Eccles Hotel and Spa

We were travelling with two children under three, and the hotel made the stay easy for our family. They brought two cots to our room without any fuss, and the staff were warm and kind to the kids. When they heard us speaking Irish, they tried speaking it with us too, or added a few Irish words to the conversation. It was a small thing that made us feel especially welcome. Our room was spacious, nicely equipped, and looked out over the harbour. Dinner in the bar was relaxed, comfortable, and good, which suited us with young children. Breakfast was the standout, delicious and with a great choice. We spent two lovely nights at Eccles Hotel and would gladly return or recommend it to families.

I wouldn't stay here again, not even to use the bathroom. We paid 270 euros for a Sunday night sea view room, and the place felt like a dreary 2 star hotel charging far too much. At check-in, the receptionist asked for my card details even though I'd already provided them, then abruptly demanded to know when we'd eat and have breakfast. We were told they were very busy and that without set times we might not get either. The first room on the 4th floor felt more like a travel tavern than a 4 star room. When I asked to move, I was told nobody else had complained and that it was one of their best rooms. About half an hour later I was given keys to three alternatives and told, more or less, to make other arrangements if I didn't like them. We took a room on the first floor, but it was run down, had no curtains or thermostat controls, and the extractor fan made noise until the small hours. Dinner was a mess too. Our feather blade of beef wasn't as the menu described, and it was dry, bland, and tasteless. The gnocchi seemed like it had been sitting around for days, and we left it. Staff ignored us, and when we finally got a waitress's attention, she said she didn't care and that it was the manager's responsibility. At checkout, the receptionist asked for my card details again and said I hadn't given them to her, despite my having handed them over twice. The hotel is tired and dated, the staff seemed uncomfortable working there, and charging 270 euros a night for it is outrageous.

We spent two nights here and would come back. The staff were lovely, helpful, and made us feel at home with good chats and jokes. We enjoyed a few pints at the hotel bar, then relaxed in the lobby by its cozy fireplace. Seasonal decorations added to the nostalgic feel. We didn't use the spa, since we mainly wanted to explore the area and the weather was just right for that. There are vegetarian choices on the breakfast menu too.

The hotel was fine, but service was slow in both the bar and restaurant. Breakfast was a joke: before we sat down, we were warned they were busy, and half the menu wasn't available, even though it was just a regular Saturday hotel breakfast. We waited ages for boiled eggs, and when they arrived they were raw. We laughed and left.