# When will Hotels in Ireland cop on..



## z101

I want to take my wife away for a weekend in mid October for her birthday, with maybe a couple of treatments included. However after a cursery look from Wexford to Donegal, Kerry to Galway I am amazed that these places are calling 2 nights in their 4* hotels with an evening meal, a couple of treatments (with use of the leisure facilities for 'no extra charge'!!) for €500+ for 2 people A SPECIAL OFFER!

Can anyone out there recommend a nice spot thats come down to the real world yet?? 
and please done talk to me about overheads, wages etc, as I'm sure the wages are the same when rooms lay empty.

Looking for a good promotion.


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## Bronte

La Manga Club in Spain has a 4 night offer currently for 220 including golf and you can swop the golf for spa treatment or dinner.  Maybe you need to fly to a different country


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## TLC

Just booked a weekend in Edinburgh for weekend in Oct - Aerlingus flights from Dublin  €160 for 2 & Ellersly House Hotel €130 B&B.

We are going to a wedding in Enfield next weekend the price for 1 night B&B in the Marriott €160 - booked a guest house instead - Hotels would want to cop-on!!


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## Guest128

Its madness to book a hotel for a wedding I think anyway, sure you are only in the room for about 6 to 8 hours while asleep! Its not as if you are there for any extended period. I was at a wedding in Trim last week and got BnB for the night for €35 per person. I couldnt get up for breakfast but it was still much better value than any hotel!


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## puffin

I have been searching for similiar package for mid Oct. Was shocked by supposed deals!All 5star luxury deals were 500-700euro. Eventually got 2nights b&b (no extras) at Hayfield Manor, Cork city for 238euro. Plenty of decent places around to eat out so can splash out or go on shoestring, depending on mood.


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## oldtimer

Yes, I fully agree with ''when will hotels in Ireland'' cop on. I am going to a wedding next week. The hotel has quoted me a special offer of €160 bed and breakfast for a room for the night. The following week the same hotel is on supervalue breaks, 2 nights bed and breakfast and 1 evening meal for €109 per person. Just because I am going to a wedding there I am charged an inflated amount. Needless to say I have booked a guesthouse down the road for €40 per person bed and breakfast.


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## gearoid

I have to say I was disgusted at the lack of value in hotels. I am going on a break to NI next week instead. Donegal was particularly poor with a lot of faker baker tripadvisor entries for supposed 4* hotels. Prices were way too high and it didn't look as if there was too much value to be had. One particular hotel I won't mention looked like a complete joke. Everyone except one or two posters with a number of reviews (1 to 2* ratings for the particular hotel) was exhibiting North Korean levels of amazement at how great the hotel was but none of the posters had been anywhere else. They also sounded like a marketing executive who knew the name of every suite and bar in the place. Nothing rang true.


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## g1g

if you join pigsback.com you can book good special offer for the G hotel in Galway with them. When I was looking a few months back it was 300 euro for 2 nights including breakfast and a dinner - didn't include treatments though.  Also, you could stay in Incydoney in Cork in a private apartment and then just get treatments and meals in hotel.


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## Bronte

The UK might be a good place to go now with the pound/euro near parity.  Food not so great though.


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## AgathaC

I was looking for a hotel in Donegal in May this year and in the end I chose to stay in Enniskillen, far better value than anywhere that I could find in Donegal. I had a very pleasant and reasonably priced stay at the Westville Hotel. I know that OP mentioned somewhere with treatments etc available, I dont think they had anything like that but it is certainly worth a look. I was browsing hotels recently online and one well known hotel in Kilkenny had 'bargain' rooms reduced from 400 euro per night -I didnt even bother to check what the reduced price was. I think the reality of the recession does not seem to have dawned on some hotel owners-yet.


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## rosey

you could try checking the pages on aertel- they often have good offers on for hotel breaks..
also have you tried ringing the hotels direct?- we did that recently- saying we were planning a particular weekend away and what was their best price...we got cheaper deal than advertised this way...


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## TLC

We're all agreed then - we're still being ripped off??? Not trying to be flippant, it's just that we all want to get value for money these days (personally I always wanted value for money), the supermarkets & trades people were quick enough to cop on but other areas are still to catch up - chemists, doctors, dentists etc.


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## JoeB

I've stayed in two hotels recently, and thought it was great value!

59 Euro for a room, for a couple.. less than 30 each, so cheaper than a taxi home from town, and definitely more fun. That was the Marlon I think, near Citywest.

We also stayed in the d Hotel about a month ago, the sister hotel of the g hotel in Galway... it was quite nice, 69 Euros I think for the room, split between two  people, again pretty good value I thought...


We don't get dinner or breakfast, just the room.


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## PetPal

I agree that we're being ripped off. We have started looking for a hotel in Ireland for Christmas (just for 2 nights). As we have no children and particular reason to stay at home we thought we'd treat ourselves and go away on 24th, returning on 26th. I know that prices at Christmas will be at a premium but some places are asking up to 600 EACH for the two nights. This includes dinner on 24th and 25th and all sorts of champagne breakfasts etc etc., but still ... it's only 2 nights after all.

We think we will choose the Lough Rynn which is offering the two nights, dinner on both days, buffet tea on Christmas Day, mulled wine reception 24th, champagne ....... blah blah blah ... for 598 for the TWO of us! It's still a lot of money but great value compared to some of the others. I have no involvement with Lough Rynn by the way ... have never even seen it before.


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## z101

This tread should be sent to every 'Quality' hotel in the country that offer packages.

I dont want to go the UK, and I do aggree with previous poster, I dont know what it is but the food always seems to of a substandard quality there. Maybe it's a palate difference, I couldn't stomach bitter either when I live there. But thats beside the point.

I was looking for a good value package and am amazed that hotels, many half empty still dont get wide to current conditions. 
It reminds me of how Aer lingus used to sell seats on planes in the 80's by highly overcharging customers to pay for all the other empty seats on the same planes.


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## gm88

Supervalu have the luxury spa offer of €199 1 night or €285 2 nights, which includes €100 spa voucher which covers 2 people.


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## aford

got a good deal in castleknock hotel & country club €89 for 2 nights b&b and 1 dinner
thats 20 euro cheaper than on the  supervalu breaks and the spa treatments are reasonable


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## senni

I also was looking for something a little special

I found  THE HERITAGE HOTEL IN KILLINARD ( not the portlaoise one ) has a spa offer on at 199 each , for 2 nights and one dinner and use of spa.

Go into their site and look under specials

Other than this ...i couldnt find anything remotely pleasant but affordable

Good luck


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## z101

If I took her to castleknock she'd divorce me. Was hoping for a bit of sourroundings folks not the westies of Blanch.


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## Complainer

Ceatharlach said:


> If I took her to castleknock she'd divorce me. Was hoping for a bit of sourroundings folks not the westies of Blanch.


It is actually in very pleasant surroundings, just down from  Ben Dunne's house (not Dunnes Stores!).

While I agree that hotels need a grip of reality on their pricing, I have noticed significant improvements and openness to negotiation on pricing of commercial events (conferences etc). In the past, they were very much 'take it or leave it', but more recently they have been falling over themselves to get the business.

Room fees are minimal (e.g. €1k for a large conferencing suite for a day), lunch costs are sensible (€18-€20 for 2-course) and even the outrageous tea/coffee charges are down to a manageable €2.50 per head, and this was in a very new, stylish establishment in Dublin.


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## z101

seen the discover Ireland campaign so went to their website...

For a a real giggle go to the 'special offer' link. There is even an 'offer' of 1 night in cavan for 240pps. (Dinner and treatments included of course) 
How could I pass you ask?? Well I think I could go a bit more and get a small house in cavan nowadays for that.

For a autumn nights stay all roads dont lead to cavan. Glad to see the Celtic tiger is alive and well.. if only in some people's heads.

That discover Ireland crowd should be a bit more proactive with all this and bring some realism to these establishments, no? instead of expensive add campaigns touting value where the opposite is the case. What must foreigners think when they see this.

I think the Missus is going to have to make do with a weekend in Madrid for her birthday. I'll be in the dog house.


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## allthedoyles

Ceatharlach said:


> seen the discover Ireland campaign so went to their website...
> 
> For a a real giggle go to the 'special offer' link. There is even an 'offer' of 1 night in cavan for 240pps. (Dinner and treatments included of course)
> How could I pass you ask?? Well I think I could go a bit more and get a small house in cavan nowadays for that.
> .


 
But , but sir , you can always use the € 50 voucher .........sure did'nt they send one to every houshold in Ireland  ?


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## kim

take her to Edinburgh, I priced it for the first weekend in Dec and flights and acc was €135 each, my friend is going there in Feb and got it for €170, this country is a rip off always was and always will be!


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## GarBow

jaybird said:


> food not so great? What, in the whole of the uk?  Compared to what, or where? What an odd comment.....


 
+1


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## suemoo1

jaybird said:


> Food not so great? What, in the whole of the UK?  Compared to what, or where? What an odd comment.....


 
i have stayed in the Uk every December with work and i agree the food in the Uk is not great, stayed in different hotels each time and i think the standard is not the same as our own, pub grub not great either in comparison to our own..did go to a few nice restaurants though that were fine.


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## Bronte

jaybird said:


> You've stayed in every town and city in the UK and can obectively say that we have better food here? Because we are brimming over with michelin stars and some of the finest multi-cultural food in the entire world??
> 
> .


 
Jaybird I never said anything at all about Irish food.  I just mentioned that the food in the UK is not very nice to put it mildly.  I have dined in many multicultural establishments in many countries and UK food just isn't up there in glittering lights.  You think differently fair enough.


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## Mpsox

have to say we recently took a supervalue break for 3 nights in a 3 star hotel in Wexford when the weather was sunny a few weeks back, 3 nights for 2 adults and a toddler, 3 breakfasts and dinners worked out at €290 in total. It was nothing too fancy but given that we were spending the days on the strand what more do you need?

thinking of a grown up only break now, you can get 2 nights in Faithleg in Waterford for example, with 2 breakfas and one dinner for €218, that's less then €55 per person per night

Bargains out there, you just need to go looking for them


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## Bronte

jaybird said:


> Personally I don't think Ireland has anything that matches up to The fat duck, Nobu, St John etc. And at the other end of the scale you still can't get a really good curry in this country. But each to their own, at the end of the day.


 
Ok I realise now that you were responding to the previous poster.  

I will say this though, if you judge the UK by how it does a curry I think that says it all.  Yech. Personal opinion of course.  And thank goodness the Irish don't do curries.  It's bad enough but we can't have that debate without an explosion on here.  Bring it on.


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## z101

jaybird said:


> Seriously, its a matter of personal taste and all, but to assert that as a whole Ireland has a better standard of food than the UK, taking into account the overpriced, underwhelming restaurants we have with poor service and untrained chefs......


 
Yes, I aggree with them and I dissagree with your generalities. I do access that the food is of a far better standard here than the UK which funny enough I find overpriced (especially London) underwhelming with bad service with suspect hygene. I do enjoy a BSC Burger outside the Emirates Stadium with a pint with no head on it much more than bangers and mash ala Jamie Oliver, priced £20 because they put some Rosemary through it . Bubble and fried egg sandwiches will never quiet be quisine. 
My personal taste is for good food, not celebrity chef culture. Ireland is not france but you probably may not rate the food their either.
Enjoy your currie


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## z101

Mpsox, what was the name of the place in Wexford??


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## SlugBreath

Mpsox said:


> have to say we recently took a supervalue break for 3 nights in a 3 star hotel in Wexford when the weather was sunny a few weeks back, 3 nights for 2 adults and a toddler, 3 breakfasts and dinners worked out at €290 in total. It was nothing too fancy but given that we were spending the days on the strand what more do you need?
> 
> thinking of a grown up only break now, you can get 2 nights in Faithleg in Waterford for example, with 2 breakfas and one dinner for €218, that's less then €55 per person per night
> 
> Bargains out there, you just need to go looking for them


 
I was put off by the reviews of Faithleg on Tripadvisor.


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## Stonesie

This weekend I'm staying in the Riverside hotel 4 , Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford 2 nights 2 B&B 1 e-mail, 4 star works out at 100 per person in total.

Recently stayed in Days hotel on Waterford Quay, also 4 star but not great quality. 50 per person per night, 1 free meal included. 

I think both are reasonabley priced, wouldn't call it a rip off anyway.

On the side issue, I agree with pub and hotel food not being up to scratch in the U.K. I think its the fact most are centrally controlled  super chains.


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## monascribe18

Regency Hotel Dublin always have good offers on,i have been staying there for years now,hard to beat for value


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## senni

I recd an e mail yesterday from central reservations for farmleigh hotel in cavan (5 star ) for two nights bb and evening meal and use of spa for 100 euros each....check that one out...the grounds are meant to be fantastic


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## greentree

What is this fascination in Ireland with pricing for B&B, dinner included and sometimes PPS?

I travel all over the world and nearly always the hotel charges for a room for a night. If I want breakfast or an evening meal, I have it and it gets added to my bill which is then paid on checkout.


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## sfag

I've always found that weeding guest pay more at the 'special wedding an they could haggle off over the phone if they were booking individually.


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## sfag

"What is this fascination in Ireland with pricing for B&B, dinner included and sometimes PPS?"


Its to get you to eat there. The money is to be made in the accompanying drinks if you wont have if you go else where. Some specials deals dont even include coffee and many have a lesser menu.


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## sfag

Folks - you have to learn how to handle hotel reservations. 
Best deals over the phone.
Poor deals on the net or by email.
Knock down deals if within the last couple of days and there is ample vaccancy.
Aim for the cheapest room and ask for the upgrade to be complimentry towards the end of the conversation after wearing out the clerk.
Keep it charming and convivial. 
Pay a bit extra for the special place and dont compare apples with oranges.

If you are a first timer use that as a reason to introduce you to the hotel. 
If you are not use that also - they should reward you for return custom .


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## Mpsox

Ceatharlach said:


> Mpsox, what was the name of the place in Wexford??


 
Denyby Court hotel, to be honest, I'd only stay there if I wanted a base and was looking to tour around, it doesn't have a whole lot of facilities, but it was fine for us as we were spending our days on the beach. Staff were lovely I have to say


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## monicafussy

farnham est Cavan Was there 2 wkends ago €200.00 pp b&b and one dinner , they do discount spa offers daily . 2 pools steam rooms etc . Had a fantastic time food was fantastic and staff were great . If booking do call as they offer a better deal


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## TLC

Just for info - we stayed in _www.ballinakillmews.com_ with Mary O'Malley - great place, lovely accomodation & Mary is just lovely €80 For a great room & a mighty breakfast - the sandwiches & tea on arrival was most welcome.  I would highly recommend it if you are staying in the area.


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## colin79ie

When the G opened in Galway, I priced a weekend there. I think it was around €700. I wouldn't pay that to stay there. Much nicer hotels in Galway.

Anyway, got an email a few months back offering me a weekend B&B + dinner for €99pps. How times have changed.


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## StanleyH

Hi,

Irish hotels have so much to offer customers. Most have dropped their prices considerably since last season. Look out for tailored packages, for example, two nights bed and breakfast and one dinner, discounts for children and also whether or not breakfast is included in your hotel of choice.


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## truthseeker

sfag said:


> Best deals over the phone.
> Poor deals on the net or by email.


 
Not always true, I recently booked a room for 185 euro a night over the phone and the internet price was 135 euro (I quickly booked and phoned back cancelling my original phone reservation).

Best bet is to check the internet price, then phone and see whats offered.

Different sites will sometimes offer different prices also.


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