Best hotel you've stayed in, in Ireland

coylemj

Toast4532 wrote: »

The Galway Bay Hotel, amazing place. Can't wait to go back.

Any time I see the word 'amazing' in a review on TripAdvisor for either a restaurant ('the food was amazing') or a hotel ('the staff were amazing'), alarm bells ring very loud in my ear, especially when the review is vague or (as with the above post) completely devoid of detail.

What was 'amazing' about the Galway Bay Hotel? I know it's a sister of the Hodson Bay Hotel outside Athlone but I've never heard either place described as 'amazing'.

lubie76

Love the 'ice house' in Ballina, mayo. Perfect combo of olde world meets new world!

Toast4532

coylemj wrote: »

Any time I see the word 'amazing' in a review on TripAdvisor for either a restaurant ('the food was amazing') or a hotel ('the staff were amazing'), alarm bells ring very loud in my ear, especially when the review is vague or (as with the above post) completely devoid of detail.

What was 'amazing' about the Galway Bay Hotel? I know it's a sister of the Hodson Bay Hotel outside Athlone but I've never heard either place described as 'amazing'.

I have no connection to the hotel, unless having stayed there before counts as a connection to them.

I found the breakfast to be great, you went in to the restaurant, waited to be seated and then after being seated you could go down and get your food, and if you wanted more, you got more, plus the food was always hot, not just 'warm'.

They had a great selection of different juices, fruits etc for breakfast too. Can't speak for dinner or lunch as I haven't had either there.

On our second day we ordered breakfast to our room instead of going down for it and they rang us about 20 minutes before hand to let us know it would be there soon, they also gave us double and triple of somethings, we asked for two bowls of strawberries, they gave us those and two other bowls of fruit salad, they gave us different juices, two pots of tea etc even though we'd only ordered one etc.

The rooms are lovely, very spacious, but still have that cosy feeling to them, bathrooms are a nice size too, not too big, but not pokey either.

The staff are lovely, all the staff we dealt with were very helpful and very friendly and went above and beyond to help us out with anything we needed etc.

It's right on the prom so its got fabulous views, especially from the restaurant, being in the restaurant made me feel as if I was abroad, just looking out the big windows onto Galway Bay, it was like being in Spain or Croatia and looking out the windows to the sea etc. Fab.

Its near Galway city, but not too far outside it so its easy to walk into the city so you aren't always getting taxi's, buses etc. Its in a great location.

It's near all the local shops, pubs, restaurants, bars etc too so very handy if you just want to pop down for a few mins, no long walks to the shops etc.

While I personally found the hotel to be amazing, I am fully aware that other's don't and would find it 'average' etc. however I am basing my opinion and this post on my experience only.

As for Trip Advisor, well generally I just take the reviews etc with a pinch of salt and would always look on other websites/blogs/forums etc for more reviews, photos, information etc. I would never rely on Trip Advisor alone, and wouldn't recommend it either.

I can't comment on the hotel in Athlone, I haven't been there for about 15 years, if not more.

coylemj

Thanks for the response and the detailed description. However as you acknowledge in your post, many people (including me) would not find that to be a particularly 'amazing' place.

Toast4532 wrote: »

I found the breakfast to be great, you went in to the restaurant, waited to be seated and then after being seated you could go down and get your food, and if you wanted more, you got more, plus the food was always hot, not just 'warm'.

They had a great selection of different juices, fruits etc for breakfast too. Can't speak for dinner or lunch as I haven't had either there.

Sorry but that sounds like a pretty normal setup and several of your other points relate to the hotel's location ('right on the prom', 'near local shops' etc.) which would equally apply to a B&B in the neighbourhood.

Toast4532 wrote: »

While I personally found the hotel to be amazing, I am fully aware that other's don't and would find it 'average' etc. however I am basing my opinion and this post on my experience only.

Any well-managed hotel should be delivering the level of service you described, hence I don't accept your description of the place as 'amazing'. The Galway Bay and Hodson Bay hotels are professionally managed hotels, both of them deliver consistently good service but I would be reluctant to describe either of them as 'amazing'.

To be 'amazed' by a hotel means that it delivers an exceptional level of service i.e. way beyond your expectations.

hawkwind23

I found the breakfast to be great, you went in to the restaurant, waited to be seated and then after being seated you could go down and get your food, and if you wanted more, you got more, plus the food was always hot, not just 'warm'.

They had a great selection of different juices, fruits etc for breakfast too.



have you ever stayed in a hotel before?

self service buffet rashers is not my idea of quality in a hotel!

Slattsy

Have to agree with the good folks above, that's all bog standard stuff.

I'm sure you enjoyed it and all that, but you'll get that in most places.

Totally Tropical

The following hotels would be my favourite.All are lovely places to stay.

The River Lee Hotel in Cork, The Imperial Hotel also in Cork, The Granville Hotel in Waterford, The George Hotel in Limerick and the Savoy Hotel in Limerick.I really do love the old world charm of the Imperial and the Granville.I also find the Jurys Inn Cork to be excellent for what is a three star budget hotel.

coylemj

Totally Tropical wrote: »

The following hotels would be my favourite.All are lovely places to stay.

....

The Imperial Hotel also in Cork, The Granville Hotel in Waterford

....

I really do love the old world charm of the Imperial and the Granville.

I'd agree, not quite 'amazing' but both places have their own charm and are worth a visit. Just don't ask for directions to the spa or swimming pool! Though I did stay in the Imperial once in December when my room looked out onto the side street and there was bugger-all natural light making it pretty dark and depressing, I'd ask for a room at the front of the premises on the South Mall at this time of the year.

Also worthy of a mention for one of the few hotels I've visited where there is a chef on duty for breakfast who serves up the rashers and sausages on the plate for you and who will fry an egg there and then and exactly the way you want it - the Rochestown Park in Douglas in Cork.

Bepolite

Mount Juliet

Exceptional service, genuinely friendly staff, loads of things to do. Food to die for in the Michelin Star Restaurant (book well, well in advance). They do frequent deals and the Lady Helen's tasting Menu isn't even that dear.

JillyQ

The Park in Kenmare and Dromoland Castle, its the little details that count. I do alot of horse riding and had some of my gear in the car with me when i stayed in Dromoland so when they were parking my car, the staff member obvisiously saw some of it, and asked me would i like them to book a trec form me. As i said its the attention to detailed. Also the food in both places was good.

hytrogen

Inchadoney spa & hotel, beautiful reception in the room & greeted at the front desk by a toast with Irish liquor. Stunning views from the room.
No WiFi in the room which thankfully drew you to the beautifully furnished residents lounge to relax, read & sip a drink.
The restaurant had a fantastic menu specially selected and mostly based on locally sourced seafood.
the beach surroundimg it had gotten a battering from the heavy storms over New Years but still hosted a beautiful sunrise for us.
The Spa was probably the best treatments I've had this side of the Atlantic, and the swimming pool with its heated sea water was a bit strange but far more nicer since there was no taste / smell of horrible chlorine afterwards.
pricey enough but all things considered, worth every penny! Looking forward to the next time there

Balmed Out

Some great hotels mentioned especialy, ashford castle, the park and the four seasons.
One thats not mentioned that I like is the lake hotel in Killarney. Great for a romantic break without children. Very short walk to the national park and its right on the lake with I think has to be one of the best views of any hotel in Ireland. Not worth staying there if your not going for a lake view room though. It doesnt have a pool which means a lot less kids too which for me is a plus.

twinkles09

Fota Resort Cork. Pure luxury from check in to check out! Rooms fab, staff & food was excellent. Spa & pool is fab! Next to Very close to Fota wildlife park which is a lovely visit & only Short drive to the city centre for a bit of shopping

Gatica

I haven't stayed at Abbeyglen or Galway Bay hotels. However, I've been to both for lunch and while I don't have a problem with their service I didn't particularly like either one, at least not for a weekend away experience.
Abbeyglen felt to me very old-fashioned. It was cosy in the way a pub would be cosy. It wasn't the lap of luxury and the food and ambience wouldn't wow you (well, me anyway).
Same for the Galway Bay Hotel pretty much. It looked old-styled to me. It's not run-down but it just feels very 80's.

Even though I don't play golf, I can second Mount Juliet as being a fabulous hotel. The main hiccup we had with them is the room size we booked wasn't available when we were checking in and it was really disappointing. However, I can say that the staff was considerate enough to offer us a lodge in exchange. We really wanted the ambience of the house, so we stayed put. The Mount Helen restaurant really was an amazing experience. I had the venison done medium rare, and it just melted in the mouth. I love the lovely touches of sorbets and mousses to cleanse the palate between courses. Fab...
The Spa there wasn't anything special and I didn't like their relaxation room, the window was open and it was freezing, the high couches that you have to climb on are not relaxing and dig into your calves if you stretch out your legs, unless you sit on the edge and dangle your legs.
Having said that, I'd definitely go back, just skip the spa. The walks around their grounds are stunning and you get to see the foals and donkeys. It's just so relaxing there.

I agree with hawkwind23 that buffet breakfast is not really a sign of outstanding service. Most hotels I've stayed in do buffet breakfast, and nothing wrong with that. However, those lucky times we've stayed somewhere top-notch, you get a menu, you order off that and it's brought to you, also hot.

Balmed Out

twinkles09 wrote: »

Fota Resort Cork. Pure luxury from check in to check out! Rooms fab, staff & food was excellent. Spa & pool is fab! Next to Very close to Fota wildlife park which is a lovely visit & only Short drive to the city centre for a bit of shopping

Stayed there twice but both times during school holidays. No amazing view. Rooms nice but nothing special. Dinner I thought was poor, meat nicely cooked but accompaniments disappointing. The worst was the pool. I have never ever imagined a pool so crowded and yet they were allowing people to continue enter. (spa area nice but again crowded). Outside of mid term breaks when it was full of kids it may be a very different hotel.

kerry4sam

Slattsy wrote: »

As the title suggests, what was the best ?
Please consider the following:

Restuarant quality.
Rooms.
Grounds.
Staff.
Service.
Cleanliness
Spa/Romance

all that stuff

^^^ This is what this op is looking for. I have deleted one post and that poster better remember that each person is entitled to their own personal opinions, and not everything has to be to their personal standards.

No flaming allowed!

Thanks,
kerry4sam

donegal.

my fav is Solis

Lima Golf

The Talbot Hotel, Belmullet, Co. Mayo. It's only open since 2012 I think. Beautiful boutique style hotel. Reminds me a bit of the G in Galway. Service and food were out of this world when we stayed there. I have stayed in hotels in Ireland that were double the price and not half as charming
http://www.thetalbothotel.ie/?i=1

Batgurl

I think this is a solid recommendation.

Harvey's Point in Donegal has just been voted one of the Top 25 Hotels in the World by TripAdvisor.

To see it up there with the likes of the Four Seasons in Bora Bora and Trump Tower in Toronto is pretty special.

Frog Song

dee_mc wrote: »

Cromlech Lodge, Sligo
Beautiful rooms (especially in new part of hotel), lovely surroundings, nice spa, helpful staff, gorgeous food, amazing showers!
It's a couple of years since I stayed there, but was seriously impressed on all counts

God I wasn't impressed by that place at all! We brought our dog and while it's great to see more and more hotels accepting dogs, their pet friendly rooms are awful, paying the same as other rooms and the difference is crazy. Very, very basic and rundown rooms in that part of the hotel. Most hotels' pet friendly rooms are as good as all of their other rooms, very disappointed with it.

Also found the G Hotel very overrated, not as impressive as made out to be.

My personal favourites are Harvey's Point in Donegal. It's just spectacular but unfortunately very expensive but a real treat. Nearer to Dublin Carton House and Barberstown Castle are wonderful. Fota Resort and Inchydoney Island in Cork are both gorgeous and sometimes have good deals. Monart Spa is another favourite, a great relaxing place to get away from it all.

Really want to check out Lough Eske. It's next on the list.

hinault

Irish hotels are generally very nice places to stay in and I've been fortunate to stay in some lovely hotels throughout Ireland.

One of the very best that I stayed in is No1 Pery Square.
It describes itself as a Boutique Hotel, which it is, and this might create preconceptions one way or the other.

I can't think of a better hotel that I have stayed in in Ireland.

Frog Song

hinault wrote: »

Irish hotels are generally very nice places to stay in and I've been fortunate to stay in some lovely hotels throughout Ireland.

One of the very best that I stayed in is No1 Pery Square.
It describes itself as a Boutique Hotel, which it is, and this might create preconceptions one way or the other.

I can't think of a better hotel that I have stayed in in Ireland.

Oh I've never heard of this one, it looks lovely.

hinault

Frog Song wrote: »

Oh I've never heard of this one, it looks lovely.

It'a a lovely hotel in the centre of Limerick City.

The rooms are spacious and clean and the dining area is small and quaint.
The fixtures and fittings throughout the hotel are lovely. The visitor can see the investment which has gone in to the hotel.

For me, the real selling point is the staff at No.1.
Their customer service is second to none in my opinion.

Ceannain

Lots of my favourites have been mentioned but a few that I don't think have been-Hayfield Manor in Cork for five star luxury,great spa,food,rooms,service and walkable to the city(if you wanted to leave the hotel).
Also I really like the Maryborough House Hotel in Douglas ,Co.Cork. Have always loved my weekends here. Staff are excellent-one even drove to a local restaurant to get a copy of a menu and delivered it to my room(they keep a folder of menus from recommended restaurants and a new one had opened that she had heard good things about,so without saying a word she went and got a menu for me!!). This just sums up the place to me. Their own restaurant is fab too by the way! Good mixture of an old house yet a modern extension that just works. Great spa too.
Others on my list would be Sheen Falls,The Merrion, Ice House, Radisson in Galway(pay extra for the executive floor-its worth it),Carton House,Culloden (outside Belfast)....oh I need to book somewhere!!!

Greg81

Glenlo Abbey Hotel - Bushypark on N59 to Clifden.

Large rooms. Good food in restaurant. Nice area. Helpful staff.

irish_goat

Lima Golf wrote: »

The Talbot Hotel, Belmullet, Co. Mayo. It's only open since 2012 I think. Beautiful boutique style hotel. Reminds me a bit of the G in Galway. Service and food were out of this world when we stayed there. I have stayed in hotels in Ireland that were double the price and not half as charming
http://www.thetalbothotel.ie/?i=1

That looks like it was designed by a hen party.