Hotels bars

PGE1970

Hi all,

Myself and my wife looking to book a 2 night break next month.

But before we do, I'm interested to hear from people who have staycationed in hotels in Ireland recently.

Is the hotel bar open to residents for a drink after dinner?

I'm aware of the 105 minute rule for restaurants etc. If you have your dinner at 7pm, are hotels insisting residents leave and, essentially, return to their rooms or are they providing a facility to have a drink elsewhere?

We're not looking to be up until 4 am but don't fancy watching the 9 o'clock news in our room either!

Thanks!!

I'm particularly interested in any experiences in hotels in Galway or along the east coast!!

Minier81

We were in Kerry and the hotel bar was for residents only with no time limit and you could have only a drink there.

ednwireland

the radisson in athlone insisted you had a meal no residents lounge. you could the drink on in the bar but they kicked you out after 105 minutes.

the hotel I was in in waterford allowed you in the residents lounge with your drinks no time limit. I would suggest you go through recent TripAdvisor reviews to try and gauge the hotel policies.

grimm2005

Was in the hoban in Kilkenny and unfortunately pretty strict, you had to book in for dinner and you could have a drink after dinner but it was the usual 105 minute rule. You could still order drinks at the bar but you had to bring them back to your room, there was nowhere public you could sit and have a drink.

It was a nice enough weekend but just not the same as normal, there was no spontaneity really. We booked in the town for our second night and could only get a table in the place we were looking at for 9pm so after doing all the touristy stuff during the day, you couldn't nip into somewhere for a drink to pass the time.

It all depends on the hotel. I have stayed in 2 hotels in the last few months. One was fairly strict and the other was grand as long as you were a resident

scrumqueen

I stayed in a hotel in Wicklow a few weeks ago, they were refurbishing their hotel bar at the time (and was not informed of this at booking) and you had to order food if you wanted a drink.

PGE1970

Thanks for all the replies folks.

It seems to be pot luck what the policy is. I doubt any hotel would advise you of their policy over the phone (in case I'm a HSE inspector!) so I'll keep an eye on Tripadvisor.

We're planning to go late September so it's not even that you could go out for a walk at night!

Caranica

Our hotel in Kilkenny was very strict. 105 minutes only, no drink to rooms. Was very glad when we ended up having a very early dinner on the Saturday that I'd thrown a bottle of wine into my case.

PGE1970

PGE1970 wrote: »

Thanks for all the replies folks.

It seems to be pot luck what the policy is. I doubt any hotel would advise you of their policy over the phone (in case I'm a HSE inspector!) so I'll keep an eye on Tripadvisor.

We're planning to go late September so it's not even that you could go out for a walk at night!

Hopefully things will change by then. Its a bit ridiculous that if you are staying in a hotel you cant have a few drinks after your meal in the residents bar

Surreptitious

Caranica wrote: »

Our hotel in Kilkenny was very strict. 105 minutes only, no drink to rooms. Was very glad when we ended up having a very early dinner on the Saturday that I'd thrown a bottle of wine into my case.

I always do this even pre Covid. Allow for all eventualities!

I was staying in a hotel in Westport, no drink at all except with food.
No drink to rooms.
We had late dinners to avail of drinks afterwards, bars all closed at 11pm.

Won't be staying in a hotel again unless someone gives me personal experience of a less strict hotel.

lubie76

Stayed in hotel in Kinsale. You could book the bar for a drink an hour before you went to dinner and an hour after despite whether you were eating in hotel or going out.

To be fair they were not strict when you came back after dinner for drinks if you were a resident though everything closed at 11pm approx and they let you know so you could order your last drink before they closed.

Zaph

bubblypop wrote: »

I was staying in a hotel in Westport, no drink at all except with food.
No drink to rooms.
We had late dinners to avail of drinks afterwards, bars all closed at 11pm.

Won't be staying in a hotel again unless someone gives me personal experience of a less strict hotel.

We've booked a hotel in Westport for a couple of nights next month, and were counting on at least being able to have drinks in the room. Which hotel was this? If you don't want to say here would you mind PMing me please?

grimm2005

Surreptitious wrote: »

I always do this even pre Covid. Allow for all eventualities!

Same, we went to the supermarket anyway. There's very little benefit of spending a fiver on pints at the bar when you have to bring them back to the room anyway, just ask for a glass of ice and you're set. Sure I wanna support the hotel but if we can't even sit out on the terrace when its completely empty then whats the point.

Surreptitious

grimm2005 wrote: »

Same, we went to the supermarket anyway. There's very little benefit of spending a fiver on pints at the bar when you have to bring them back to the room anyway, just ask for a glass of ice and you're set. Sure I wanna support the hotel but if we can't even sit out on the terrace when its completely empty then whats the point.

That's true. A bottle or two of wine or a box of cans, ask for a bucket of ice and glasses. I've often gone away with a friend, boyfriend etc and had pre drinks in the hotel room after asking for ice. We would eat there though and drink in the bar also to support them. The way things are now you would need to stock up.

podgeandrodge

grimm2005 wrote: »

Same, we went to the supermarket anyway. There's very little benefit of spending a fiver on pints at the bar when you have to bring them back to the room anyway, just ask for a glass of ice and you're set. Sure I wanna support the hotel but if we can't even sit out on the terrace when its completely empty then whats the point.

But the 105 minute policy only applies if they can't do 2m distancing and opt for 1m. I wonder do some hotels realise this. Their outside terrace could comply if they wished presumably.

PGE1970

bubblypop wrote: »

I was staying in a hotel in Westport, no drink at all except with food. No drink to rooms.

Wow.

Whilst I understand that we are living in different times etc, some allowances surely should be made for residents.

Uncle Pierre

Stayed in a place in Co. Waterford last week. We were going out for dinner the first night, and asked before we left if we'd be able (as residents) to have a drink after we got back. They said no problem. And this would just have been in the main bar, as there wasn't a separate residents bar.

Second night, we ate in the place itself, and had a few drinks after the meal finished too. We were there a little over three hours altogether, and could have stayed longer if we'd wanted to.

All tables properly socially distanced, table service only, etc.

But yeah, overall, seems everywhere has their own policy. Some very strict, some not so much.

Gunslinger92

Caranica wrote: »

Our hotel in Kilkenny was very strict. 105 minutes only, no drink to rooms. Was very glad when we ended up having a very early dinner on the Saturday that I'd thrown a bottle of wine into my case.

Hello, would you mind PMing me the name of the hotel please? Just booked 2 nights in kilkenny this evening for next week.

giveitholly

Stayed in a hotel in carlow two weeks ago,they had the function roomed converted into an area to have a few drinks,they say on their website you can have a drink for an hour before and after your meal but there was no time limit,you could stay as long as you wanted,last orders were around 11ish. One evening we didn't eat at the hotel but still could walk in and have a drink

Purple Mountain

If you could get a hotel room with a balcony, it wouldn't be so bad to BYO drink in the luggage if not allowed to bring drinks from the bar up.
Why would you go to a hotel to sit in the bedroom and drink?
That's my definition of depressing.

finbarrk

It's very hit and miss. Have stayed in 5 different hotels since bars reopened. The only genuine residents bar was one we were in in Killarney. Donegal and Waterford were ok too. I dont want to name them publicly. Cork city hotel was stricter.

Tabnabs

Purple Mountain wrote: »

If you could get a hotel room with a balcony, it wouldn't be so bad to BYO drink in the luggage if not allowed to bring drinks from the bar up.
Why would you go to a hotel to sit in the bedroom and drink?
That's my definition of depressing.

Sit on the balcony whilst admiring the latest Atlantic storm to pass through the area?

Puerto Banus this ain't...

stargazer 68

We are away this weekend so hoping its not a 'strict' hotel. However, will be bringing some with us just in case. Its not that we would have a rake in a bar until all hours, its just being able to sit and chat and have a beer and watch the world go by.

Odyssey 2005

bubblypop wrote: »

I was staying in a hotel in Westport, no drink at all except with food.
No drink to rooms.
We had late dinners to avail of drinks afterwards, bars all closed at 11pm.

Won't be staying in a hotel again unless someone gives me personal experience of a less strict hotel.

Have a hotel in Westport booked for the October bh weekend. Am going to cancel it because of the uncertainty.

grimm2005

Purple Mountain wrote: »

If you could get a hotel room with a balcony, it wouldn't be so bad to BYO drink in the luggage if not allowed to bring drinks from the bar up.
Why would you go to a hotel to sit in the bedroom and drink?
That's my definition of depressing.

Very little other options tbh, once you've had your evening meal and hit the time limit there's nowhere else to go really. I just bring a laptop that I can hook up to the TV and a pack of cards and sure once you've got good company you're good to go. So long as you're actually filling the days with stuff then it's still worth going away.

Between that option and just staying at home in Dublin for the rest of the year without any sort of break away or change from the current situation I'll definitely take the former.

BraveDonut

Did a week where we stayed in 7 different hotels.
Pretty much 7 different experiences.

From 105 minutes with food only to one hotel where they allowed a 4 hour window to have drinks in the lobby, have dinner in the restaurant and then back to the lobby.

The latter was in Westport - but, I don't want to rat them out here :-)

un5byh7sqpd2x0

Be aware, the 105 minutes doesn’t apply if the establishment can maintain 2m social distancing.

Spanish Eyes

Did a google search for hotels with balconies in Ireland and not much came up. I don't care what the weather is like but hate to be stuck in a hotel room with no escape!

Anywhere will do apart from Cork/Kerry, was there earlier. Has anyone any suggestions? I suppose hiring a cottage or something might work out better and BYOB...

Spanish Eyes

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

Did a google search for hotels with balconies in Ireland and not much came up. I don't care what the weather is like but hate to be stuck in a hotel room with no escape!

Anywhere will do apart from Cork/Kerry, was there earlier. Has anyone any suggestions? I suppose hiring a cottage or something might work out better and BYOB...

Dont know if you be interested but I stayed in the Heritage in Killenard Co Laois a few months ago and got one of penthouse apartments with a balcony for 125 euros for the night. They penthouses were amazing. Balcony looking onto the golf course

HBC08

I stayed in and visited for a meal a few hotels during the summer,mostly in Mayo. Slightly different experiences in them all ,mostly on the relaxed side of things.
Best set up was a hotel (not going to name but DM if you want) where they have an large outdoor terrace and plenty of snugs and areas to drink outside the bar and reception.If you ate there you were moved to one of these areas after meal and free to stay on,I presume if you were a resident you didn't even need to eat.
I'll be heading out of Mayo for a break in Sept,I won't be staying somewhere doesnt have some sort of system for letting residents have a few drinks (be that they can social distance 2m,have an outdoor area etc) I'm not looking for somewhere that breaks the rules but I'm also not paying to drink cans in a hotel bedroom at 9pm.

PGE1970

HBC08 wrote: »

I'm not looking for somewhere that breaks the rules but I'm also not paying to drink cans in a hotel bedroom at 9pm.

Couldn't agree more.

Coillte_Bhoy

Stayed in a hotel in Donegal last weekend, messaged them beforehand to see if i would be able to have a couple of drinks after dinner, no problem. I arrived around 7, there were a few people drinking in reception and the residents lounge, tables well spread out etc and table service only. Had dinner served at a table in reception at 8 and stayed on till about 11.30. No issue at all with getting a drink served to the table

Ludo

Landon Ancient Parrot wrote: »

Be aware, the 105 minutes doesn’t apply if the establishment can maintain 2m social distancing.

I don't think that is true, is it?

https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/health/covid19/public_health_measures_for_covid19.html#l148b3

Nothing here about time limit not applying if 2m distancing can be maintained and never heard of it anywhere else before now unless I missed it completely.

hackersphorr

recently back from a trip down to Cork, differed from hotel to hotel. In one hotel I asked for a pint in the lounge and was refused as I wasn't booked in for a meal.

I asked could I have a cup of tea and that was no problem. So I could sit on the same couch and drink tea but not beer - no logic at all!

All the hotels had an Irish Hotels Federation sign up stating that residents were allowed 1 hour before and after a meal in a designated residents bar. Not sure if that was based on any government rules though?

PGE1970

Coillte_Bhoy wrote: »

Stayed in a hotel in Donegal last weekend, messaged them beforehand to see if i would be able to have a couple of drinks after dinner, no problem. I arrived around 7, there were a few people drinking in reception and the residents lounge, tables well spread out etc and table service only. Had dinner served at a table in reception at 8 and stayed on till about 11.30. No issue at all with getting a drink served to the table

Tried to send you a pm but can't.

Would you mind sending me a message with the name of that hotel?

Many thanks!!

Padraig Mor

Ludo wrote: »

I don't think that is true, is it?

https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/health/covid19/public_health_measures_for_covid19.html#l148b3

Nothing here about time limit not applying if 2m distancing can be maintained and never heard of it anywhere else before now unless I missed it completely.

It's true. For one, there is no 105 minute 'law', merely guidlelines, and the guideline re 105 minutes is only applicable where there is less than 2 metres between tables. Huge amount of pubs / restaurants are interpreting this incorrectly - or are perhaps doing so deliberately (as is their right) to gain increased customer turnover. Most places can have people there all night if they wish.

BullBauld

Stayed in 2 hotels in the last few weeks. One in Clare and the other in Dublin City centre.

No issue in either with having drinks without food. Was great to be honest.

Coillte_Bhoy

PGE1970 wrote: »

Tried to send you a pm but can't.

Would you mind sending me a message with the name of that hotel?

Many thanks!!

PM sent

finbarrk

Can Hotel Bars serve residents at the moment? It says' Hotel services restricted to residents only' on the Governments Level 3 advisory sheet. I'm not sure do the bars have to adhere to the same rules as other bars.

Caranica

finbarrk wrote: »

Can Hotel Bars serve residents at the moment? It says' Hotel services restricted to residents only' on the Governments Level 3 advisory sheet. I'm not sure do the bars have to adhere to the same rules as other bars.

In accordance with the regulations, so depending on where in the country you may or may not need to order food and time is limited. There are no special exemptions for residents, it's the same as any other bar.

bigpink

You can't travel outside your county anyway

finbarrk

Caranica wrote: »

In accordance with the regulations, so depending on where in the country you may or may not need to order food and time is limited. There are no special exemptions for residents, it's the same as any other bar.

So, if it’s the same as any other bar, the resident has to dine and drink in an outdoor area that’s part of the Hotel. Are you sure?

bigpink

Alot of hotels in Limerick are advertising deals for locals to stay