Holyrood Hotel - Leisure Centre & The Spa at Orchids

Our Day Services group held its annual Christmas lunch at Holyrood this week. The meal was good, though service took a while. Afterwards there was a music session that we really enjoyed. We'd come back for a similar outing sometime soon.

We paid a lot for a family room for two adults and two kids, and the breakfast wasn't great either. The room looked fine and was warm, but it didn't feel worth the price, and the music from the bar made it vibrate all night. At 2:30am, a staff member kept banging on our door to bring a bowl of ice that was clearly meant for another room. It terrified the kids. I raised it at reception, where the lady was polite but only gave a meek apology. If it had cost buttons, I might have got over it. I don't know where the four stars came from, but I wouldn't set foot in there again.

We popped in for a drink and waited ten minutes without being served, even though it wasn't especially busy. When we asked about snacks, we were told they don't do them because kids walk them into the carpet, and to go to Centra down the road. The bar and dining area were dirty, and the staff were so unfriendly that we felt like we shouldn't be there. There were lots of adults-only signs, so I especially wouldn't rush back with children. The doorman was the only friendly staff member we met.

Bundoran was busy on the bank holiday weekend, but the staff were cheerful and professional despite how packed it was. We came with my husband on the evening of 24th August for a light bite, without a booking. A lovely young man at the door pointed us to the food area, and Katie (South African) was so pleasant, finding us a table and sorting out our food. I heard her warmly greeting plenty of other walk-ins too. The food was lovely and the place was comfortable. Well done to the management and staff for a great experience.