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4.5
#1 of 1 special hotel in Castlecomer
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Value
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.
Idyllically located in the picturesque Irish countryside, just a short drive from Kilkenny City, Avalon House Hotel is a historic manor dating back to the 19th century which has been delicately and beautifully restored. Featuring both old and new world influences, this wonderful and unique food haven is a fabulous option for a quiet getaway or a more elaborate celebration. Our superb 30 bedroom sanctuary contains a host of luxurious outlets from the relaxing Lark’s Bar, the gracious splendour of our casual fine dining Lil's restaurant right through to the stunning backdrop of our elegant 250 capacity ballroom. Our ethos is simple. We provide exquisite food in an elegant setting by our vastly experienced team ensuring your visit will be memorable forever. The eternally cosy, stove-lit, Lark’s bar enjoys a very strong lunch and supper trade. This comfy backdrop is awash with decorative trinkets and unique features and is a huge hit with both our local patrons and in-house guests. Both can often be seen mingling throughout the evening especially on Friday nights when we have live music. Our boutique-style lends itself ideally to weddings and we are delighted to present both Á La Carte offerings & 3 enticing package options. We encourage all our wedding couples to impose their individuality on their magical day so we have provided opportunities to tailor a bespoke menu should you wish. The jewel in the crown of Avalon House Hotel is undoubtedly Lil’s Restaurant. Situated on the first floor with natural light flooding through the original windows and views of the neighbouring woodland. Lil's at Avalon House Hotel offers a tranquil area for our guests to relax and enjoy good food in good company.
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
Mid-range
Location
The Square, Castlecomer, Kilkenny R95 NA06 Ireland
Avalon House Hotel
182 reviews
Getting there
Somewhat walkable
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Avalon House Hotel stands out for its amiable service, though there have been instances of sluggish responsiveness. The hotel's amenities, including stylish rooms and a commendable breakfast selection, coupled with live music at the bar, contribute to an unforgettable experience. Its prime location offers guests the perfect balance of serenity and access to local attractions.
The rooms, celebrated for their comfort and cleanliness, come equipped with modern conveniences. While opinions on value for money vary, the inviting atmosphere and attention to cleanliness are consistently applauded.
Location
Convenient
Atmosphere
Inviting
Rooms
Comfortable
Value
Mixed
Cleanliness
Spotless
Service
Inconsistent
Amenities
Outstanding
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We had booked 2 nights at the Avalon House Hotel during a staycation, due to personal circumstances we could only stay the one night (absolutely nothing to do with the hotel).
Arriving to the Hotel, first impressions really are everything… the Hotel was beautifully decorated outside with plants and hanging baskets with beautiful coloured flowers. There was a large carpark and no problem finding a spot near the door (it was raining).
There was a gorgeous outdoor area which would be gorgeous in summer weather (when we get it) .
I don’t remember the names of any of the staff but they were all amazing. Very kind, helpful, polite, professional and beautifully presented.
We were quickly checked in and advised of the eating situation (with Covid) and breakfast arrangements .
We took the lift to our room which was the prettiest lift I have ever been in (you’ll know what I mean if you stay).
Our room was a good sized double with a very big bed, flat screen TV and bathroom with bath and rainfall shower. The bathroom was small but was all you need and again was clean and new.
The bed was sooooo comfy and the air conditioning a great touch.
We hadn’t booked dinner but we’re quickly accommodated . The menu was very small so I was hesitant… I shouldn’t have been… the best hotel food we have had in a very long time. I had the soup and my husband had the goats cheese salad (AMAZING) .
For mains my husband had the steak which was perfectly cooked. I had the chicken dish which came with the most delicious chorizo and bacon cream and gorgeous miniature carrot and parsnip… for dessert I had the Eaton mess and Declan had the chocolate orange brownie… the entire meal was faultless, fine dining at its best. The waitresses in the restaurant, again, were so polite, professional and any requests for extra sauces etc were quick.
We don’t tend to have breakfast when we stay at hotels but we did here. The both had full fry’s, we both requested changes to the items listed and this was no problem at all. I also had a croissant which was lovely and fresh.
There was a very awkward (drunk) guest at breakfast. The atmosphere was extremely awkward as he was very loud, trying to shout over at guests including us, about my dress etc… it was a very awkward situation for the staff but I have to say they remained professional and handled as best they could. They quickly put on music to try and drown him out a little. They seated new diners to a separate area away from the disruption. They remained polite and professional towards the awkward guest whilst he intentionally tried to make it difficult.
Full credit to the hotel all round. We will definitely recommend .
Thanks you
Mary-T & Declan
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Date of stay: August 2021Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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We stayed here one night as we were eating in the Lady Anne Restaurant up the street. This hotel in its current guise is a little over a year old, it even still has a "new" smell of new woodwork in the corridors.
The room was spacious and as expected with a new refurbishment the bathroom was immaculate.
We had breakfast which is now served in the ballroom due to Covid social distancing guidelines. It can seat 100 people with the required spacing.
The food itself was good, we both had the Full Irish.
Recommended.
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Date of stay: July 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.
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Top marks to this hotel in their effort to make people feel comfortable staying in the current times. They make every effort possible to make you feel safe. I know it was not the normal experience but I look forward to returning when things get back to normal. Beautiful hotel and exceptional nice staff.
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Date of stay: August 2020
Location
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 sinead byrne, Sales at Avalon House Hotel
Responded 18 Sept 2020
Dear Shivon14, Thank you for your five-star review. The wellbeing of our guests and staff is of paramount importance. We have introduced a number of measures to ensure the highest level of protection, Compliance with the official health and safety rules, Hand sanitizing stations are being installed throughout the hotel, Strict maintenance of social distancing rules, Contactless payment to name a few. We have also updated our policies to give you better peace of mind and travel flexibility. Thank you again for your review, and we hope to have the opportunity to welcome you back to the Avalon House Hotel again in the future. Kind Regards Sinéad Byrne Guest Relations Manager
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Avalon House Hotel is a botique hotel in the small, pretty village of Castlecomer. I believe it only opened a couple of years ago and a lot of money has obviously been spent on the decor. Our room was nice and the bed was very comfortable but the room was small. There was only one chair and no table which made it awkward for the two of us to have a coffee or a drink in the room. The bedroom doors closed slowly and had a seal around them which meant that you didn't hear other people's bedroom doors bang as they entered and exited their rooms - other hotels please take note! We stayed Saturday and Sunday night and dined in the restaurant on the Saturday night. The menu was much more like a cafe menu e.g. steak ciabatta, scampi, chicken wings, chicken caesar salad wrap, toasted special and not like a 4 star hotel dinner menu. I overheard several other guests complain about the menu. The food took a long time to arrive but was generally okay when it did arrive. The staff across the hotel were very young and clueless, albeit generally pleasant. There was an outdoor and covered bar as well as an indoor bar. The outdoor and covered bar was really busy and very noisy and totally out of character with a botique hotel. There were two bouncers on duty in this bar all weekend which again didn't fit with what one would expect in a botique hotel. It just wasn't to our taste so we avoided it.
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Date of stay: June 2021
Rooms
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip:Ask for a room away from the outdoor and covered bar.
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.
The building itself is beautiful and they've done a really nice job with the decor. Free parking with plenty of spaces. The rooms are comfortable, albeit a bit smaller than hotels of a similar standard we've stayed in around Ireland. The bed was perfect, not too soft, and air conditioning was a huge plus on what was a really hot weekend (touching 30 degrees in the day). The rainfall shower in the bathroom was really nice but the toilet was behind the door in a very awkward position due to the size of the bathroom. It was quiet and no noise from the outside bar or the hallways could be heard in the room. Where the hotel falls down is the quality of food and service. The toast, and black/white pudding were incinerated at breakfast. Both mornings we were given a jug of water with no glasses and had to ask for them and wait 10 minutes for them at what was a fairly quiet time. There were no plates for the pastries, no glasses for the orange juice things like that. We overheard other guests at breakfast saying they'd been waiting half an hour for their food but thankfully that didn't happen to us. The dinner menu in Lil's was a bit lacking and the food wasn't up to standard for 4 star hotel, really dry chicken supreme, baked cod and an oversalted risotto. The staff were all quite young and didn't seem well trained. They were friendly as you'd expect but just didn't really seem confident dealing with guests. The discovery park next to the hotel is a great amenity and worth a visit. If they give the wait staff a bit if training and improve the food quality this could be a really great spot.
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Date of stay: July 2021Trip 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.
Arrived on the 11 Aug 2021 to check in at 14.40, Room not ready, eventually at 16.05 room available (201) very small for a 4 star hotel, After a look around room the dust was everywhere, It was obvious this room had not been fully cleaned/sanitised. Notified reception (Niamh) told her we were not happy , said she would talk to Bill (duty manager) who duly arrived to room he agreed this was below standards and not acceptable, sent a complementary drink to room, Said he would move us to another room, At 19.00 Niamh arrived to move us to new room (109) which was slightly bigger But a smaller bathroom, 1 chair no table and still plenty of dust on top of wardrobe top of headboard. We checked out after our first night as it was the worst hotel we ever stayed in. Now on to the food, We had soup in little Jims bar which was ok, but the clean cutlery was stored beside the Toilets which would not be a standard practice in catering. The service staff where all over the place obvious lack of training some even were wearing their masks on their chins, Breakfast was average Asked for tea for 2 received a pot for 1 ,no milk managed to get breakfast order wrong, Overall it was a disaster
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Date of stay: August 2021
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip:On my experience Choose another Hotel
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.
Spent a night at Avalon House Hotel recently to celebrate a reunion & a birthday. Avalon is absolutely gorgeous with unique decor. Bedrooms are lovely, beds are so comfy. We had food in the outdoor sheltered eating area, food was delcious. Only downside was the work ethic & attitude of some of the outdoor staff. We were 15 mins without menus which we had to ask for & had to ask to order food also. Only for waitress Eve, she looked after us & was very professional. There seemed to be no routine or allocated sections for the staff so our heads were turning for attention. Also, no water was brought to the table or refill of drinks wasn't offered. However, this minor issue wouldn't put me off from staying again as it can be easily rectified by good training & experience
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Date of stay: August 2021Trip type: Travelled with friends
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.
I had my wedding at the Avalon Hotel over the weekend, firstly what a beautiful building inside and out! All staff were absolutely amazing, they genuinely were the nicest and kindest people, as well as extremely professional. Shout out to James, Bill, Emma, Aoibhinn and of course all the people behind the scene! The food was absolutely gorgeous, the bridal suite and rooms for the guests were spotless and beautifully decorated. I couldn't fault the whole weekend!!
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Date of stay: July 2021Trip type: Travelled with family
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.
We had a wonderful time in this delightful hotel. Avalon House is a blend of olde worlde charm and contemporary style. It’s a rather grand, old house at the front with a tasteful, modern new wing at the back. Hats off to the design team who successfully married the old and the new. Lots of antiques and curios are married well with modern pieces to give a fresh, appealing atmosphere. We had two spotlessly clean bedrooms, the nespresso machine was a lovely surprise! My only gripe would be the lack of toiletries. No tissues, no shower cap and no shower gel!which I find utterly bizarre. I assumed it was an oversight on the part of the cleaners and I rang Reception to request some. I was told the hotel doesn’t provide shower gel but I could have extra shampoo and conditioner. (Do you not need to get into the shower to use these?!? Really strange) This quirk was very, very small in the scale of things though and I am already looking forward to my next stay in Avalon House.
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Date of stay: August 2021Trip type: Travelled with family
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.
Everyone with whom I had contact, from the reception desk, staffed by Emma or Grace, to housekeeping and the restaurant staff, were friendly, professional and extremely helpful. The room was clean, large and well furnished. The twin bed was especially large and very comfortable. The hotel is also a 5 min walk from the Discovery Park, which is an excellent place to spend a quiet, relaxing afternoon. The pub and restaurant attached to the hotel has an excellent menu and serves three meals a day. We excellent meals there over our 2 week stay! When we return to Castlecomer next year, we fully intend to book our stay at the Avalon House Hotel.
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Date of stay: August 2022
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 Peter Wilson, General Manager at Avalon House Hotel
Responded 5 Sept 2022
Dear Reviewer Thank you for your lovely review. I'm delighted to read that you had a great stay with us and found our staff both professional and friendly; I will ensure that both Grace and Emma are aware of your comments. We have a wonderful team who always goes the extra mile to ensure that they exceed our guest’s expectations - I'm delighted you noticed. Once again, thank you for visiting and sharing your five-star review, and we look forward to welcoming you back next year. Best Wishes Peter Wilson FIHI General Manager
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There are more places to choose from in the Castlecomer area.
PRICE RANGE
€93 - €153 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
IrelandProvince of LeinsterCounty KilkennyKilkennyCastlecomer
NUMBER OF ROOMS
30
Prices are provided by our partners for one room, with variable occupancy rules as provided by the property, 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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