County Donegal Hotels

Other Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

Rosapenna Hotel and Golf: Great golfing hotel

by IanL7781

This is a really comfortable hotel with excellent facilities for golf - two 18 hole courses and a driving range. In many ways the hotel is in a time warp. Although the facilities and accomodation have been updated over the years, the general feeling is of the best of the 1970's! This is particularly noticeable in the dining room. Toast Melba on every table, four course dinner menu with dessert trolley complete with such wonders as souffles, cheesecake and gateaux. Regrettably the food is so good it is impossible not to gain inches on the waistline! Attentive service from waiting staff and wine waiters combined with wonderful views of the beach and nearby hills make dining a great experience - well worth the drive to this remote part of Ireland.
There appear to be three standards of bedroom. We stayed in the middle range (de-luxe) and would highly recommend it. The bedroom was large with both a kingsize and single bed as well a sitting area with views over the beach. The bathroom was adequate with shower over bath. Good quality cosmetics were refreshed every day.
There are many public areas where coffee and light meals are available. Unfortunately wi-fi is not available in the bedrooms but there is a area in one of the lounges where wi-fi and a PC are available for guest use.
Although we did not use it there is a good size pool (indoors) and very easy access to safe beaches for sea bathing.

Really comfortable accomodation.
Great food, attentive staff.
Wonderful location - great for golf, sea and exploring Donegal.

Station House in Letterkenney: Comfortable lodging in Letterkenney

by Dabs

In all my years of booking hotels I've never booked a non refundable hotel for the wrong date but somehow I managed to do it on this trip, I was aghast when I noticed that I had booked two hotels for the same night and the wrong one was a non refundable rate booked through booking.com. I contacted them and they said sorry but you booked it and you're stuck with it. So I contacted the hotel directly, confessed my blunder and they wrote me back a nice note saying no problem, we'll transfer the reservation to the next day. They get 5* just for that.

The hotel was nicely located near the main street in town and had free parking so we parked the car and walked to town for dinner. The rate was €55 on booking.com for a nonrefundable rate, breakfast was not included in that rate.

The bathroom was very sleek and modern, the bedroom was clean and comfortable.

Gallaghers Hotel: Modern Hotel in the Letterkenny City Centre

by BillNJ

After my workshop concluded in Downings, I stayed one night at Gallaghers Hotel in Letterkenny. The reason that I chose this hotel was that it is located within short walking distance from the Letterkenny bus station -- from which I took a bus to Galway City.

I booked my room in advance through a website named booking.com -- and everything went smoothly. The cost for my 1-night stay was 65 Euros. The reception desk at the hotel was very pleasant at both check-in and check-out.

My room was very spacious and well-furnished. I ate dinner at the pub in the hotel -- and it was pretty good. Breakfast was included in the rate -- and they served a full Irish breakfast. The quantity of the breakfast was ample, but I would only rank the quality as average.

My stay was on a Wednesday night. As it turns out, Wednesday is a big night at the Milan Nightclub that is adjacent to the hotel. Since I could faintly hear the music from my room on the second floor (it wasn't too bad), I decided to venture over and take a look. It's a large, multi-story nightclub that is geared toward a young crowd. The cover charge was 5 Euros -- and most drinks were 3 Euros. There didn't appear to be a dress code.

Overall, I was satisfied with my 1-night stay at Gallaghers Hotel. It's a nice modern hotel, and it served my purposes.

Located in the heart of Letterkenny's city centre -- within short walking distance to the bus station.

Full Irish breakfast included in the rate.

Within the hotel complex, there is a restaurant, pub, and nightclub.

An Teach Bán: Subsidized Residential Centre Dedicated to Peace

by BillNJ

In Downings, I stayed at a residential centre named An Teach Bán. In the Irish language, it means the white house -- and the pronunciation sounds like "an chah bwan". The centre was founded in 1985, and it was created as a place for refuge during the Troubles. Today, it is subsidized by the European Union and the governments of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

I stayed at the centre as part of a workshop, and the total cost for lodging and meals during my 6 day/5 night stay was only 125 Euros! The cost is so low because of the subsidies. I was fortunate to have my own bedroom (with a private en suite bathroom), but most of the other rooms appear to have been double and triple occupancy. The meals were served family-style in the dining room -- and they were excellent! The centre also includes a large recreation room, a large room for workshops/meetings, and a large rooftop patio.

I really enjoyed my stay at An Teach Bán -- it is a special place. If you have an opportunity to stay here, I highly recommend it. Since the centre is the site of many workshops and programs -- there are probably restrictions on when you can stay. Below, I have included the link to a website with a contact number for the centre if you want more information.

Subsidized residential centre dedicated to peace.

Meals included -- they are home-style and delicious!

Tea and biscuits are available in the kitchen at all times -- day or night.

Within walking distance of the beach and everything else in the village of Downings.

Lough eske Hotel: Donegal's only five star.....

by sourbugger

It would appear that if you want to open five star hotel in Ireland you must start with the base ingredient of a castle. In this case the castle dates back to the 15th century, although it was totally rebuilt in the 1860's. It therefore has something of the Victorian romanticised of castle building.

It didn't help that the place burned to the ground in 1939. The rebuilding therefore basically started with the facade, and has millions spent behind it. I will admit that they have done a fantastic job of the public rooms - sympathetic to the history but still clearly a hotel. The new rooms at the rear seem however to have been sub-contacted to an architect who specialised in council offices and retirement homes during the 1970's.

The rooms were very large indeed and tastefully furnished. Superb bathrooms and beautiful beds. The money has certainly been spent in that department. The spa too is very well appointed.

Now for the rant :

The restaurant service was terminally slow
We had to queue for a breakfast table
They charged extra if you had more than about three baby carrots with your meal
You are charged some mean amount to use the sauna / steam room at the spa
You have to walk ooutside to get to some rooms - not much use when it is chucking it down

If I pay for a five star hotel - I expect to be able to use five star facilities.

The artworks in the grounds are very tasteful, and all for sale. They range from twee little dogs on steps to some impressive nudes in the formal gardens.

Inside the main public rooms you can also fins a couple of Lucian Freud's. One of them is of the owner and hangs over the fireplace.

Teelin Bay View B&B: Good B&B very near Slieve League

by iblatt

We actually meant to sleep in Killybegs, but all B&B's there were fully booked because of some local wedding. One phone call led to another, and in the end we booked a room in Teelin Bay View, near Carrick.

It's a quiet rural area, and the B&B's name is exactly what you get: a nice view of Teelin Bay from the breakfast room and some of the bedrooms. Our room was cosy and comfortable, and the landlord and landlady were friendly and helpful.

If you plan to climb Slieve League the next day, as we did, you get a head start over all the other tourists: It's 2 minutes (by car) to the junction in Teelin village where the narrow road to Slieve League begins.

If you arrive in Teelin in the evening, as we did, don't arrive hungry: the proprietor did his best to direct us to the only restaurant within a radius of 10km from the village, but when we finally got there it was closed... There is a good Chinese takeaway nearby, though (in Carrick village).

Location very near the starting point for Slieve League ascent

Teac Jack: Excellent bar & food, plenty of Guinness...

by sourbugger

I was quite impressed with this medium sized hotel. The view out over the sea was deeply impressive. The bar was a lively affair, and the food was well cooked and presented. There can't be much more that you want from a hotel in County Galway.

The rooms were reasonable value at aroud 80 Euro a night (winter rates), and comfortably if not luxuriously furnished.

My only real quibble was our bathroon. It was a good size and perfectly clean, but quite why it was decorated, between the floor, wall, tiles, splashbacks and furniture in SIX (yes I sat and counted them dear reader) different shades of green is quite beyond me.

Malinbeg Hostel: At The End of The World

by Hanasia

A relatively new hostel, opened a few years ago. Malinbeg Hostel is located in the unspoilt beauty of south-west Donegal. The location is great! From the hostel it's 5-minute walk to Silver Strand and you can climb up to Slieve League from here.
You'll have a great view on the mountains on the one side and the Atlantic Ocean on the other side.
Nice fire in the living-room at night (to get warm again after being outside all day).

Rest a Wyle: Nice B&B in Dungloe (In the Rosses)

by Bettlebrox

Stayed here for a night while at a wedding. The house is new and on the main road into Dungloe from Killybegs. The owner is a Dublin girl married to a local lad. She was friendly and hospitable. The best thing was the beds were really comforable. Had a great night's sleep. The breakfast the next morning wasn't bad, plenty of toast, tae, coffee, & juice. I just wish the sausages had been a bit better.

I'd stay here again.

Comfortable beds.

The Arches: Romantic B&B

by eve108

Fabulous B&B. The rooms were large. There was a kettle in the room, and drink sachets were replenished everyday. The breakfast was superb. Travelling by car is necessary.

Amazing view and property.

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Q: Transportation "Are there public coaches to Tariff from Sligo or Derry?"

A: ""Tariff" (?) is not a possible bus departure/destination point on here : http://www.buseireann.ie/"

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