
Robin Hill, Lake Road, Cobh, Co. Cork, Cobh, CorkP24RY88
€950,000
9 Bed~8 Bath~498 m²
What you'll like:
- Victorian Architectural Heritage: Designed in 1866 by renowned architect Henry Hill, this landmark residence features exceptional period proportions, tall windows, and a distinctive Gothic Revival entrance porch that preserves authentic historical character.
- Expansive Floor Area: Spanning approximately 498 square meters, the substantial accommodation provides grand-scale living spaces and generous reception rooms that cater effortlessly to large-scale entertaining and comfortable family life.
- Magnificent Harbour Views: Occupying an elevated position in Rushbrooke, the property enjoys stunning southerly vistas across Cork Harbour, offering buyers a picturesque and dynamic marine landscape from the grounds.
- Flexible Multi-Unit Layout: The overall holding comprises a six-bedroom main house, a separate two-bedroom apartment, and a detached chalet, providing remarkable versatility for extended family, staff, or guests.
- Refurbished Self-Contained Apartment: Extending to roughly 97 square meters with its own private courtyard, the modern two-bedroom apartment offers a high-specification independent living space ideal for rental income or relatives.
- Detached Wooden Chalet: A charming one-bedroom chalet with a galley kitchen, shower room, and external decking adds a valuable self-catering element that was previously utilized for pet-friendly guest accommodation.
- Extensive Bedroom Capacity: Featuring nine bedrooms and eight bathrooms in total, the property easily accommodates large groups, making it exceptionally well-suited for hospitality ventures or large multi-generational families.
- All En Suite Bedrooms: Every single one of the six bedrooms in the primary Victorian residence benefits from private en-suite facilities, ensuring supreme comfort and privacy for residents or paying guests alike.
- Proven Hospitality History: Operating successfully as a four-star Fáilte Ireland-approved guesthouse and holistic retreat, the property carries an established business reputation that a new owner can seamlessly continue.
- Commercial Licensing Included: Offered for sale as a going concern with an existing commercial license, this asset saves prospective buyers considerable administrative effort if they wish to run a boutique enterprise.
- Generous Private Grounds: Spanning approximately 0.6 acre of mature, terraced gardens, the property provides tranquil outdoor settings complete with bespoke seating areas, a glasshouse, and a productive kitchen garden.
- Ample Off-Street Parking: Providing dedicated private parking for more than 12 vehicles, the property easily handles high volumes of visitors, making it highly practical for commercial hospitality or large family gatherings.
- Basement and Wine Cellar: Divided into three distinct areas, the functional basement level offers secure storage capacity and includes a dedicated wine cellar, which is an unusually sophisticated feature for local period homes.
- Freehold Tenure Advantage: The property is offered with freehold title, giving the buyer absolute ownership security without the encumbrances, ground rents, or leasehold complications frequently found in historic estates.
- Strategic Commuting Location: Situated close to local rail and bus connections, the estate allows for convenient travel to Cobh town centre while keeping Cork City and Cork Airport within a thirty-minute drive.
- Development Potential: The mature grounds include a designated space offering potential for a second detached chalet, subject to securing the necessary local planning permissions from the local authority.
- Fixtures and Fittings Included: A selection of valuable fixtures and furnishings is included in the purchase price, helping to reduce immediate setup costs for anyone stepping into a residential or commercial role.
- Established Privacy Screening: Mature surrounding trees create an excellent degree of seclusion across the terraced gardens, buffering the historic house effectively from neighbouring properties along Lake Road.
- Versatile Reception Spaces: Five separate ground-floor reception rooms offer endless functional adaptability, easily serving as formal lounges, dining rooms, wellness treatment spaces, or private meeting areas for guests.
- Outdoor Event Capability: The terraced southerly gardens have successfully hosted private functions and intimate garden weddings in the past, offering a ready-made venue aspect for creative entrepreneurs.
But keep in mind:
- Exempt Energy Rating: Because the building is listed as BER exempt, buyers must independently investigate potential thermal efficiency upgrades to avoid unexpectedly high heating bills in this massive Victorian structure.
- Substantial Maintenance Demands: Historic structures of this scale require ongoing, specialized conservation and maintenance, meaning buyers should budget carefully for the upkeep of original timber, stonework, and slate roofs.
- Commercial Compliance Costs: Operating a certified guesthouse or holistic centre involves strict regulatory adherence, so prospective buyers need to verify current fire safety, health, and accessibility standards compliance.
- Planning Permission Checks: While a second chalet is mentioned as having potential, buyers must verify local zoning restrictions and planning precedents before relying on any future expansion within the gardens.
- Basement Moisture Management: The three-compartment cellar and basement areas should be thoroughly inspected by a damp specialist to ensure proper subterranean waterproofing and ventilation in a historic harbourside setting.
- Potential Septic or Drainage Issues: Buyers must conduct comprehensive drain surveys to confirm whether the estate connects directly to public mains sewerage or relies on older private treatment infrastructure.
- Acoustic and Structural Signage: Operating a mixed-use residential and commercial hospitality property may introduce operational noise considerations that require careful soundproofing between the main house and separate apartments.
- Elevated Site Access: The steep, terraced nature of the 0.6-acre plot could present accessibility challenges for elderly visitors or individuals with limited mobility unless specific ramps and handrails are installed.
- Boundary and Title Verification: Given the long history of the estate passing through various institutional uses, legal advisors should meticulously verify all historical right-of-way permissions and property boundary maps.
- Conservation Restrictions: As a landmark Victorian property designed by Henry Hill, local heritage protection guidelines might strictly limit external architectural alterations or window replacements.
- Elevated Heating Requirements: High ceilings and large period window spans characteristic of 1866 architecture can lead to significant thermal loss, requiring professional assessment of the existing heating distribution system.
- Plumbing and Electrical Overhaul: Buyers should commission a full electrical and plumbing survey, as hidden behind historic finishes may be outdated wiring or pipework unsuitable for modern commercial demands.
- Window Restoration Costs: Single-glazed original Victorian sash windows contribute to charm but often require specialist restoration and draught-proofing to prevent rattling, rotting, and severe heat leakage.
- Roof and Gutter Integrity: The expansive roof area and complex Victorian guttering systems demand close inspection for hidden leaks or blocked downpipes that could compromise internal historic plasterwork.
- Business Continuity Liabilities: Acquiring a going concern guesthouse requires careful financial due diligence regarding existing forward bookings, staff contracts, liabilities, and ongoing commercial insurance premiums.
- Coastal Weather Exposure: Occupying an elevated harbourside position exposes the property to driving coastal winds and salt spray, which can accelerate exterior paint degradation and metal corrosion.
- Insurance Cost Projections: Securing buildings and public liability insurance for a commercially licensed historic guesthouse with extensive accommodation can involve significantly higher premiums than standard residential cover.
- Garden Retaining Wall Stability: The terraced grounds rely on older retaining structures that must be professionally inspected to ensure there is no risk of slippage or structural movement over time.
- Appliance and Fixture Lifespan: While fixtures are included, buyers should inventory every appliance across the main house, apartment, and chalet to gauge remaining operational lifespan before budgeting for replacements.
- Local Traffic and Parking Limits: Although the property features private parking for twelve cars, peak commercial use or large private functions may require careful traffic management along the approach roads.
Price positioning
?
- The asking price appears reasonably positioned or potentially undervalued when evaluated against the substantial scale, extensive floor area, and multiple independent accommodation units included within this historic landmark property package.
- Signals supporting potential under-valuation include the large overall footprint of nearly five hundred square meters, an additional separate apartment, and a detached chalet, providing a very low cost per square meter compared to typical residential benchmarks.
- Factors that could support such a price involve necessary ongoing maintenance costs for a Victorian-era structure and potential commercial licensing complexities, whereas strong harbor views and dual residential-commercial flexibility support the value proposition.
- Overall, the pricing reflects a balanced reflection of its extensive size, historical architecture, and ancillary income-generating assets relative to broader high-value transactions recorded locally in the surrounding maritime district.
Build Analysis
What we know from similar construction types
- The property is a landmark Victorian residence designed in 1866 by renowned architect Henry Hill, featuring period characteristics such as high ceilings, tall windows, and a distinctive Gothic Revival entrance porch.
- Comprises a 498 sq. m. main house, a separate two-bedroom apartment, and a detached wooden chalet, offering multi-use potential for residential, commercial, or hospitality purposes.
- The building features a basement divided into three areas previously used as a wine cellar; buyers should investigate the basement for damp, ventilation, and structural integrity.
- Given its Victorian age, a comprehensive structural survey is recommended to assess the condition of the roof, timber elements, plumbing, and electrical systems.
- The property is listed as BER Exempt, which is common for protected or historic structures, but buyers should verify energy efficiency and insulation standards.
Heating cost*
Estimated expense to heat this property every year
- Estimated annual heating cost: €6,000 to €9,000.
- Explanation: Given the 498 sq m floor area of the Victorian main house combined with the separate apartment and chalet, heating multiple reception rooms and large historic spaces will incur substantial energy use, particularly as the BER is exempt or unrated.
Pollution Safe
9/10Environmental situation to investigate
- The property is situated in an established residential and coastal area, appearing generally well removed from major heavy industrial sites, incinerators, or known active landfills.
- Buyers should verify local environmental records for any legacy industrial uses or localized historical waste sites nearby.
Flood Safe
8/10Water overflow reports to follow up
- The main residence occupies an elevated position on Lake Road, which generally mitigates direct surface flood risks for the primary structures.
- Given the coastal proximity overlooking Cork Harbour, lower-lying access points or coastal paths should be checked during extreme weather events or exceptionally high tides.
Recent Local Sales
Verified residential transactions published in the previous five years
Sales on the same street or estate
CORLEIGH, LAKE RD, COBH
- Sale date
- Declared sale price
- €490,000.00
9 LAKE RD, COBH, CORK
- Sale date
- Declared sale price
- €225,000.00
6 LAKE RD, COBH, CORK
- Sale date
- Declared sale price
- €270,000.00
CARRIGMORE HOUSE, LAKE RD, COBH
- Sale date
- Declared sale price
- €1,330,000.00
ALMERIA, LAKE ROAD, COBH
- Sale date
- Declared sale price
- €490,000.00
Recent sales in the wider Cobh area
7 RIVERSIDE WHARF, WEST BEACH, COBH
- Sale date
- Declared sale price
- €204,000.00
BALLARD HILL, MARINO, COBH
- Sale date
- Declared sale price
- €337,500.00
37 EATON HEIGHTS, COBH, CORK
- Sale date
- Declared sale price
- €365,000.00
COPPER BEECHES, WHITEPOINT, COBH
- Sale date
- Declared sale price
- €400,000.00
45 BEECHWOOD COURT, CLUAIN ARD, COBH
- Sale date
- Declared sale price
- €282,000.00
Source: Property Services Regulatory Authority (PSRA), Residential Property Price Register (PPR).
Matching uses address information published by the PPR rather than measured map distance. It may omit nearby properties on differently named streets.
Last Sale
A confidently matched previous PPR transaction for this property
No confidently matched previous sale was found in the Property Price Register.
Buyer fees*
Associated expenses guide
- Stamp duty: Approximately €95,000 based on the 10% bracket for non-residential or commercial elements, or calculated at residential rates depending on the primary classification of the property.
- Solicitor legal fees: Estimated between €5,000 and €10,000 plus VAT and outlay, varying by practitioner due to the scale and commercial history of the estate.
- Land registration fees: Approximately €800 to €1,200 depending on the exact value and nature of the property registration.
- Property valuation fees: Around €300 to €600 for a commercial-grade or specialized residential valuation.
- Surveyor fees: Estimated between €2,500 and €5,000 given the large historic footprint, multiple buildings, and 498 sq m floor area.
- Annual home insurance: Approximately €2,000 to €4,500 per year, varying significantly depending on whether commercial, guesthouse, or private residential cover is required for a Victorian building of this size.
Forum Talk
What people are saying about this area
- Local residents frequently discuss the charm and historical significance of Victorian properties in the Rushbrooke area of Cobh.
- Community forums highlight the scenic beauty and panoramic views of Cork Harbour visible from Lake Road.
- Discussions in local groups often note the convenience of the nearby train and bus connections linking Cobh to Cork City.
- Local commentary frequently emphasizes the appeal of Cobh as a tourism and heritage destination with active hospitality and guesthouse ventures.
LifeFit Assessment
How well this property may suit your lifestyle
Family
7 areas- Young Children7/10
The property offers extensive secure grounds and plenty of room to grow, though the multi-level terraced gardens and historic architectural features may require extra supervision for very young children.
- Teenagers9/10
With nine bedrooms, five reception rooms, a separate two-bedroom apartment, and a detached chalet, teenagers will enjoy immense privacy, independent space, and room for hobbies.
- Multi-generational Living10/10
An ideal layout for multi-generational living, featuring a six-bedroom main house combined with a separate two-bedroom apartment and a detached one-bedroom chalet.
- Single Buyers3/10
At 498 square metres with extensive maintenance requirements, the scale and management overhead are likely too vast for a single occupant unless running a business.
- Couples6/10
Wonderful for couples who desire expansive historic living quarters, enjoy hosting, or wish to operate a boutique hospitality venture, though excessive for everyday domestic needs.
- Empty Nesters6/10
Provides magnificent harbor views and peaceful surroundings for downsizing from an even larger estate, though the upkeep of a 498 sq m Victorian property is substantial.
- Retirees5/10
While picturesque and equipped for comfortable living, the multi-tiered terraced gardens, basement levels, and historic staircases may present mobility challenges later in retirement.
Work
3 areas- Remote Working10/10
Multiple spacious reception rooms and independent annexes like the apartment and chalet provide incredible flexibility for multiple home offices or quiet workspaces.
- Hybrid Commuting7/10
Rail and bus connections are within easy reach for trips into Cork City, though commuting to Dublin or further afield requires more planning.
- Retired6/10
A fantastic retirement haven for those wishing to host family or run a gentle enterprise, though property maintenance demands should be considered.
Practical
8 areas- Ageing in Place5/10
While single-level spaces exist within the apartment and chalet, the main historic multi-story house features stairs and elevated grounds that require careful adaptation for aging in place.
- Low Maintenance2/10
A 498 sq m Victorian period residence with 0.6 acres of terraced gardens, a glasshouse, and a basement requires ongoing, dedicated maintenance.
- Secure Gated Entry6/10
Offers excellent privacy with mature trees and private parking for 12+ vehicles, though prospective buyers may wish to verify or add automated gated security.
- Minimalist Design2/10
Characterised by rich Victorian architecture, high ceilings, tall windows, Gothic Revival features, and historic detailing rather than minimalist aesthetics.
- Flexible Floor Plans10/10
Extraordinary flexibility provided by a six-bedroom main house, a separate two-bedroom apartment, a detached chalet, and five reception rooms.
- Heritage Home10/10
A landmark Victorian residence dating from 1866, designed by renowned architect Henry Hill and rich in authentic period character.
- Ecological Setup7/10
Features a productive kitchen garden, glasshouse, and mature grounds that lend themselves well to sustainable and self-sufficient living initiatives.
- Outdoor areas10/10
Boasts approximately 0.6 acres of mature, terraced southerly gardens, bespoke seating areas, a kitchen garden, and external chalet decking overlooking the harbor.
Interests
9 areas- Gardening10/10
Features approximately 0.6 acres of mature terraced gardens complete with a glasshouse, productive kitchen garden, garden shed, and diverse planting.
- Walking8/10
Excellent opportunities for scenic coastal walks around Cobh, Rushbrooke, and the surrounding harbor waterfront areas.
- Gym6/10
Ample space within the extensive footprint of the house or detached chalet to set up a private home gym or wellness studio.
- Cycling7/10
The local area provides pleasant coastal cycling routes, though the immediate approach involves elevated sloping roads.
- Golf7/10
Proximity to regional golf courses in the Cork Harbour area makes this a convenient base for golf enthusiasts.
- Fishing8/10
The property's prime waterfront proximity on Cork Harbour offers fantastic local opportunities for sea angling and fishing.
- Horse Riding5/10
While rural stables can be found within the broader Cork county region, the immediate property is better suited to gardens than equestrian facilities.
- Water Sports9/10
Directly overlooking Cork Harbour, this location is exceptionally well-suited for sailing, kayaking, and various water sports.
- Entertaining10/10
Designed for hosting with five generous reception rooms, extensive outdoor patio and decking areas, mature terraced grounds, and private parking for over 12 vehicles.
Lifestyle
5 areas- Quiet Living9/10
Set within mature private grounds on an elevated position in Rushbrooke, offering a tranquil and secluded environment away from heavy urban congestion.
- Rural Living4/10
Located in a coastal residential and historical suburb rather than the countryside, though the private terraced gardens and kitchen setup offer a semi-rural feel.
- Village Living7/10
Conveniently positioned for Cobh town centre and its local amenities, striking a balance between community proximity and private seclusion.
- Coastal Living10/10
Occupies an elevated position with magnificent southerly views across Cork Harbour, making it a dream property for maritime and coastal enthusiasts.
- Urban Living4/10
Situated in a scenic harbor setting rather than a bustling city centre, with Cork City accessible via a 30-minute drive.
Social
6 areas- Community Involvement8/10
Historically integrated into the local community as a rectory and guesthouse, with plenty of scope to engage in local Cobh community life.
- Café Culture7/10
Cobh town centre offers a selection of local cafés, eateries, and social spots within easy reach.
- Nightlife5/10
Nightlife options are relatively quiet and local, relying more on traditional pubs and dining rather than bustling urban clubs.
- Health/Wellness groups9/10
The property has a proven history of operating as a holistic treatment centre and retreat, making it exceptionally well-suited for wellness activities.
- Networking Opportunities6/10
Suitable for business networking if continuing the commercial guesthouse or retreat license, though otherwise residential in nature.
- Tech-Hub Connectivity5/10
Buyers should verify local broadband speeds and tech infrastructure capabilities to ensure remote professional requirements are fully met.
Listing information
- Agent
- Johanna Murphy & Son
- Phone
- 086 262 6026
- Published on HouseDelve
- 13 September 2026
- Correction
- Report an issue
HD-ECB8FBHouseDelve · Republic of Ireland* Estimate — not advice. Actual costs and outcomes can vary materially. Obtain current quotations and professional advice before making financial or property decisions.