Northern Ireland Hotels

Other Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

Linen House Hostel Belfast NI: Old,smelly,party house,rude desk chap

by eastenders88

Desk chap was unprofessional and abusive to guests. First of all,our group was put off by the dodgy neighborhood the hostel was in.At night the street it's on is very dark,we gals did not feel safe at all after being out late.Broken glass everywhere,located next to a condemned building,very creepy indeed.Next off,our group realizes the hostel was busy,the lobby was packed with people and extremely noisey,(but the hostel manager,or at least he said he was),was very unprofessional,cursing,swearing where guests could hear it,we will not repeat what he said,but the words started with f@*k,repeatedly,we all know he was busy,but swearing in front of customers in any setting should be strictly forbidden,not professional at all!HE was was very short and gruff with us and to all the guests,just wanted to collect the money and get rid of us.Also his English was very bad,making it almost impossible to understand,heard other guests complaining the same that they could not understand him.Hostel ... desk chap was unprofessional and abusive to guests. First of all,our group was put off by the dodgy neighborhood the hostel was in.At night the street it's on is very dark,we gals did not feel safe at all after being out late.Broken glass everywhere,located next to a condemned building,very creepy indeed.Next off,our group realizes the hostel was busy,the lobby was packed with people and extremely noisey,(but the hostel manager,or at least he said he was),was very unprofessional,cursing,swearing where guests could hear it,we will not repeat what he said,but the words started with f@*k,repeatedly,we all know he was busy,but swearing in front of customers in any setting should be strictly forbidden,not professional at all!HE was was very short and gruff with us and to all the guests,just wanted to collect the money and get rid of us.Also his English was very bad,making it almost impossible to understand,heard other guests complaining the same that they could not understand him.Hostel was old,run-down,sheets didn't match,but were somewhat clean,kitchen was disgusting,we sure would not use it,the pans provided,well, we have seen better in a rubbish bin.Disgusting!But,it was cheap,we did not expect much,and that is exactly what we got,not much.We got little to no sleep at all!Party frat house atmosphere.When we went to manager to complain,we found him asleep in the lobby,very professional as well,or he was busy watching movies on his laptop to assist the guests.We will NOT return nor recommend it.

No frills, no extras,was reasonably close to city centre and shopping,was located in a bad neighborhood and on a very dark,dodgy street.We gals did not feel safe out at night! Located next door to a rather scary,condemned looking building,very dreary,depressing place.

Belfast International Youth Hostel

by MalenaN

I had booked my first two nights in Belfast at Vagabonds, but coming back in the end of my trip there was no female dorm available at Vagabonds, so I booked a female dorm at Belfast International Hostel instead. I made my bookings about a month ahead.

I booked a four-bed ensuite female dorm for £15.50 (March 2011). Breakfast is not included in that price, but there is a café, open in the mornings, downstairs.

The room was clean and so was the bathroom. There were lookers under the bed (you will need your own padlock) and bedside lamps for each bed. On the wall there was four hangers, but there were no chair or table to put things on. I stayed on the third floor and traffic noise could be heard. The first night it was quite cold, but I guess that was because I didn’t turn on the heater. Someone must have done that the next night, because it was not cold.

In the bathroom there was no place to put things, not even a hanger for a towel. The shower didn’t work, so I used one down the corridor instead.

On the second floor there is supposed to be a common room with TV and a library, but my card didn’t get me access to that floor. On the first floor (ground floor) there is an area with computers and a machine where you buy time for them. There is a café open in the mornings and a kitchen to use for guests. I kept my own breakfast in the kitchen, but there was no coffee or tea available for free as there is in most hostels, so in the morning I bought a coffee at the Causeway Café when it opened. A medium Coffee Americano was £1.60.

Belfast International hostel is situated just off Shaftesbury Square and it is not far from Europa Bus Centre, so the location is convenient. But it is too big and lacks character.

Derry City Independent Hostel

by MalenaN

It doesn’t take long to walk from the bus station to the hostel, but first I couldn’t find it. It turned out that the main building on Great James Street was closed for some time and only the second house on a quiet street round the corner was open. During the busy months this is where they usually have the private rooms.

I had booked a bed in a female dorm for £13 a night (March 2011). In the dorm there was one bunk bed and a single bed. As I was the first one to arrive I took the single bed by the window. There was a nice bedside table by my bed and in the room there was a lot of hangers. What I missed was a bedside lamp and lockers.

There was a clean bathroom on every floor and there was a living room with a computer to use for free and a TV and movies. Downstairs there was a big kitchen with a small garden outside. Breakfast was included in the price and the best with it was the baking machine. Coming down to the kitchen in the morning it smelled good of bread, and as I was the first one up in the morning I was the one taking the warm bread out of the machine. Besides the freshly baked bread, tea and coffee there was also cereals served for breakfast.

After checking in I got a map of Derry with some recommendations.

The hostel is taken care of very well and has a friendly atmosphere.

Sheep Island View Hostel, Ballintoy

by MalenaN

I had made a reservation about a month ahead via email and had booked a dorm bed for £15 per night. When I arrived, a Tuesday in the beginning of March, I was the only guest (but they had been fully booked at the weekend). Instead of a dorm bed I got my own room with a double bed and bathroom for the same price. The only bad thing was that the pressure of the water in the shower was low.

The hostel is very clean and there is a well equipped kitchen and a common room with a TV and a fireplace. No breakfast is served, but there is instant coffee, tea and products left by others available. I had brought things from Belfast to eat for breakfast and dinner as there is no store in Ballintoy, at least not off season.

Check-in time is between 16.00 and 20.00 but if you let the staff know that you will arrive earlier they will be there and let you in. I arrived with the bus 11.20 and one minute later I was at the hostel and soon after a woman appeared from the house by the road. I checked in to my room and was soon off to visit Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge.

I loved the location of the hostel in the small village of Ballintoy. It’s not far to walk to Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge or down to Ballintoy Harbour. The bus running along the causeway is stopping just outside and it is easy to visit Giant’s Causeway, Bushmills or Ballycastle from here. And near the hostel there are two pubs in the village.

Vagabonds hostel in Belfast

by MalenaN

When I travel in Europe I often stay at hostels and I prefer a female dorm over a mixed dorm. When I, over a month before my trip, was making reservations for accommodation, four hostels in Belfast had female dorms. Vagabond seemed to be the best one, small and cosy with good reviews.

In the dorm there were six beds (three bunk beds). Each bed had a reading lamp and a locker underneath. For the locker you will need your own lock. On the wall there were lots of mirrors. And in the room it was not too hot or not too cold. There was a bathroom half a floor down and then three bathrooms with showers on the ground floor. The bathrooms were clean and there was never a queue to use them. There is also a small living room with sofas and a TV and DVD player, and films to watch. And there is a kitchen were you can cook your own food and were breakfast is served in the morning.

Breakfast is included in the price and is served from 8am, but it was available before that both mornings I stayed at the hostel. For breakfast there is coffee or tea, cereals with milk, toast with butter and jam and juice.

The hostel is situated in an old house with creaking stairs. One night there was a lot of running up and down, otherwise it was quiet. At the hostel there was always some incense burning and I think that the strong smell can be annoying to some.

There are two computers and to use them you have to put coins in a machine.

I paid £15 per night (February 2011).

SLIEVE DONARD HOTEL: HOT AS HELL - AND THAT'S NOT THE SAUNA

by DAO

So, expecting a wonderful review of this grand luxury hotel and its amazing £15 million refurbishment? Well either you have the wrong review, the wrong hotel or both. With that kind of money you would think they would have put in comfortable beds and air-conditioning. They didn’t. I couldn’t sleep due the heat in the room and the bad mattress. Even after I opened both windows to the partial extent physically allowed – I was hot. Only the mosquitoes came in, not a cool breeze. I don’t care how good your lobby, spa, bar and restaurant are – you go to a hotel (any hotel) to sleep!

Did I mention they have a great lobby, spa, bar and restaurant?

When I drove up to this imposing Victorian masterpiece I was really impressed. Outside this is a beautiful hotel. It sits right on the beach and looks right up to it’s namesake – Slieve Donard. Slieve Donard is the highest peak in Northern Ireland and the scenery is dramatic. Shame about my room.

On the plus side I would recommend spending a day here. The SPA and gym are awesome. Brand new, fully equipped and lots of creature comforts. They provide robes, great changing rooms, fantastic Jacuzzi, pool and steam room. The interior of the hotel is quite nice as well. I had breakfast here even though I was ‘room only’. They don’t do a lot of checks. The buffet is massive with everything from great tasting Irish bacon, sausages, many egg dishes and fresh fruit. The whisky with the oatmeal was my personal favourite. It certainly put a kick-start into my day.

Yes this is a great hotel by day. At night it is a different matter.

My room was more than £100 ($150+ US). It looked ok. Oldish bathroom with a big deep tub and some nice toiletries. 2 beds, mini-bar, a large closet, mirrors, TV, phone, desk, chairs and a table. Then I tried to go to sleep. The room was already hot. It was summer after all. I went to look for the thermostat. None found. I rand the desk and asked about changing the temperature. They knew I was asking for the heat to be put on. They told me to open a window. How thoughtful. I open both windows that opened on to the back of an annex. Blocking off useful things like views and wind. No air, no breeze, just sweat. And the mattress sucked. Both of them. Lumpy, uncomfortable. Terrible.

Had I known I could have booked into one of the nice B&B along the beach road just opposite the hotel. There were several. Instead I stumped up the extra money to get more comfort. Well I was short-changed.

My suggestion – find somewhere else and save the cash and have a good nights sleep. Do use the SPA. And have breakfast of course.

• Dramatic location and gardens next to the Mourne Mountains and the sea
• Great history with a small (free) museum room
• Excellent breakfast buffet
• Free newspapers in the lobby
• Excellent modern SPA and gym facilities
• A great looking bar for coffee or a nice pint of Gunniess
• Great location for a wedding reception or business meeting

EUROPA HOTEL (BELFAST): THE MOST BOMBED HOTEL IN EUROPE

by DAO

Thankfully today, the only thing that gets bombed in this hotel now are the guests in the bar. With 2 excellent bars, that’s easy to do. The Europa is THE hotel to stay in and be seen at. When Royalty and Diplomats come here, this is where they stay. In my case, my job was kind enough to let me stay. So what is the history? It was opened in July 1971 and was clearly THE luxury hotel in Belfast. The proletarian IRA saw this as just about everything they didn’t like and promptly started setting off bombs in, out and nearby the hotel. Over 30 times they forced redecorations. Fortunately that’s all they did.

Today it has been massively refurbished and redecorated, without any outside help, to a luxurious finish. The rooms are compact, but full of good things like supersoft beds, great monsoon showers and flat-screen TV’s. Yep, I have pictures of all that!

This 4-star hotel has 240 bedrooms, including the 56 Executive Suites. If you simply must work, you also get WiFi internet access.

Each room has:
International direct dial telephone
Room service available (7.00am - 2.00am)
Tea & coffee making facilities
Trouser presses or irons & ironing boards
Hair dryer
Laundry & dry-cleaning available
Fantastic soap & shampoos in your bathroom
Lots of huge fluffy white towels

Please note: The Gym facilities are elsewhere and keep short hours, ask for details

You get:
• A great nights sleep
• A fantastic buffet breakfast that will fill you up for the day
• You are in THE hotel!
• Great lounge bar that’s a real nightspot
• Free newspapers, magazines and maps in the lobby

The Parador Guesthouse: Guesthouse close to City Centre

by arty_girl

I've never stayed at The Parador due to living in the City already. However, I'm very familiar with it and would recommend a stay there. The rooms are cleaned each day, there are tea and coffee facilities and various sizes of rooms. The owner, Pete is a gem- an absolute character and keen to befriend! You get what you pay for, it has basic ammenities but is clean. For me, cleanliness is important and if you're looking for somewhere that isn't necessarily luxurious, this is a good place to stay. They also serve food downstairs in the bar- very yummy potato wedges/chips, I'd recommend them!

Not in the busy city centre but close enough for you to hop on a bus and be at queens university within 5 minute or the city centre within 10 mins. It's also got very friendly staff

Culloden resort: Leading five star place

by sourbugger

This five-star hotel stands just outside Holywood, about six miles out of the Centre of Belfast on the way to Bangor.

It certainly earns it's five star status with good facilities, views over the city, fine dining and all the works you would expect.

The core of the hotel is the former Bishops' Palace. It was good of him to live in such humble surroundings, with sixteen bedrooms, nine reception rooms and a ballroom looking down over the great unwashed of East Belfast.

The hotel builds on this sense of history with it's rather corny strapline on 'Built for a Bishop, fit for a king'. Despite this appauling line the hotel manages to pull of the rather neat trick of being luxurious without being ostentatious.

A superb breakfast, with little touches that I approved of : a free shot of a whiskey to add to your morning porridge, for example.

The 'North Down' musuli was also good, despite the fact that nobody had heard of musuli in Belast until about six years ago. So quite how they can claim it some local hand-made delicacy is way beyond my ken.

Wellington Park Hotel: Wellington Park Hotel

by arty_girl

The Mooney family run many hotels and pubs around Belfast and also own this hotel. Like any hotel in Belfast, I haven't stayed in it (I live here so I have no need to). However, I can tell you that it is a well known hotel and is reputable. It is described on it's website as renowned for its state-of-the-art conference and business centre as well as its trendy Arts Café lounge, elegant restaurant and spacious bedrooms. Very close to motorways and the main roads. Also situated in the main university area of Belfast (which is just over a 5 minute walk from the main city centre)

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Credit Cards Accepted
Room Service
Open All Year
Local links
TV in Rooms
Night Porter
Conference/Business Facilities

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Northern Ireland Hotels

287 Hotels

Other Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

Linen House Hostel Belfast NI: Old,smelly,party house,rude desk chap

Belfast International Youth Hostel

Derry City Independent Hostel

Sheep Island View Hostel, Ballintoy

Vagabonds hostel in Belfast

SLIEVE DONARD HOTEL: HOT AS HELL - AND THAT'S NOT THE SAUNA

EUROPA HOTEL (BELFAST): THE MOST BOMBED HOTEL IN EUROPE

The Parador Guesthouse: Guesthouse close to City Centre

Culloden resort: Leading five star place

Wellington Park Hotel: Wellington Park Hotel

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Questions and Answers