Armorica

We were just trying to find somewhere for dinner and came across this place by chance. What a find! The hooker caught beer battered haddock and chips I had was fantastic, and the service and food were both great. For anyone unsure, a hooker is a traditional sailing boat used around Galway. It was a little expensive, like most food in Ireland, but the quality was very good. I really couldn’t fault it.

Breakfast was the best part of our stay, though it came from the Italian restaurant next door, not the hotel. Check-in was smooth, but I still had to ask for my key. The girl at the counter could use some hospitality training and professionalism. She seemed to hate her job, and us, whenever we came in. We had a larger room with two separate beds, which made the layout awkward and the room uninviting. The bed wasn’t comfortable either. The bathroom had what we needed, but the shower screen didn’t stop water from flooding the floor. Parking was odd, tight, and there weren’t enough spaces for all the guests. Restaurant customers also use the lot. There’s a great pub next door, though Ireland has great pubs everywhere. I booked this as the most affordable option near Galway, and it was simply a very cheap hotel. I wouldn’t recommend it, as I think there are better alternatives.

As we were heading to dinner, a person who said he owned the building confronted us aggressively and told us the car park was only for customers, so we had to move our car. We showed that we were hotel guests. He didn’t apologize until we pointed that out, then continued to act aggressively. He ignored me through the whole exchange and spoke only to my male partner. I made a formal complaint about how distressing this was. Staff replied to my emails quickly, but took no action and offered only empty words. As an Irish person who loves travelling, I’m proud that Ireland is known as the land of 1,000 welcomes, but we didn’t get one here. After this, we were put off spending any more time on the premises than necessary. We would have refunded our room there and then if we could. Very disappointed with how this was handled, and I wouldn’t recommend it. I can’t comment on the restaurant or bar attached to the business.

The attitude put me off. I paid €168 for a room, and the bathroom had to be shared with other guests and anyone from the pub. No thanks. I went to the maldron hotel instead and got a better room for €133, with a pool too. Big difference. I hate leaving bad reviews, but I didn’t enjoy the experience.