Haggart House: A 19th-Century Farmhouse With a Sauna in West Cork

Haggart House has managed to pull off a fairly impressive balancing act. From the outside, you’ve got a 19th-century West Cork farmhouse.

Inside, there are old beams, a church pew, reclaimed timber and a wood-burning stove. Then you wander into the newer part of the house and find a sauna and a multijet hydrospa overlooking the surrounding hills.

Located in the Mealagh Valley, around 8km from Bantry, it sleeps 4 and makes a fine base for a few quiet days in West Cork.

Welcome to Haggart House

Haggart House is a restored 19th-century farmhouse sitting in the Mealagh Valley, around 8km from Bantry.

Rather than gutting the old building and starting again, much of its character has been retained, with reclaimed timber, stone and wood from the farm used during the restoration.

The original farmhouse contains the sitting/dining room, kitchen and one of the bedrooms, while a newer extension houses the second bedroom, wet room and leisure suite.

The old sitting room is particularly impressive, with tall apex beams, the original settle, a church pew and a large wood-burning stove. Even the dining table has a story behind it, as it was made using timber from a tree that fell on the farm..

It even has a sauna, a hot tub and a hydro spa

And then things take a fairly unexpected turn. The newer section contains a leisure suite with a sauna and Jacuzzi multijet hydrospa, positioned so you can sit back and watch the weather moving across the hills outside.

There’s also a daybed and swing seat along with an antique Danish wood-burning stove to keep the room cosy. So, after a day spent tackling one of the nearby walking trails, you can go from sauna to hydrospa to stove without having to leave the house. Not a bad little evening itinerary.

A mighty spot for a getaway with friends

Haggart House sleeps 4 across two bedrooms, with a double bedroom in the original farmhouse and a queen bedroom in the newer section.

The latter has a large window looking towards Mullach Méise, while the kitchen, which occupies the farmhouse’s old stable, has another large window opening onto the patio.

Outside, there’s a large picnic table and a gas BBQ, while the Sheep’s Head Way and St Finbarr’s Pilgrim Way both pass through the Mealagh Valley. It’s also dog friendly, so the pooch doesn’t have to miss out on the West Cork road trip.

What guests think

Haggart House is currently rated 4.91/5 from 173 reviews and sits within Airbnb’s top 10% of eligible homes based on ratings, reviews and reliability.

The location, sauna and hydrospa crop up repeatedly in recent reviews, but guests also seem to appreciate how the restoration has managed to retain so much of the farmhouse’s original character.

And despite the peaceful setting, Bantry is only around 8km away, while plenty of West Cork’s better-known attractions can be reached without spending half the day in the car. See more of it here.

Discover more unique places to stay in Ireland

The stays above are just a handful of the wonderfully weird places you can spend a night around Ireland.

You’ll find plenty more in my guide to the most unique stays in Ireland, along with everything from treehouses and cabins to bell tents in my guide to the best places to go glamping in Ireland.

1. The Tranquil Tigín

You have to walk 300 metres across a meadow to reach this tiny off-grid cabin in the Wicklow Mountains.

It sleeps 2 and comes with a mezzanine king bed, enormous countryside-facing window, copper outdoor bath and fire pit, with a wood-fired sauna a short stroll away.

2. Grove Treehouse with hot tub

This adults-only West Cork treehouse sleeps 2 and comes with a roll-top bath opposite the bed and a private two-person hot tub amongst the trees.

You reach it via tree-trunk steps before stepping inside to an open-plan bedroom, kitchen and living area, with French doors opening onto a large private deck.

3. The Ballybunion Beach House

Breakers Beach House sits right beside Ladies Beach in Ballybunion, with the Atlantic filling the view from the house.

It sleeps 6 across 3 bedrooms and has Ballybunion’s beaches and Cliff Walk on its doorstep, along with a hot outdoor shower for warming up after a swim or surf.

4. The Hidden Haven

The Hidden Haven is a luxury lodge for 2 in the hills of West Cork with its own lake, a wood-fired hot tub and a deck stretching over the water.

There’s a super king bed and bath with a view inside, while stone steps outside lead straight into the lake when you fancy undoing all the good work of the hot tub.

5. Balance Treehouse

The Balance Treehouse in County Armagh is reached via a private rope bridge and sits high amongst the trees overlooking the Ring of Gullion.

It sleeps 2 and comes with a glass roof above the bed, private hot tub, outdoor shower and a large outdoor net where you can kick back and admire the surrounding hills.

6. The Dunmanus Bay Barn

This restored stone farmhouse and barn sits on West Cork’s Sheep’s Head Peninsula, looking across Dunmanus Bay towards the Mizen Peninsula.

Along with its old stone walls, timber beams and slate floors, you’ve got more than an acre of grounds, a spring-fed pond and a solar-heated outdoor pool.

Read more about the Dunmanus Bay Barn

7. Dolphin Beach Lodge

Dolphin Beach Lodge sits just metres from the Atlantic on Connemara’s Sky Road, with Clifden Bay outside the windows and a secluded beach directly in front.

The lodge sleeps 6 across 3 bedrooms and, despite the wonderfully remote-feeling setting, you’re only around a 10-minute drive from Clifden.

8. The Hide at Neadú

With its grass-covered roof and views towards Glenveagh, The Hide at Neadú is one of Donegal’s more unusual little cabins.

Inside you’ll find reclaimed and upcycled pieces, an alcove double bed and wood-burning stove, while double doors open onto a private deck overlooking the surrounding mountains and valley.