First of all, go on google and read more than 150 reviews. Second of all mine is here in short…read more The good. Room we got was great. Much bigger and spacious than in competing hotels. Food is lovely. The rest is in ordinary standards so I won't be writing about the regular stuff. The bad. Service is lacking.We had our room booked and upon arriving it wasn't ready yet. Which happens, it would be okay if a four star hotel would had offered us some complimentary tea or coffee, a cake etc. We came back in one hour and room was prepared by then. One good side is the pricing for the standards you get, except the service quality is lacking. At the bar restaurant (main opens only after 5 pm) we ordered three course meal and drinks. We ordered steak for which we had to pay extra €5 once we finished and went to pay for the drinks at the till. €5 fee applies to who gets steak with a voucher, we had that. We were not advised when we ordered steak that it will be charged extra. So that is another minus for service. IMPORTANT! This hotel mainly serves as a overnight stay for people who come to see their folks at the nearby hospital. Also, hotel supports local charity or some kids organisation (which is fantastic), just be prepared to see a lot of children running around in a lobby or swimming pool area. It's good for cheaper one night stay, but wouldn't recommend for anything longer than that and if you are looking for a quality high class stay.

Looking for a great place to stay? Look no further than the Killeshin Hotel in Portlaoise. Easy…read moreaccess from the motor way on the Dublin to Cork run. Plenty of free parking both inside and out. Inside meet the friendly staff who are more than accommodating with reasonably priced rooms and all the amenities you would expect in a fine hotel. Check out the bar where not only great drinks are available but food as well. I recommend the 8-oz Irish hamburger (with a pint of Smitwicks). It's a challenge but well worth it. However, their club sandwich is hard to beat. Want something more formal? Visit the Cedar restaurant where you will find a great menu with reasonable prices. I recommend the salmon dinner followed by their great apple pie. Like some wine with dinner? No problem. A good selection is available. Breakfast! Be careful. You are welcomed by your host with coffee or tea followed by selection of great Irish traditional breakfast foods. It's easy to get carried away. Looking forward to visiting again soon. Mike McGann California, USA

Great experience outstanding landscape and views at Castle Durrow Ireland definitely a place…read morenot to miss if you are in Ireland.

I was here for a wedding and boy do they know how to do weddings here in Castle Durrow…read more The drinks reception was out the back, in the garden and you really couldn't ask for a more perfect setting, The room the reception itself was in was wonderful. The staff were excellent. The food was amazing. Everything really appeared to go like clock work. After dinner everyone went outside to chat and mingle the night away. The heatwave we were experiencing made it feel like the Mediterranean. After the reception room closed, we made our way to the hotel bar. Greeted by a very affable bartender, he was able to give a history of a few of the pelts and stuffed animals displayed in the room. He was a good laugh too. It's only fabulous, Castle Durrow. A great day and night was had by all.

In the last few years I've been here now four times for events with three overnight stays…read more It's a lovely hotel with friendly staff and very good service. They always managed well to cater for the events that were big enough. The restaurant (The Fitzmaurice) is very good. Seeing that I was there for big events (300ish people) I was very impressed how they managed to organise and serve dinner and lunch and very good quality. Breakfast is Full Irish (self-service) with everything you can expect (fried egg, scambled eggs, mushrooms, tomato, black and white pudding, baked beans and hash) or you can get continental breakfast. The conference room and the surrounding facilities are friendly and comfortable. And free wi-fi is always nice to have these days. I didn't get to try their spa yet. Only three stars might be a bit mean. But I twice got a room that wasn't up to standard. Once (two years ago) is was a very small one and not very inviting - this obviously might have change by now. This time I was on the third floor in a lovely room to the back. Luckily I couldn't hear the trains on the rails just behind the hotel. But I got the impression this floor doesn't get used a lot (which is fair enogh in these times). The locker in the room didn't work. I suppose the batteries had dies. I mentioned it at reception. I didn't make it urgent so I wasn't surprised when that wasn't fixed by the time I left the next day but somehow I still kindo expected it. The heating wasn't on at all on the third floor it seems. Which I first thought is nice as I hate overheated rooms. But it got quite chilly during the night. Luckily I found a blanket in the wardrobe. And when I wanted to have a shower the next morning I absolutely couldn't switch it on. And I consider myself strong.

Amazing hotel with big roomy halls and great mattresses (this matters a ridiculous amount to me…read moregiven the traveling I do). In the last two years, it has come under new ownership which is on-site. The staff are over-the top friendly and attentive, and often surprise me by remembering me by name. It's very clean and the rooms are incredible. We got a junior suite which had a living room, two bathrooms and a bedroom. A welcome brownie and berries were a nice surprise in our room upon our arrival. I have only had a pedicure at the spa, but plan on going back next trip. Would absolutely return.

This is the Bridge House Hotel - Char Bistro inside the…read morehotel. This is our second time dining here while we're in town from Clonaslee, which is just a 15 minute drive away. The place is spacious, has a full bar with plenty of draft options, and the food and service are great.

The Bridge House is probably the biggest bar in Tullamore, and it certainly has the most prominent…read morelocation, so it was fairly natural that we decided to head in for our preparatory tipple on a recent first visit to the town. And we almost immediately regretted it. The bar felt very much like a hotel bar (which actually makes sense, as the Bridge House is a hotel): bit too open plan, carpeted floor and old people everywhere, all round over-polished feel and a consequent lack of ambiance. There was even a guitar-toting duo singing lacklustre covers in one corner, which was blasted around the pub at irritating levels. We were the only people under forty in the place, but occasionally groups of young people would wander in and then leave almost immediately, as if they were looking for somewhere else. Curious to find where this surely close by spot was, and eager to get out of this chintzy heck-hole, we finished our drinks and left. Easily the least atmospheric place I was in on my short sojourn in the town. As we were leaving, though, there was already a queue of people outside the nightclub next door, and this was before eleven o'clock! We made a collective mental note to check it out later, and headed up the town.

A pretty nice hotel in a mall with unfortunately apathetic staff, please go somewhere else than…read moreMaldron. My girlfriend and I, on our way back to Dublin for our flight back to the U.S., stopped at Maldron for one night so we could wake up early and make it to the airport. The hotel is located in some sort of shopping mall, so if you're looking for fast food options you're in luck. Upon checking, the lady at the front desk was very nice and hospitable, even saying that, although we were leaving before breakfast, that they would set something out for us. The rooms are modern and appear new, with Wi-Fi, satellite TV, and a large bathroom. So far, so good... ...until the night. At approximately 2:00 AM we were awoken by loud people in the lobby. Staying on the first floor, we could hear every word. I wish I could tell you they were all teenagers, which most of them were, but there were also adults walking around the hallways chatting like the place was empty. I called the front desk to complain, and was rerouted to wherever the night time staff is, and after 20 agonizing minutes the talking finally stopped. Why was there no one at the front desk to handle this immediately? Who knows. Sleep disrupted, we dozed for a few more hours and couldn't check out fast enough. It was terrible, and I would rather sleep on the side of the road then stay here again. And oh yeah, the breakfast area was locked with nothing set out for us. They clearly don't care at Maldron Hotel, so you shouldn't care to stay here either. Pass.

My husband and I wanted to go out for a meal and a drink so we decided to stay in the Maldron as it…read morewas close to home. On entering the foyer, my first impression was that it was very basic but clean and the receptionist though not overly friendly was very efficient. Our room was quite spacious and the bathroom looked immaculately clean - until I noticed the stains at the bottom of the shower curtain. We decided to have some tea and a smoke before going down to dinner and opened the window so that we wouldn't have to return to a smoke filled room. It was then that we noticed the really dirty net curtains that were just crying out to be washed. The restaurant was very basic but the meal, which was served by a nice efficient waitress, was quite tasteful. We returned to our room an hour or so later only to discover that the kettle had leaked quite a lot all over the courtesy tray and onto the floor. When my husband phoned reception, another kettle was promptly delivered to our room but this one also leaked. Not wanting to be troublesome, my husband brought the kettle down to reception along with water soaked tray and he was given another tray and kettle. Alas, the tray he was given was in a filthy condition with water marks, tea stains and crumbs on it. This was enough to make us want to go home but due to the fact that we had indulged in a couple of drinks we were obliged to spend the night here and so decided to retire for the night. While my husband was at reception, I noticed that the floors were only vacuumed wherever the vacuum cleaner would fit. There were dust marks under the bedside lockers and quite a lot of dust behind the unit which held the television set. Another surprise awaited us when we pulled back the shams on the bed - the lining on them was full of stains. Next morning we went down to the restaurant just before 7 AM and looked forward to a nice breakfast. There was a great selection of food available but once again I was let down by the stains on top of the toaster and the crumbs and stains on the tray which was supposed to catch the bread when it finished toasting. As it was so early in the morning and we were the only guests in the restaurant at the time, I can only assume that the toaster and tray are rarely if ever cleaned. The breakfast wasn't up to standard either. The cereals were fine but unfortunately the fry was cold.

Ever stayed the night in a legit castle from the 1200s? We hadn't either until we came here! It's…read morethe crossover the history and comfort, and was just plain awesome! Located in Kinnity county, this castle sits atop a hill just below the Sleeve Bloom mountains. You drive through woods, turn a soft corner and BOOM, there's the castle. It's magnificent! Old Gothic style, dungeon and all. The castle is equally beautiful inside. There are dozens of rooms inside, all at different levels of the castle. We stayed in a big room up top. The view is the grounds out front was beautiful - a huge field, surrounded by woods and containing a ton of deer that just seem to hang out. The bed was huge - two queens side by side, so we slept 4 across (and one on the floor) and had plenty of room for everyone. There are four spots to eat on site. A nice restaurant, and three bars including one in the library, one in the dungeon and one outside. The grounds were magnificent. There are miles of trails out back, tons of small structures to explore outside, a lovely courtyard that housed an abbey and even a sport court for those so inclined. We also had afternoon tea in the front room. A wonderful experience with nice tea and lovely little sandwiches/cakes. They don't give it away, but it was less expensive than a nice spot in Dublin. All in all, this was a homerun! It's something we'll do again in the future and you should do if you're in the area!

We were unfortunately only able to stay one night in the castle but it was one of the best…read moreexperiences I've ever had in terms of lodging. We stayed in the Butler room. It was huge! Our view overlooked the deer and the horses. The room was clean and of the utmost quality. The service at the hotel was exceptional. We had great conversations with the staff. The breakfast was good. The dungeon bar was delightful. Touring the grounds was a pleasure. My son and his wife enjoyed the horseback riding. This is a must-stay for any vacation in Ireland. Amazing!!!!!

What a delightful hotel; friendly and attentive staff. My room key needed to be reactivated daily…read more Nice rooms; I appreciate having the option of a shower or bath. Most hotels offer shower only rooms after remodeling. Breakfast in the hotel was amazing; included fresh fruits and juices, the traditional Irish entrees or you could opt for pancakes. Every meal includes potatoes; good potatoes. Something special about this hotel is the lavender balm. I meant to request more before I left. You rub this on your wrists or neck before bed and it is supposed to relax you and promote better sleep. It smells so good.

I stayed for a conference for three in the hotel and overall spent over €1000 with them. The is…read moreokay not on the cheaper scale of things when I was checking out I realised that I had a puncture and I went into and asked the gentleman if somebody could help me change the tire I was told that they were not insured and that I should contact my insurance company. I asked him are there any decent people left in Ireland and I was given a snigger as a reply. I'm quite disappointed that I was treated like this customer service and a small budget compassion needs to be addressed by Management. I am in the hospitality business myself and if any of my staff treat any customer with such coldness and lack of concern, I would be deeply upset. the first that people see on arrival and departure and I really feel that this gentleman has left down my overall experience shall I say is not the best.

Kilkea Hotel is a spectacular and beautiful property. The renovations to turn it into a hotel…read moreinclude some modern amenities but keep a lot of the historical charm of the property which I appreciated. We had one castle room and one carriage room for our stay. Both rooms were quaint and well maintained. The gardens around the property are gorgeous and wonderful to explore during nice weather. The only thing to note is that in off-season the main restaurant is only open on the weekends and the tea service is not available during the week. While we enjoyed the food at Hermione's, the day we stayed there was a group event closing the main restaurant so we had to eat in the bar area. Most of the activities are off the property which wasn't very clear as we approached the date of our stay. We ended up visiting the National Stud Farm (about 30 minutes drive) and the clay pigeon shooting (about 40 minutes drive). Highly recommend both activities and really appreciate the staff helping us arrange these activities. The downstairs bar area is open late with a delicious charcuterie and board games are available to use by the fireplace which was a fun way to spend the later evening hours. Highly recommend staying at Kilkea Castle Hotel!

The castle was amazing!!! From the wonderful staff to the tasty breakfast and delicious pints. From…read morethe moment we stepped on property to the moment we departed. It was first class. The property itself is stunning. Plenty to do between golf, the spa, the gym, bird flying, walking around and great food plus drinks. We made the 30 minute ride to the outlet malls and loved that also. The proper Irish breakfast to start everyday was amazing! I wish they would bring that to the states. Thanks again for the hospitality! Cheers

This is a fine hotel, but with a little investment the Abbeyleix Manor Hotel could be a grand…read morehotel. The room we got spacious and comfortable room. At first glance it also looked the part of a luxurious hotel bedroom. However, a few things we noticed took the sheen off the room: Long cracks running up the wall and ceiling The counter in the bathroom had a big chip in it The handle that switches the water to run from bath taps to the shower was gone (there was a stub that worked mind you, it just looked terrible) I was very impressed with the banquet room; it was decorated perfectly for the occasion I was there for, a wedding reception. All the staff at the Abbeyleix Manor Hotel were extremely helpful and friendly. In the morning at breakfast they promptly brought things to our table that they just run out of at the hot food counter. The food was nice; from the finger food at the drinks reception, to the buffet and then the breakfast the next morning.

I've given this place 4 stars but almost gave it 5…read more There are a few issues, its obviously in need of a few repairs. Nothing major admittedly but there were a few cracks and things not quite perfect the carpet in the room had a few stains. However the place is excellent. The staff and bar staff are really friendly, the rooms are very good value. The room we had was massive, it had two double beds in it and still had room to wander around. The bar is really nice and generally it looks great a really nice hotel out of Dublin. We attended a wedding here and the room for the wedding was really good and could easily hold 120-130 people. There are toilets everywhere as well and bars in all the right places. Add to this free ( good ) wifi and a quiet nights sleep as well its a great place to stay if you are in the area. Excellent.

The rooms in this hotel are outdated, however when we were here they were in the middle of…read morerenovating the rooms. The front lobby, sitting area, coffee/Tea area, and restaurant areas were updated and very nice. The front staff very friendly. The room was outdated. Their is no luggage rack stand. So we had to use the counter. The rooms are small, flat screen tv was small, and you were not able to use your travel Outlet Converters because they would blow the fuses in the hotel. The beds and pillows were comfy. I believe once the rooms are renovated this will be a very nice hotel to stay on. The breakfast was really good. Everything we had was good. It was an Irish Breakfast and buffet style, pastries, yogurt, fruit, cereal, juices, and so forth.

The reception area in this hotel is great, not just the desk bit but the whole front of the hotel,…read moreits huge and there are loads of seats where you can sit about for a chat or just rest while you're waiting for someone else. This is a feature that carries on throughout the hotel, outside all of the meeting rooms there are nice large seating areas. I think this is great when you are at an event but you wanted a small mini meeting with another participant, gives you lots of room but privacy at the same time. I had to mention that first because it is the bit of the hotel that stands out the most to me. The conference rooms in the old part of this hotel are not great, most of them do not have any natural daylight which means you feel like you are stuck in a box not knowing what time of day it is if you don't have a watch and you have no idea what the weather is like outside, it's like they are trying to imitate casinos or something where they want you to stay longer! This has the totally opposite effect on me! The bedrooms in this hotel are okay, fairly standard nothing special to say here really. Hotel rooms can be so boring can't they!? oh one great thing is the fact that this is one of the few hotels that still gives shoe shine kits and sewing kits in the rooms, brilliant! The kitchen and waiting staff are really nice in this hotel and are very eager to please while you are dining. The reception and other staff however I have found are the total opposite, I thought that the reception staff were a bit untidy looking to start with (am I being too pernickety?) and when i had any requests they were not to helpful at all! ( i will say though the guy dedicated to ourevent was really great)At one particular event the heating in the room was mental, it was like being in the arctic one minute and then suddenly you were trekking through the Sahara, the reception staff were looking at me like I was a complete nuisance, maybe I was but we were not going to pay lots of money for an inferior room, no siree! There is a new wing to this hotel which i will get to test out later this month, hopefully it is better than the old part of the hotel, I hear it has natural light anyway, I'll be back with an updated review and hopefully la few more stars!