Ballyliffin TownHouse Boutique Hotel

A relaxing hotel and the food was decent, though the choices felt a little limited. The only fish option was battered. Breakfast was a bit overcooked, and the bacon was too salty.

The staff were caring and knew the area well, and I enjoyed the food enough to eat at the restaurant once or twice a day throughout the four-day Inishowen Singing Festival. It’s a small, older hotel in a small town, but I found it comfortable and lovely. A handy base for exploring beautiful Inishowen.

The meals were the real highlight. The fish and chips were the best I’ve had in Ireland, even compared with specialist fish restaurants, and the Hunters Chicken was excellent too. Both came to €35, which seemed good value for a hotel. We got an amazing Wowcher deal, £119 for two nights with an excellent breakfast each morning, so we’d definitely stay again. We were there for a couple of days in early September. The room was fine, though nothing special, and the TV had only a few channels. The staff were pleasant, but seemed inexperienced in the bar and restaurant. There was quiet music when we arrived, then it stopped, and we sat in silence with no staff around or anyone behind the bar, so service took a while. On a lovely evening we thought we’d have a drink outside, but the tables at the back had been pushed together and looked put away for winter. We headed back indoors.

I left feeling completely relaxed after a few days here. The hotel was beautiful and peaceful, very clean, and the staff were lovely. The food was outstanding, and it’s a great base for touring the nearby area. My only reason for not giving five stars was the room: the bed felt a bit small, and a couple of shower fittings weren’t secured to the wall. Still, everything was tidy and spotless.