This West Cork spa and lodge is bringing the outside in in the best way possible

Ostensibly, The Jewel is in the middle of nowhere, which is of course part and parcel of its charm. It’s secluded and secreted away, while also being a 30-minute walk (or five minute drive) to Glengarriff village. Run by sisters Aiveen Casey and Keelin Fitzgerald, The Jewel opened its doors this past summer, and they’ve quickly found their feet and carved out their niche, attracting locals and tourists alike.

At The Jewel, the motto is: ‘Relax, restore, reconnect’ — and that’s a pretty fine distillation of the experience of staying at the spa and lodge. From the minute you set foot inside the door of the spa, serenity abounds.

The Riverside Spa

Within the walls of the spa—which brings new life to the site of an abandoned project for a leisure centre—you’ll find a relaxation room that stretches across a large open space with high ceilings and a number of day beds to luxuriate on as you sip herbal tea or lemon water; and an infrared sauna pod that is said to have immunity- and heart health-boosting effects.

The walls are painted a forest green, which effectively brings the outside in as large windows face out onto tall trees and the stream just beyond trickles by hypnotically. The outdoor spa is a real treat, comprising a hot tub, an actual plunge pool in an actual river, an ice-cold water bucket suspended on a pulley, and a sauna hut.

Given that I work from home and apparently don’t care about ergonomic back support, my bones and muscles are not very happy with me at all, and silently scream at me as I balance my laptop on my knees while I type with my feet up on the coffee table. So, I really am still chasing the high I felt when I rolled my shoulders back when I hopped into bed at The Jewel guest house after an afternoon spent rotating between sauna, hot tub, and cold plunge.

Stepping into the cold plunge is like hopping into an ice cube tray and sealing yourself into the fridge, but the rush is real. There’s a little ladder so that you can lower yourself onto the Glengarriff riverbed below and hold on for as long as you can manage, which for me was about 10 seconds, and even at that, I could genuinely feel my circulation dramatically improving.

The spa is open for day guests as well as overnighters, so you can stop in for two hours and indulge in all things wellness on your way. The Jewel also runs one-day and weekend-long wellness retreats at which you’ll be able to relax, learn a meaningful meditation practice, and focus on yourself.

Accommodation

There’s a choice of boutique-style suites or self-catering apartments at The Jewel, and ours was the latter: a beautiful Scandinavian-style apartment. Pared back and minimalist, once again the surrounding (and entirely breathtaking) landscape is pulled into focus in each room you step into. Each window frame is like a prized art print that you could look at forever.

Though it’s self-catering, there are some eggs, milk, and breakfast bits ready to be made good use of, a tea and coffee station, and a fridge, microwave, and stovetop. I would definitely recommend stopping off and doing a little shop before checking in so that you’ve got everything you need to hand. This escaped our minds entirely, and so we ventured into Glengarriff village for dinner in the evening in one of the local restaurants.

There are no taxis in the area (I repeat, none, and innocently asking bartenders and waitstaff if Free Now works in the vicinity will result in raucous laughter), so either have a designated driver or be prepared for the steep(ish) walk home in the dark! Also, in order to create a space devoted to relaxation, stillness, and reconnection, there are no televisions on the premises.

Final verdict

The Jewel Lodge & Spa is an adult-only facility that brings you on a complete wellness journey and leaves you feeling thoroughly revitalised. It creates a space for reflection and offers space for silence and serenity. It invites guests to push pause on their real lives, leave their worries and stresses at the door, and allow themselves to be suspended in calmness, if even just for a little while.

They also run package deals, and the rates are surprisingly affordable. You can drop in for a day, indulge in an overnight experience, add on a choice of treatments including a back and shoulder massage, an Indian head massage, a mini facial, or a seaweed bath.

The business also featured in the latest season on At Your Service with Francis and John Brennan, and it’s essential viewing if you’d like to gain a little more insight into the sisters behind the operation.

For the winter season, The Jewel has a weekend package costing €295 per night for two people (€415 for four) that includes a two-bed apartment and spa access. Alternatively, there’s a Jewel suite for two with spa access for just €250 (or €165 without spa) per night. Browse the range of packages available at The Jewel, or book your stay today at thejewel.ie

Sarah Gill was a guest of The Jewel.