Stayed in Galway for a week during a conference for work and was traveling with my wife. We had a standard double room. The hotel staff were very outgoing and helpful. Everyone was very nice to deal with and the hotel gladly stored our baggage and made a room available prior to normal check in following our arrival on an overnight flight from the states. Front desk staff helped us with directions and restaurant reservations on more than one occasion. The common use areas are smartly appointed in modern decor, very clean, and provide a comfortable place to have conversation, read the paper, or wait for friends.
The room was well appointed and adequate. I appreciated that we had a desk as well as an easy chair. We left the windows open frequently as the room could get a bit warm during sunny weather but I wouldn't dare complain about the amount of sunny days we had on our trip. The television was circa 1990 and the channel selection was fairly limited with a few basic RTE and BBC selections, but it was of little consequence as we spent little time watching TV. We headed pubs to watch EPL and champion's league matches. The bed and linens were comfortable enough. There were ample pillows. The washroom was clean and similarly well appointed. Ample hot water was available in the bath and water pressure was average.
WiFi was available in the rooms and easy enough to use with the access information provided on check in. There is only one common use computer terminal in the hotel and it was in use very often.
The morning breakfast options were stellar and really a highlight of the hotel. I already miss having the components of an Irish breakfast now that I've returned home.
We did not dine in the restaurant but did get take away one evening. The food was fine, though better lunch and dinner options exist within a short walk from the hotel. The pub was friendly and usually filled with rousing conversation but better options exist within the immediate area. In a pinch, both will do, but I'd recommend heading into the city centre for other options.
The hotel is a short walk past the docks to get to the city centre. My wife and I appreciated this fact, though some travellers may not. The hotel does not have an on premise convienience shop to my knowledge, so we would often bring back snacks from stores and shops a short distance away. An extensive shopping center is less than 5 minutes walk from the hotel. Our room type did not have an en suite refrigerator but did include the aforementioned television, a tea kettle, trouser press, iron and iron board. There was sufficient closet room to hang clothing, though there was little drawer space to completely unpack for a week's stay.
If there was any sizable complaint that I could register it would be that there is a fair amount of noise adjacent to and sometimes within the hotel. Walls are thin and there are several flats near the hotel and adjacent to the car park. We were on the back side of the hotel, so I cannot speak to ambient noise from the street or docks. We heard several folks out having a good time on the weekend, including the couple in the adjacent room (I now unfortunately know all too much about how much Alan loves his girlfriend as he kept professing it at 0300). We could also hear casual conversations in the morning coming from adjacent rooms and the hallway To be fair, this is, I think enevitable in most smaller hotels which I would categorise this as. My wife and are are good sports and tended to just laugh the noise off or put in ear plugs if it persisted for too long. We have young children at home so uninterrupted sleep is not a luxury we know well. Should you desire complete solice, perhaps you a better served looking for a more exclusive appointment with larger suites and in a more secluded location.
Overall we were very satisfied with our stay and would recommend the Harbour to friends with no hesitation.
- Galway Harbour Hotel
