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Lough Eske Castle
Castle, Lough Eske Donegal, Donegal Town F94HX59 Ireland
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Room & Suite (334)
Dining (217)
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Avg. €373 /night, 9/10 - 9/11
€644
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€447
per night
€249
per night
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4.5
#4 of 7 hotels in Donegal TownLocation
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Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Lough Eske Castle Hotel & Spa is a 5 star castle hotel located in Donegal, Ireland. Nestled amidst dramatic landscapes, ragged coastlines and vast seascapes this award-winning destination resort features world class amenities, wedding venues, and spa services.
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Property amenities
Free parking
Free internet
Fitness Centre with Gym / Workout Room
Pool
Bar / lounge
Hiking
Bicycle tours
Babysitting
Parking
Wifi
Fitness / spa changing rooms
Sauna
Hot bath
Pool / beach towels
Indoor pool
Heated pool
Restaurant
Breakfast buffet
Breakfast in the room
Complimentary Instant Coffee
Special diet menus
Fishing
Taxi service
Business Centre with Internet Access
Conference facilities
Banquet room
Meeting rooms
Spa
Couples massage
Facial treatments
Foot massage
Full body massage
Head massage
Massage
Salon
Steam room
Baggage storage
Concierge
Newspaper
Non-smoking hotel
Picnic area
Butler service
24-hour front desk
Dry cleaning
Laundry service
Ironing service
Room features
Allergy-free room
Air conditioning
Housekeeping
Room service
Safe
Minibar
Refrigerator
Flatscreen TV
Seating area
VIP room facilities
Iron
Laptop safe
Wake-up service / alarm clock
Room types
Bridal suite
Non-smoking rooms
Suites
Family rooms
Good to know
HOTEL CLASS
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Luxury
Quiet
Languages Spoken
English, French, German, Polish
Location
Castle, Lough Eske Donegal, Donegal Town F94HX59 Ireland
Getting there
47 Restaurants
within 10 kilometers
Reviews
4.5
4,392 reviews
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Reviews summary
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Nestled in a picturesque and secluded setting, Lough Eske Castle Hotel is celebrated for its spacious and immaculate rooms, despite some reports of dated decor and maintenance needs. Guests often revel in the hotel's charming atmosphere, accentuated by inviting fires and tasteful decorations, although the decor's freshness has been occasionally questioned.
The staff's professionalism and friendliness are commonly lauded, though there have been sporadic comments on service responsiveness. While the luxurious spa and beautiful gardens are highlights, opinions on the hotel's value for money vary, with some guests endorsing the castle experience and others pointing to areas that could be enhanced.
Location
Picturesque
Atmosphere
Inviting
Rooms
Spacious
Value
Expensive
Cleanliness
Spotless
Service
Friendly
Amenities
Well-appointed
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4,392Reviews35Q+A100Room tips
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Detailed Reviews
From the moment we entered the grounds, it felt like we were in paradise! The beautiful drive up through the enchanted woods, overlooking the shores of Lough Eske took our breath away. We were greeted at the door by the wonderful concierge, Shay, who treated us like royalty. Shay then led us to the check-in. We felt so welcome and cared for and we would like to thank Geraldine especially for her outstanding service and hospitality. We left reality behind when we reached our spacious and elegant bedroom furnished to the highest standard with a stunning view over the grounds.We felt so safe and secure as the room was well sanitized and it was obvious to see that the hotel proactively are implementing additional hygiene procedures and precautions to ensure that the highest possible standards are upheld throughout the hotel. This added to the enjoyment of our stay as we felt very relaxed. We ate in the Cedars Restaurant which was of Michelin Star quality! The cuisine was excellent with skillfully and carefully crafted dishes of outstanding quality. We had the holiday of a lifetime in Lough Eske Castle and we will be back soon! We are so very grateful to all the staff who helped us to create fabulous memories throughout our stay!
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Date of stay: July 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Donal Cox, General Manager at Lough Eske Castle
Responded 7 Aug 2020
Dear MicTaylor Thank you so much for taking the time to review us and thank you for your lovely comments and 5 star review. We are delighted you enjoyed your stay with us and that you felt like royalty. We have sent on your feedback to our team, we all deeply appreciate your comments. Thank you once again for your review and we look forward to welcoming you back to Lough Eske Castle. Best regards, Donal Cox General Manager
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We travelled as a party of 4 to Lough Eske Castle and from the moment we arrived we could see that we were going to be well looked after.
We were met at the door and our luggage taken from us up to reception where we checked in, even though we had arrived early, our room was ready and we were able to go to it straight away, and of course our luggage was carried up for us.
We had book 2 deluxe twin rooms, our room was fabulous, 2 lovely large comfortable beds, plenty of room, a fridge which is always a bonus, beautiful large bathroom with a walk in shower, two sinks and plenty of room to put our stuff on.
Everything had to be prebooked before arrival, Breakfast, Dinner and use of pool etc.
Breakfast both days was in the dinning room, plenty of space as tables were well spread out. You had to queue up to get your cereal, fruit hot breakfast etc, but there was also other hot food served to your table, e.g. kippers, eggs benedict.
Social distancing was a slight problem when queuing up if the dinning room was busy, but it was up to each individual, if there was a queue you waited until it reduced before going up for your breakfast. Otherwise everything else was very good,. Food was lovely and staff were very attentive.
We had lunch both days in the bar, food was lovely and staff were really helpful and friendly and ready to welcome us back each time we went in there. We also had dinner there on the first night.
We had dinner in the dinningroom on our second, there was a young fellow serving us, I am so sorry I cannot remember your name, but the service was excellent, nothing was a problem.
We thoroughly enjoyed our stay in Lough Eske, and hope to get back sometime soon.
On Covid, very little mask wearing, but this was before the wearing of masks became compulsory if indoors, as mentioned earlier, queuing for breakfaxt, but apart from that everything else was well catered for, plenty of hand sanitisation etc.
As there are no brochures on show, and you are interested in doing some walking, ask at reception for a brochure on walks in the area. You won't be disappointed.
We were met at the door and our luggage taken from us up to reception where we checked in, even though we had arrived early, our room was ready and we were able to go to it straight away, and of course our luggage was carried up for us.
We had book 2 deluxe twin rooms, our room was fabulous, 2 lovely large comfortable beds, plenty of room, a fridge which is always a bonus, beautiful large bathroom with a walk in shower, two sinks and plenty of room to put our stuff on.
Everything had to be prebooked before arrival, Breakfast, Dinner and use of pool etc.
Breakfast both days was in the dinning room, plenty of space as tables were well spread out. You had to queue up to get your cereal, fruit hot breakfast etc, but there was also other hot food served to your table, e.g. kippers, eggs benedict.
Social distancing was a slight problem when queuing up if the dinning room was busy, but it was up to each individual, if there was a queue you waited until it reduced before going up for your breakfast. Otherwise everything else was very good,. Food was lovely and staff were very attentive.
We had lunch both days in the bar, food was lovely and staff were really helpful and friendly and ready to welcome us back each time we went in there. We also had dinner there on the first night.
We had dinner in the dinningroom on our second, there was a young fellow serving us, I am so sorry I cannot remember your name, but the service was excellent, nothing was a problem.
We thoroughly enjoyed our stay in Lough Eske, and hope to get back sometime soon.
On Covid, very little mask wearing, but this was before the wearing of masks became compulsory if indoors, as mentioned earlier, queuing for breakfaxt, but apart from that everything else was well catered for, plenty of hand sanitisation etc.
As there are no brochures on show, and you are interested in doing some walking, ask at reception for a brochure on walks in the area. You won't be disappointed.
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Date of stay: July 2020
Rooms
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Donal Cox, General Manager at Lough Eske Castle
Responded 5 Aug 2020
Dear Maeve939, Many thanks for choosing to stay at Lough Eske Castle and for your 5-star rating. I am absolutely delighted to read that you and your party thoroughly enjoyed your stay with us. Your kind comments regarding your guest room, your dining experiences and our staff are fantastic and we greatly appreciate this lovely feedback. I would like to thank you for the feedback you have provided regarding face coverings. We are currently following guidelines set out by the Irish Hotel Federation who state face coverings are not mandatory for hotel workers. However, we have taken the decision recently that ensures all our food and beverage staff are now wearing visors. Thank you once again for your very kind feedback and we look forward to welcoming you back to Lough Eske Castle in the near future. Best regards, Donal Cox General Manager
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
A lot to digest? Read an AI-generated summary of recent traveller reviews.
We recently stayed here on friday ( 25th September ) from the go we had an excellent welcome from a gentleman called Shea. Shea couldnt have been more helpful. He helped us get checked in with our luggage and then escorted us to our room. This was a great start to the stay.
We stayed in the courtyard suite. The rooms were amazing and exceptionally clean. We had booked dinner for 8pm. the food was great and once again so was the service.
Covid-19 protocols were followed perfectly, staff wearing masks. tables,toilets and guest rooms were all sanitized before arrival and hand cleaning stations were all over the castle.
If there was any gripe i would suggest a more selective menu in the restaurant/ bar and the pillows were hard. but, this did not ruin our stay in the slightest. As the title reads the 5 stars was down to Shea. First impressions are everything.
We stayed in the courtyard suite. The rooms were amazing and exceptionally clean. We had booked dinner for 8pm. the food was great and once again so was the service.
Covid-19 protocols were followed perfectly, staff wearing masks. tables,toilets and guest rooms were all sanitized before arrival and hand cleaning stations were all over the castle.
If there was any gripe i would suggest a more selective menu in the restaurant/ bar and the pillows were hard. but, this did not ruin our stay in the slightest. As the title reads the 5 stars was down to Shea. First impressions are everything.
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Date of stay: September 2020
Rooms
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Donal Cox, General Manager at Lough Eske Castle
Responded 30 Sept 2020
Dear Happiness682556, Many thanks for your 5-star rating and your wonderful comments. I am thrilled that you enjoyed your stay with us and that you enjoyed your guest room and your dining experiences. I am also pleased to read that you felt safe and assured by the measures we have put in place to protect our guests and staff during this time. Thank you for your lovely feedback regarding our staff, in particular, your kind comments about Shea - I will pass these on to him. I would like to thank you for the feedback you have provided regarding our menus and the pillows in our guest rooms. Please be assured I will take this feedback on board. We look forward to welcoming you back to Lough Eske Castle in the future. Best regards, Donal Cox General Manager
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We were extremely disappointed with our stay in Lough Eske Castle,
I completed the customer satisfaction questionnaire after our stay and I received no acknowledgment of this, which surprised me and has lead me to post a review.
During our staycation we stayed in several fantastic hotels and this was the only let down, it is certainly well below the 5 star standards of other hotels.
The staff were extremely friendly, check in was efficient. The bar staff were very pleasant but service was slow.
In the restaurant at dinner the tables were well spaced and the maitre d was very helpful. The dinner was pleasant and we were not rushed. Breakfast the following morning went generally well for us, but our server was impossible to find and we gave up waiting for more coffee . The waitress behind the buffet counter was great.
Our bedroom was a good size but needs some TLC, the outside of the windows were very dirty as were the window sills and frames, (there were trees directly outside which probably contributed to this). The room was clean, however we had the worst night sleep ever, the room was like a furnace and despite opening the windows there was no airflow, we were wandering around the room in the middle of the night to see if we could find the source of heat, but no heaters etc were on. We almost packed up and left
The toilet had a glass door separating it from the bathroom and every time it was opened or closed it made a terrible clunking noise as if it was going to come crashing down.
The shower head had water pouring out around the outside edges of it. rather than flowing through the holes I would not even expect that in a 1 star hotel. The coffee machine was not working at all but as we were heading to breakfast we did not request a new machine. The WiFi coverage was poor for most of our stay
The issues in the bedroom were certainly not what we would have expected from a 5 star hotel and With a sleepless night 2 stars is generous.
Price wise it was as expected for a 5 star hotel but for us it was far from a 5 star experience. Plenty of far nicer options
I completed the customer satisfaction questionnaire after our stay and I received no acknowledgment of this, which surprised me and has lead me to post a review.
During our staycation we stayed in several fantastic hotels and this was the only let down, it is certainly well below the 5 star standards of other hotels.
The staff were extremely friendly, check in was efficient. The bar staff were very pleasant but service was slow.
In the restaurant at dinner the tables were well spaced and the maitre d was very helpful. The dinner was pleasant and we were not rushed. Breakfast the following morning went generally well for us, but our server was impossible to find and we gave up waiting for more coffee . The waitress behind the buffet counter was great.
Our bedroom was a good size but needs some TLC, the outside of the windows were very dirty as were the window sills and frames, (there were trees directly outside which probably contributed to this). The room was clean, however we had the worst night sleep ever, the room was like a furnace and despite opening the windows there was no airflow, we were wandering around the room in the middle of the night to see if we could find the source of heat, but no heaters etc were on. We almost packed up and left
The toilet had a glass door separating it from the bathroom and every time it was opened or closed it made a terrible clunking noise as if it was going to come crashing down.
The shower head had water pouring out around the outside edges of it. rather than flowing through the holes I would not even expect that in a 1 star hotel. The coffee machine was not working at all but as we were heading to breakfast we did not request a new machine. The WiFi coverage was poor for most of our stay
The issues in the bedroom were certainly not what we would have expected from a 5 star hotel and With a sleepless night 2 stars is generous.
Price wise it was as expected for a 5 star hotel but for us it was far from a 5 star experience. Plenty of far nicer options
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Date of stay: July 2020
Location
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Donal Cox, General Manager at Lough Eske Castle
Responded 28 Aug 2020
Dear Dub0202, Many thanks for choosing to stay at Lough Eske Castle and for taking the time to review your stay with us. I would like to apologise that your survey was not replied to. Please be assured we are looking into this and we will be contacting you regarding the issues you had during your stay with us. Once again I would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused. Best regards, Donal Cox General Manager
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
+1
Booked in as a surprise night away for anniversary but wasn’t blown away by it unfortunately. Room was a very good size, lovely bathroom with heated floors and a great shower, could have done with a lick of paint here and there but the saddest part was we were put in a room right beside the tradesman / delivery entrance so not a quiet room at all late at night or early in the morning and hardly a beautiful view considering the surroundings . Lunch was only ok for the price of it but staff were very nice.
Breakfast was fantastic great selection & as the head chef ended up cooking my pancakes at the pancake/egg station they didn’t disappoint. Great to see this at breakfast as pancakes & egg station is great idea and more hotels should do it 🙌🏻🙌🏻👌🏻!
Pool & sauna were nice & very clean , had a massage but unfortunately wasn’t very good , maybe somebody just had an off day 😔🤷🏼♂️as my gf’s was amazing apparently! The hydrotherapy room itself was very good nice hot tub .
Overall 3.5/5 .
As with all 5 star hotels unless you’ve got the big bucks €€€ to get the better room don’t expect to be blown away.
Breakfast was fantastic great selection & as the head chef ended up cooking my pancakes at the pancake/egg station they didn’t disappoint. Great to see this at breakfast as pancakes & egg station is great idea and more hotels should do it 🙌🏻🙌🏻👌🏻!
Pool & sauna were nice & very clean , had a massage but unfortunately wasn’t very good , maybe somebody just had an off day 😔🤷🏼♂️as my gf’s was amazing apparently! The hydrotherapy room itself was very good nice hot tub .
Overall 3.5/5 .
As with all 5 star hotels unless you’ve got the big bucks €€€ to get the better room don’t expect to be blown away.
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Date of stay: November 2019Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from LoughEskeCastleHotel, General Manager at Lough Eske Castle
Responded 6 Jan 2020
Dear EireTraveler33, Thank you for taking the time to share your review of Lough Eske Castle after your recent stay. I am delighted to read that you enjoyed our breakfast selection and our leisure facilities. I am truly sorry for the difficulties you encountered; particularly concerning the high level of noise you experienced at night-time and the early hours of the morning. I would like to thank you for the feedback you have provided and please be assured that I have taken your comments seriously and shall ensure that your feedback is used to help prevent any re-occurrence in the future. Thank you once again for the feedback and I sincerely hope that we will have the pleasure of welcoming you back to Lough Eske Castle. Best regards, Donal Cox General Manager
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Just back from an overnight stay at Solis and have come home feeling quite deflated. We are exceptionally fond of this hotel as it is were we got married so it represents a very special time for us which is why we returned for our 6th wedding anniversary. However our stay was a bit of a let down. The rooms are stunning, very spacious with lovely products, however the mini bar was not stocked (this had to be requested) and the 3 confectionary items which were in the room all had to paid for. Surely a 5* hotel should have some complimentary items? The room itself was stifling hot and we had to sleep with a fan on all night despite our attempts to turn the heating off. When I called reception we were advised to use the fan!
We ate in Cedars restaurant which was beautiful, couldn't fault the food at all and the staff were excellent. I think the main disappointment comes from breakfast the next morning which was a 2* at best. Very limited fruit, no yoghurt, stale scones, undercooked sausages and egg, cold pancakes - the list could go on. This was definitely not 5* quality.
Also the spa - a wood hut for a steam room doesn't really live up to a spa experience. Very disappointing.
As always the staff were amazing, very friendly, attentive and really went out of their way to make us feel welcome. Its just such a pity about the other areas.
We ate in Cedars restaurant which was beautiful, couldn't fault the food at all and the staff were excellent. I think the main disappointment comes from breakfast the next morning which was a 2* at best. Very limited fruit, no yoghurt, stale scones, undercooked sausages and egg, cold pancakes - the list could go on. This was definitely not 5* quality.
Also the spa - a wood hut for a steam room doesn't really live up to a spa experience. Very disappointing.
As always the staff were amazing, very friendly, attentive and really went out of their way to make us feel welcome. Its just such a pity about the other areas.
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Date of stay: February 2020
Value
Rooms
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from LoughEskeCastleHotel, General Manager at Lough Eske Castle
Responded 24 Feb 2020
Dear Ash50London, Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us at Lough Eske Castle recently. We love welcoming couples back who have previously got married here and always hope that we can relive their wonderful experiences' time and time again. I would like to thank you for your feedback regarding your guest room and breakfast experience, however, I am very disappointed to hear you did not have an enjoyable stay and I can assure you that this is not our usual standard. I would like to discuss these matters further with you - if you could please contact me directly on donal.cox@lougheskecastlehotel.com I would really appreciate this. Thank you once again for the feedback and I look forward to speaking with you soon. Best regards, Donal Cox General Manager
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We came the week of St Patrick's day week 2020. The property is beautiful and our room was immaculate ... We were able to get a upgrade when asked and also decided to add the champagne and chocolate covered strawberries( both were amazing touches)/ Hotel was a little more pricey than some of the others that we stayed at on our vacation but we had been hearing great things about Lough Eske. It was indeed the nicest and most luxurious of the rooms that we had on our stay.
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Date of stay: March 2020
Rooms
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from LoughEskeCastleHotel, General Manager at Lough Eske Castle
Responded 3 Apr 2020
Dear mrmark75 Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us at Lough Eske Castle recently. We are thrilled that you had a wonderful stay and that you would recommend the castle. Your positive feedback is truly appreciated. Thank you for your kind comments regarding the Castle and in particular our bedrooms. We wish you well during this challenging time and we truly hope to welcome you back to the castle on your next trip to Donegal. Best Regards, Donal Cox General Manager
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We went to Lough Eske fro 2 nights during our honeymoon in September. There were some good things, but there were also a few disappointing things which would make me never recommend it. For the price you pay I would not expect some of these issues.
We were emailed told check-in was at 15.00. We turned up then and were told our room was not ready, but get a drink and they'd find us. We didn't really mind this initially, after an hour I went back to reception and it still wasn't ready, I went back again about 16.45 and was told it was ready. Even though we had been told to go get a drink we were then charged €23 for the three drinks we had, I feel like when we were not at fault and were told to do something we shouldn't have been expected to pay extra for that.
The food in the evenings was great. The first night we went for dinner at the bar, the staff there were lovely and the food was good. The second night we went to the main restaurant, the food was amazing there, the staff were very friendly and helpful, Dylan was our server and he was great. They recommended wines and desserts, overall it was an absolutely fantastic meal.
The breakfast, however, in the same restaurant was easily the worst full Irish breakfast I have ever experienced. I assumed the first day was just a bad day so tried it again the next day. The rashers were dry and hard, the sausages had no real taste, the scrambled was yellow runny water, it had no solid component and was vile. A white pudding was totally burned on one side, it was given with the burnt side face down as if I wouldn't notice, it was almost insulting that they'd burn your food and present it in a way that you might not notice. Do not offer full Irish breakfasts if you're not going to do it properly. 2 star restaurants do this far far better.
Finally, our room was at the end of the corridor next to a room for hotel staff. Each morning we were woken around 7 by staff standing outside our room chatting. This was not very professional. The second morning four of them were standing at our door, not looking to get in, just there talking in our way.
Overall this experience was hit and miss, I could not recommend it for the price you pay, the location and setting are amazing, the food can be both amazing and terrible in the same restaurant, some staff are lovely, others couldn't care less about you. At most, go for a walk around it and then get an evening meal but don't stay.
We were emailed told check-in was at 15.00. We turned up then and were told our room was not ready, but get a drink and they'd find us. We didn't really mind this initially, after an hour I went back to reception and it still wasn't ready, I went back again about 16.45 and was told it was ready. Even though we had been told to go get a drink we were then charged €23 for the three drinks we had, I feel like when we were not at fault and were told to do something we shouldn't have been expected to pay extra for that.
The food in the evenings was great. The first night we went for dinner at the bar, the staff there were lovely and the food was good. The second night we went to the main restaurant, the food was amazing there, the staff were very friendly and helpful, Dylan was our server and he was great. They recommended wines and desserts, overall it was an absolutely fantastic meal.
The breakfast, however, in the same restaurant was easily the worst full Irish breakfast I have ever experienced. I assumed the first day was just a bad day so tried it again the next day. The rashers were dry and hard, the sausages had no real taste, the scrambled was yellow runny water, it had no solid component and was vile. A white pudding was totally burned on one side, it was given with the burnt side face down as if I wouldn't notice, it was almost insulting that they'd burn your food and present it in a way that you might not notice. Do not offer full Irish breakfasts if you're not going to do it properly. 2 star restaurants do this far far better.
Finally, our room was at the end of the corridor next to a room for hotel staff. Each morning we were woken around 7 by staff standing outside our room chatting. This was not very professional. The second morning four of them were standing at our door, not looking to get in, just there talking in our way.
Overall this experience was hit and miss, I could not recommend it for the price you pay, the location and setting are amazing, the food can be both amazing and terrible in the same restaurant, some staff are lovely, others couldn't care less about you. At most, go for a walk around it and then get an evening meal but don't stay.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: September 2020
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Donal Cox, General Manager at Lough Eske Castle
Responded 23 Oct 2020
Dear moctlr Many thanks for choosing to stay at Lough Eske Castle and for taking the time to review your stay. I am very sorry to hear that you experienced issues with your stay, this is not our usual standard and we are deeply sorry to hear this. I would like to discuss your feedback further, please do email me at brian.murtagh@lougheskecastlehotel.com and let me know the best telephone number to reach you on. Best regards Brian Murtagh Deputy General Manager
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We stayed at Lough Eske for a mini-moon after our wedding the weekend before and it was definitely worth the visit. We stayed from a Thursday to Saturday and there was a wedding on the Thursday and one prepping for the Saturday. I only mention this as it really didn’t impact our stay, sometimes when hotels have weddings the other guests might be impacted simply by the increased capacity but if this was the case it didn’t feel like it so kudos to Lough Eske on running a tight ship.
We stayed in the Garden Suite room and absolutely loved the room. Highly recommend this for couples and groups as it’s very comfortable and spacious. No issues with water pressure or general maintenance despite being away from the main hotel, they are also conveniently located directly adjacent the pool/spa. There was some minor cleaning misses with dead bugs in the room but nothing major. Room servicing also replaced with everything but didn’t take out our arrival champagne empty and glasses but may have simply been a miss. The TV in room was fine and had a wide range of channels but some of the main ones never worked so seemed odd to advertise them.
Highly recommend the pool and spa however the pool did seem rather crowded at times and I’m not sure how many they allowed at one time.
The restaurant really was faultless. Food was great and menu had enough choice to make you really
struggle to pick your favourite.
I want to mention Johnny again as his energy really made the entrance and dining experience a whole other level of enjoyment.
The cocktail and drinks list is extensive however I’d love to see more cider non-sweet options on it. E.g. Westons, Rockshore, Craft ciders.
The above might sound overly critical but you are staying in a 5 star hotel and for the cost you really shouldn’t be accepting anything but perfect. I will say the hotel we super quick to rectify any issues regardless of how minor which is a sign of a great hotel.
The grounds are simply stunning and worth the walk around as well as walking along Lough Eske itself.
Thank you to all at the Lough Eske hotel for some very fond memories we won’t quickly forget and a height of relaxation we needed after our wedding planning and execution.
We stayed in the Garden Suite room and absolutely loved the room. Highly recommend this for couples and groups as it’s very comfortable and spacious. No issues with water pressure or general maintenance despite being away from the main hotel, they are also conveniently located directly adjacent the pool/spa. There was some minor cleaning misses with dead bugs in the room but nothing major. Room servicing also replaced with everything but didn’t take out our arrival champagne empty and glasses but may have simply been a miss. The TV in room was fine and had a wide range of channels but some of the main ones never worked so seemed odd to advertise them.
Highly recommend the pool and spa however the pool did seem rather crowded at times and I’m not sure how many they allowed at one time.
The restaurant really was faultless. Food was great and menu had enough choice to make you really
struggle to pick your favourite.
I want to mention Johnny again as his energy really made the entrance and dining experience a whole other level of enjoyment.
The cocktail and drinks list is extensive however I’d love to see more cider non-sweet options on it. E.g. Westons, Rockshore, Craft ciders.
The above might sound overly critical but you are staying in a 5 star hotel and for the cost you really shouldn’t be accepting anything but perfect. I will say the hotel we super quick to rectify any issues regardless of how minor which is a sign of a great hotel.
The grounds are simply stunning and worth the walk around as well as walking along Lough Eske itself.
Thank you to all at the Lough Eske hotel for some very fond memories we won’t quickly forget and a height of relaxation we needed after our wedding planning and execution.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: August 2021
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Donal Cox, General Manager at Lough Eske Castle
Responded 23 Aug 2021
Dear R0ot2U, Congratulations on your recent wedding, we were delighted to welcome you to Lough Eske Castle for your min-moon. O am delighted to read that you enjoyed your stay in one of our Garden Suites and that you were able to relax in our pool area after all the wedding planning. It is also wonderful to read that you enjoyed your dining experience in Cedars Restaurant and that you were well looked after by Johnny who will be delighted with your kind comments. I am also pleased that you were able to enjoy our beautiful grounds and some of our local walks. I would like to thank you for the feedback you have provided regarding drinks offerings in the hotel. Please be assured that I will take these comments on board. Thank you once again for choosing Lough Eske Castle to celebrate your special trip and we look forward to welcoming you back in the future. Best regards, Donal Cox General Manager
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
This hotel is situated on the shores of Lough a Eske and the driveway is quite stunning. The hotel is beautifully maintained to a very high specification. The rooms are really big and superbly equipped. Everything is spotlessly clean and the Covid-19 regulations are managed in a very sensible and sensitive manner.
We had breakfast and dinner and the cuisine was excellent. Breakfast all cooked to order, while cereals and breads etc were served from the buffet counter. The staff were very professional as well as being really friendly. I would highly recommend this hotel.
We had breakfast and dinner and the cuisine was excellent. Breakfast all cooked to order, while cereals and breads etc were served from the buffet counter. The staff were very professional as well as being really friendly. I would highly recommend this hotel.
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Date of stay: August 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Donal Cox, General Manager at Lough Eske Castle
Responded 8 Sept 2020
Dear Bvok, Many thanks for your 5-star rating and for taking the time to review your recent stay at Lough Eske Castle. I am thrilled to read that you enjoyed our beautiful location and that you enjoyed your guest room. I would like to thank you for your kind comments regarding our cleaning protocols and for how the castle is managing during this pandemic. I am delighted to read that you enjoyed your dining experiences and that you found our staff to be professional and friendly. Thank you once again and I hope we have the pleasure of welcoming you back to Lough Eske Castle in the future. Best regards, Donal Cox General Manager
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
I would say the Deluxe Guest room without a doubt.
I’m sorry but I don’t know. I had a conversation with a staff member and there may be a room in the main castle not available to clients due to limited emergency exits.
Ask the direct question by e mail to the staff and they will clarify.
Hi … thank you for your question. I cannot be certain if latex gloves are used in the kitchen. However, from personal experience, I can assure you of their tidiness, cleanliness and high standards.
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"Recommend sticking with one of the basic rooms, castle suites not worth the upgrade, at time of writing(2024)."Read full review
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PRICE RANGE
€225 - €417 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
lough eske castle hotel donegal town, solis lough eske castle donegal, solis lough eske castle hotel
LOCATION
IrelandCounty DonegalDonegal Town
NUMBER OF ROOMS
97
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect nightly room rates, including all taxes and fees known to our partners. Please see our partners for more details.
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Claim Your ListingLOUGH ESKE CASTLE | UPDATED 2024 Hotel Reviews & Price Comparison (Donegal Town, Ireland) - Tripadvisor
Frequently Asked Questions about Lough Eske Castle
Which popular attractions are close to Lough Eske Castle?
Nearby attractions include Lough Eske (0.8 km), The Reel Inn (4.7 km), and Magee 1866 (4.7 km).
What are some of the property amenities at Lough Eske Castle?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include an indoor pool, an on-site restaurant, and a lounge.
Which room amenities are available at Lough Eske Castle?
Top room amenities include a minibar, air conditioning, and a flat screen TV.
What food & drink options are available at Lough Eske Castle?
Guests can enjoy an on-site restaurant, a lounge, and free instant coffee during their stay.
What are some restaurants close to Lough Eske Castle?
Conveniently located restaurants include Quay West Restaurant Donegal Town, The Blueberry Tea Room, and Market House Restaurant.
Are there opportunities to exercise at Lough Eske Castle?
Yes, guests have access to an indoor pool, a fitness centre, and a sauna during their stay.
Are any cleaning services offered at Lough Eske Castle?
Yes, dry cleaning and laundry service are offered to guests.
Does Lough Eske Castle offer any business services?
Yes, it conveniently offers a business centre, meeting rooms, and a banquet room.
Which languages are spoken by the staff at Lough Eske Castle?
The staff speaks multiple languages, including English, French, German, and Polish.
Are there any historical sites close to Lough Eske Castle?
Many travellers enjoy visiting Famine Graveyard (4.2 km).