from quiet.
We booked a week out of season (May 2008) for 5 adults and two infants in one of the 4 bedroom self-catering apartments. The booking was directly through the compehensive website.
The standard of the property we stayed in was average - nothing special. It consisted of 3 bedrooms (one with ensuite) and bathroom on the ground floor and one bedroom on the first floor where the main lounge, dining and kitchen area was located in open plan format. The kitchen is not particularly well stocked with utensils, especially for a large family group, and it was difficult to obtain missing items from reception. Overall I would say the property was OK.
For families with small children you should be aware that most days needed an hour in the car to get to the major attractions nearby e.g. the beach south of Wicklow, Glendalough, Powerscourt, etc. This also applies to provisions as there are no shops around the corner - a good 30 minute drive the nearest grocers so stock up or be prepared for a drive.
However, it is a good base for day trips to Dublin. Drive to Dublin Zoo and jump on the City sightseeing bus - a good cheap option to get into Dublin avoiding the traffic.
Overall, if you really want to get away from it all I would suggest looking for a cosier property that would feel comfortable in bad weather (which can be common in these parts). Unfortunately, this place did not do it for us but this is my opinion so others may love it. read more