The Hidden Haven: A Lakeside Escape in the West Cork Hills

A wood-fired hot tub beside your own lake, a deck that stretches out over the water and a bedroom where you can wake up looking straight into the West Cork hills.

The Hidden Haven sits in a quiet corner of Derry Duff, a working organic farm near Bantry, where the owners have built a luxury lodge specifically for two.

The setting does most of the talking here. There are mountains in front, a lake outside the door and very little nearby to disturb you, bar the birds and the occasional tractor doing the rounds.

Then you spot the stone steps disappearing into the lake and realise you can go for a morning dip before retreating straight to the hot tub.

A very unique West Cork hideaway

The Hidden Haven has been built into the side of the mountain, with huge windows positioned to make the surrounding landscape part of the interior.

Inside, the main living space combines the kitchen, dining and sitting areas, with double doors opening onto an outdoor dining area and an egg-style BBQ.

The bedroom has a super king-size bed and wide sliding doors opening directly onto a deck over the lake.

There’s also a large walk-in wardrobe, a rain shower and, rather brilliantly, a bath positioned to make the most of the view.

A hot tub and your own lake

Now we’re talking. Just outside the bedroom, on a lower deck beside the water, there’s a wood-fired hot tub surrounded by the hills of West Cork.

If sitting in hot water feels a little too civilised, stone steps lead directly into the lake for a cold-water swim.

There’s a firepit beside the water, too, with a pair of Beara chairs, blankets and cushions provided for evenings outside. So the routine here is fairly straightforward: lake, hot tub, firepit. Repeat as required.

A proper escape into the hills

Derry Duff is a remote organic farm with only a handful of houses visible in the distance and no road noise to contend with.

The lodge was also designed with sustainability in mind, with Irish-made pieces, natural materials and eco-conscious building methods used wherever possible.

Guests can hire electric bikes for exploring, while a stay also includes a breakfast hamper filled with produce from Derry Duff and elsewhere in West Cork.

The Hidden Haven sleeps a maximum of two adults, which makes sense. You’d hardly go to all the trouble of finding a peaceful lodge beside a lake in the West Cork hills and bring a crowd with you. Check prices and see more on their website.

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. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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.