Lough Eske Castle

I began this review by reading some of the recent complaints. I’m not sure the complainers stayed at the same property. We were only here for two nights as part of a tour and I wish we could stay longer. The staff was exceptional. Everyone greeted me with a smile and hello throughout the property. Our room was spacious, clean and comfortable. Yes, there’s no air conditioning, but the fan in our room was all we needed. ||It’s a real castle. The site dates back to 1474, but the current castle was rebuilt in 1861. Of course it’s been destroyed, added to, renovated, and modernized through the years. The current version is spectacular.||We were most impressed with our meals in Cedars, the restaurant. Finally, a restaurant in Ireland that makes decent coffee. Dinner was a delight and the breakfast buffet was sumptuous.

I'll start with the positives first. The room and bath were large with nice view, breakfast buffet was awesome, pool area relaxing. | The negative is, I worked very hard to save for special 25th anniversary stay here. Unfortunately, I did not get my money's worth. The price in no way equaled our service, for a five star, I was expecting so much more. There was no air conditioning, the fan did not work. They did bring another. Our fridge did not work and the women at check in did not seem to care or want to provide solution. We found out last morning our coffee maker was not working either. The last and biggest disappointment was something we encountered all over Ireland. Service culture is not the same as USA. We should have been better cared for, pampered and waited on, not ignored and not seen, for the price we paid. They sit you in restaurants, take order and you never see them again, unless you flag them down. Also, there is a lovely path to take pics of lake, but we stumbled upon it, no one gave us lay of land and we did not take hotel tour, which maybe we would have learned about property more.

Our of all the places we stayed in Ireland, this was the best! The estate was gorgeous, the staff were wonderful, the room was lovely and the food was yummy. I loved the fact that there was both fine dining and casual dining in the evening. The spa was a wonderful experience with pool, hot tub, steam room, and beautifully appointed quiet room, and the staff were super wonderful. We had Hailey for a massage and facial and she was 5 star wonderful! The rooms were large and gorgeous and had everything needed for a restful stay including a cooler, comfy beds, and the ability to login to Netflix. I can't say enough good things and highly recommend a visit!!

As a wedding photographer I've worked there numerous times and it's always been brilliant. For once I actually attended a wedding and stayed as a guest, and it was exactly the same excellent service I see when I'm working. Food was brilliant, the bed was comfy, the shower was excellent at washing away the over-indulgence of the night before, breakfast was delicious and the staff were very friendly and helpful.

Me and my new wife spent our honeymoon here for 3 nights. The best time ever!!! Beautiful experience, everything was fantastic. The staff were brilliant, including Dylan the concierge - a massive shout out to him, what a top top man. The place itself was fantastic and such a beautiful setting, we had a massage also in the spa which was great. The spa itself was great too. Couldn’t recommend more!

We stayed for two nights. This is not an old historic castle — this is a modern hotel with one section that looks like a castle. The rest of the hotel is large and sprawling, like a generic business hotel or conference center. The grounds are very beautiful and well maintained. Our room was so far away from the lobby and restaurant/bar, through many hallways and up and down stairs. It was kind of absurd how far away it was. We definitely got our steps in. When we arrived in our car, there was no one to greet us, and no signage on where to check in or park. It was our first time there, so it was pretty confusing. After we found the reception, we were told the single doorman was busy with other guests. This is the overall issue with this hotel — not enough staff. There was only one person at the check in desk too, and as we were checking in, the phones were ringing off the hook, and a line formed behind us. The staff in the restaurant, while very friendly, were also very inexperienced and don’t really know what they’re doing, especially for this price point. The room itself was comfortable and large, but overall the furnishings are dated. Bed was fine, and the bathroom was enormous. We were on the ground floor, and had doors that opened into the gardens. I should have done more research into the history of the hotel, so be forewarned, if you’re looking for a historic castle experience, look elsewhere.

What an amazing place to stay. We stayed here for nights. After our first night, we had a issue with our room. When I mentioned it to the staff, they were on it right away. Upgraded us to a room that all I can say was WOW!!! From the beginning of our stay when we first walked up those steps, it was amazing. The grounds were beautiful. Walking paths to talk to explore. The spa was great. We put our bathrobes on, walked down to the spa and enjoyed the hot tub and pool. We got a golf cart ride to the lake due to an injury I had from the previous day of my walking. The food, amazing. The pub staff. GREAT. And take a half hour and get a history of the castle. It was wonderful. Would I stay here again. YUP. without a doubt!

Amazing. Another great stay as always. From the moment we arrived and were greeted by Dylan and Gerard, it was like being home.|On this occasion, we had a junior suite, which was to the excellent standard you come to expect at Lough Eske Castle.|Food and service in the Gallery bar and Cedars restaurant were perfect, especially considering how busy they were. |I enjoyed an excellent massage in the spa. The spa to me is one of the best I have visited. |Whilst staying, we enjoyed a beautiful carriage ride with Danny around the grounds and surrounding area. The weather was perfect and would highly recommended as trip out. Danny is a fantastic guide and interesting to talk to about the area.|Thank you again to the team. It was lovely to meet new team members and see familiar faces, Geraldine, Arlana, Peter, Spencer, Shea, Dylan, and Gerard. Thank you all for a lovely visit. |

From check in To the unbelievable experience it is our best yet . The views the rooms the cuisine unmatched and perfected in this gem . We look forward to a great walk in the morning in the beautiful forest . I was amazed with the spa and general features here I am still stunned . This needs to be a two day stay to fully experience the whole thing

Five stars ! We had the most wonderful experience. We came in from California and it was an adventure just to get to the hotel. We were greeted and bags taken to our beautiful room. The bathroom is heated which I've never experienced that before. We had chocolates waiting in our room. Fresh robes and slippers. Dinner was a three course amazing meal. The service was excellent. The staff was really fun. We had breakfast our room I definitely recommend.

We are here for two nights in the middle of a two week tour of Ireland. An ancient castle rebuilt a few times to accommodate lodgers. The grounds are spectacular and the service and food are top notch. The rooms are period furnished and comfortable. I availed myself of the spacious bathtub one afternoon. It was very nice. There is also a large spa and pool if you like that kind of thing and the location is only ten minutes from the town of Donegal. An enjoyable and comfortable stop on our tour. There are plenty of old restored castles in the us part of Ireland this one was worth a stop. Mark & Nancy.

We stayed at this hotel as part of a tour. The first thing they did was loose our luggage. They did nothing to find it! They waited until the folks got back to their room and notified them they have someone's luggage!! We ordered 2 black ice teas with dinner and they charged us $15 US!! No alcohol just simple tea. They ruined a very expensive stay at this hotel with incompetence and greed!!! We will never be back and will discourage everyone we know to avoid this place at all cost. Stay anywhere the staff actually pretends to care and do their job...

Lovely grounds, excellent service, and casual travel wear is just fine in all areas. Location will require that you Uber to Donegal

Very expensive and over priced. They were doing construction at the time and promised me my room would not be near construction site. Look at the picture from my window. The carpets were not clean properly Cleaning was poor. You had to take a taxi into town Which is about 10 minutes cost you €15 ( 18 US$) my laundry was done They washes my clothes and charge me almost 3 dollars for 1 underwear. I called the front desk and no one answered oftentimes it was left unattended breakfast was good and staff there at the restaurant were also on top of it ! Parking was also convenient free , still nom one to help you with your luggage, which is three pathways a small patch of grass away from the main entrance, I think there are better more convenient places to stay and this one's overrated

Very disappointing stay. This hotel is a stop for tour busses and staffed with poorly trained personnel -- definitely not trained at the level needed to work front of the house at an allegedly 5 star hotel.

This lovely resort hotel was reconstructed from the stone ruins of an old manor house. It is a fancy large hotel, not a rustic castle. The spacious grounds are nicely landscaped. The nearest town in Donegal, a ten minute drive away. Our room was spacious. We had two upholstered chairs, a long sofa, a desk chair, and a large dresser and closet. The large bathroom had an additional dresser and shelving. Each side of the bed had individually controlled lighting. The bathroom was spacious with s bathtub, separate shower, snd double dinks. The plumbing was modern, and we had hot water on demand even though our room was down a long corridor. The hotel has various short flights of stairs and various elevators. I do not know whether all rooms would be handicap accessible. On occasion our room got a bit warm, other times it was pleasantly cool; my husband was in charge of the thermostat. We visited as part of a tour. The first night we had drinks and dinner in the ground-level bar. The bar is more upscale than a pub. I had a good chicken curry over rice. For dessert I had a berry crumble. The breakfast offered a nice selection of hot specially ordered dishes and hot and cold buffet. The buffet was more extensive than some others I have seen on our tour. It is served in a cheery room looking out over the green lawn and shrubbery. The second night we ate at the fine dining restaurant. I had a scallops and asparagus appetizer and a duck entree. My dessert was a chocolate financier with nut-loaded pistachio ice cream. The fine dining room is the same as the breakfast room. The food at this hotel is exceptional. Some people took advantage of the spa and hot tubs. Two weddings occurred at the castle during our two day visit. The hotel had plenty of separate rooms for private parties. The hotel would make a lovely wedding venue. In the basement the hotel has a display of 200 photographs taken by the very talented and famous Father Frank Browne. He took photos of local Irish life, the elite passengers embarking the Titanic, and WWI soldiers. The hotel is a bit out of the way, but it is a lovely place to stay.

This has been my favorite castle to stay at yet on a castle tour. The staff is super friendly as one would think with the Irish. The grounds are kept up to standards of what one expects and the staff is top notch. I'm going to say out of the three castles that I have stayed at so far the staff is on point. They are the most professional of the bunch. The grounds are clean as well as their rooms. The rooms are up to date and they have a decent amount of cable too. The floors are heated and they have a fantastic restaurant on campus named Cedars. You will love it here as we have. It's a must on a castle tour.

These accommodations are a vibe and an awesome experience. The hospitality by all staff is the highest of quality. Shea really does an amazing job making you feel like you are the highest priority. Front desk staff was amazing. Quality of bedding and towels were excellent. Loved the towel warmer and HUGE tub. Everything from start to finish with our stay was amazing. Loved the bikes. Property is immaculate. Pool, spa, and services were fantastic. I can't say enough about Lough Eske.. it is A++++++ Best dinner I've ever had.. food and drink we wonderful. I loved this place. It was a top pic on our Ireland holiday.

Lovely accommodations with amazing 5 star staff. Food in restaurant was good and the breakfast was literally among the best buffets/cooked to order options I have ever had. Castle was awesome and in the middle of no where so very relaxing. Spa was ok.

Let me start by saying I was looking forward to staying at this property. But my whole experience was ruined. I believe the hotel management and staff think they are the best hotel in the world, and if something goes wrong with your stay, they don't need to rectify anything bc they will always be booked, therefore screw the guest and their experience. Firstly, I wasn't pleased with the room as I was downgraded, and all I got was a "we understand." Then I complained about the service I had some issues with, and I got a "we understand." After my stay, I sent an email canceling another reservation I've made, and I explained the issue and I got an email back saying, "Thank you for informing us. Your booking has been canceled." Also, at some point during the stay, I was asked about my experience, and when I complained about my frustration, I was told that it would be looked at," and nothing happened. Not a word, not a "we apologize," not a "let's try to make it better," not a "have a complimentary drink at the bar for your trouble," not a word. The property itself is nice, and they have a good restaurant. Service is not good; the Garden room was very disappointing. Pool and Spa are OK. I wish the management and the way they handled themselves and guests would be better. With the right attitude, they could have made a difference.

So far so good! It's our first night here. The pasta was amazing! You have your own buttler taking you to your room and explaining the history of the Castle. We had dinner in the bar and it was absolutely delicious! Thursday's they have a special that you received an appetizer, a main dish, a dessert, and one alcoholic beverage all for €29. I attached a picture of my main course which was the pasta special, and it was so good! The beers and wine were very good. As far as the rooms go. Very big and spacious! The bathrooms have heated tile floors and towel warmers. A very nice large tub to relax in. Free Wi-Fi with very fast internet. Will be having breakfast here in the morning. I'll edit if need be.

I am still in disbelief with how lovely our honeymoon stay was. The staff was brilliantly sneaky and thoughtful. Despite having a down allergy and them changing out all of our bedding ahead of time they were miraculously able to get us into our room early, leaving us vegan chocolate covered strawberries to welcome us and having a turn down service complete with rose petals and chocolate mints. Their vegan food offerings at the bar and restaurant were beyond our expectations and truly gourmet. We also took the time to visit the spa and both my husband and I were blown away by the world class treatment. The grounds and buildings are absolutely gorgeous. Even the products in the room were cruelty free and toxin free (most hotels, even the best I unable to use any toiletries provided.) We will surely be back for a longer stay.

We stopped here on our 2nd night of our Love Irish Tour. As our van pulled up we were greeted by the staff waving hello. From the minute we arrived we were treated with the most excellent service. The grounds are beautiful and food was excellent. Would love to come back to this hotel and stay longer. Thank you to the staff for a wonderful experience.

Lough Eske Castle is just stunning! We arrived @ the hotel on the Sunday bank holiday, the staff at reception were friendly, offered us drinks as we waited for the concierge to show us our room.  Our room was enormous and beautiful, we went out to check out the grounds, and on arrival, the hotel left us a cheesecake and a nice card congratulating us on our anniversary.  The food at Cedar restaurant was excellent, and we shared the Tomahawk steak. Tip: book early! We could only get a 9 pm booking on a Sunday night and had to wait awhile to be seated as the restaurant was very busy.  The restaurant experience could have been better, we had to ask for bread for the table, our butter wasn't soft and the general waiting time meant that our dinner arrived at 10ish pm.  After dinner, we went to the bar and listened to two guitarists playing; they were open to requests which made it interactive and fun.  On Monday morning, we got bikes and cycled around the lake (must warn people, 3+ miles and while flat for the first mile, the hike back up was tough).  The piece de resistant was after we checked out, we realised that my husband left the car lights on and the battery needed to be jump started. The maintenance guy and the concierge were on hand to help us. We are grateful and will go back to Lough Eske Castle

Solis Hotel, Donegal's foremost 5 star hotel. What a treat (Though you will notice I've given it 4 stars and not 5) This hotel is beautiful, a couple of miles from Lough Eske and built out of the ruins of the old Ancestral home of the founding/ruling family of Donegal. We arrived on a Friday night after work after a long drive up from Belfast just as the light was fading. There is a beautiful long drive way (If you go in the back way like we did) with teasing glimpses of the lake and the Bluestack mountains in the distance. The overall impression when you see the hotel with its regal fountain out the front is Wow! We lugged our bags up from the car park and checked in. There were fires lit and little rooms off the entrance hall to sit and have a drink in. A grand staircase and extremely friendly and helpful reception staff. We checked in and were offered to be shown to the room (I'd recommend this if you get lost easily as it looks deceptively small from outside. Its a bit of a TARDIS) The room itself was amazing, pics have been added for reference. We got changed and headed to the bar for some food. (You can eat in the restaurant but this has to be booked) The bar itself is great, they have a nice varied menu and we went for Smoked salmon and a spinach tortellini. Both were delicious, and while we were eating and drinking there was a singer/guitarist playing who was excellent! We finished up with some cocktails eleven Euro, 90 each (About £8) they were fantastic, hats off to the bar staff. (I recommend the Hemmingway Daiquiri - Drinking makes people more interesting ((His words not mine)) ) So after a restful night in a humungous bed, I had a long soak in the big bath while the other half used the Spa, which by all reports was great. The breakfast was hands down the best breakfast I have had in a hotel anywhere! Huge selection with a chef on hand to cook fresh eggs and pancakes and cheesy potato bread for you. Overall the experience was restful and luxurious, a great wee treat. There were just a few things that made me mark this down from a 5 to a 4 star rating. 1. There were a number of stains on the carpet in our room, and cobwebs on the area above the window. 2. there was a corridor on the way round to our room which smelled horribly of vomit. It was clear it had been cleaned, windows were open and scented flowers placed, but it didn't help. It seemed to get worse every time we walked down the corridor. 3. Some of the décor was a tiny bit tired looking and needed updating or freshened up. As you can see the downsides are very minor, but I'm judging this as a 5 star hotel, so I feel I'm justified in being a bit picky. Don't let it put you off though, go and treat yourself, if for nothing else then the breakfast.

Visited Ireland for a week and went to five castles with this being the best of the Best! Loved the atmosphere and freshness. Our room was spotless and had wonderful touches like free glass bottles of sparkling and still water and evening turndown service. You feel wonderfully pampered. Bring your own mandatory swim cap or they'll sell you one for 3 euros.

First of all thank you Groupon for an all inclusive vacation package. The castle hotel was in the middle of nowhere which is to be expected. The front desk staff was very nice and welcoming, as soon as the men/bellboy? saw us walking outside with our huge luggages they ran and took over our bags which was a huge plus and of course because of that, hubby gave him a good tip. The room doesn't feel medieval-ISH because it's modern like Hilton or Westin hotels in the U.S. so i didn't felt like we were brought back in time LoL. We tried their dinner and overall it cost us around €130 for some appetizers, main course, wine, and desserts. Not bad for an anniversary dinner trip but for a 5-Star hotel, that is to be expected. I do have packed instant noodles as option 2 for dinner hahaha! The only downside to this place is the wifi connection. We were in Rm230+ and wifi was fluctuating, that's all. People our age wants to connect all the time to friends and send pictures consistently. The wifi connection near the lobby was excellent though but i can't stay in the lobby for the longest time. Overall, our overnight stay was good and was worth it. I highly recommend this castle hotel but stay more than 1 day so you could appreciate the surroundings much better.

We stayed in one of the older rooms that had no AC, windows were jammed and they were in the process of upgrading their TV. It was pretty muggy in our room surprisingly considering it rains all the time in Ireland. Although the idea of staying in a castle is pretty cool, the price we paid was a little hefty for a room that didnt feel at all 5-star. We stayed at another castle just prior to going to this one and we felt like royals- from the decor to the rooms with high ceiling to the exceptional service at the drawing room to our spa experience. And that was a 4-star hotel. We expected more from this 5-star hotel but was left disappointed. We still recommend the castle because it is a very clean hotel and staff was super friendly but keep in mind you're paying a lot to stay in the castle but don't expect the rooms to be grandiose. Dinner at the bar tea room opened until 10 which was great but our waiter was not very attentive even though there were only 3 other couples there. I booked an appt for manicure at their spa as well and it wasn't too great of an experience. The staff was nice but the tea didnt have hot water and my manicurist didn't even soak my cuticles before cutting them. I've had many manicures done before and I'd hate to say it, but this was prob one of the worser ones. It doesn't bother me that it is an expensive hotel. But if I'm paying a lot for something, I expect exceptional service and Quality.

A gorgeous restored estate just outside of Donegal. I can't say enough wonderful things about this hotel - from the smartly dressed staff, to the wood burning fireplaces, to the amazing breakfasts, the comfortable rooms, the wonderful bar - everything was outstanding. Spent two nights here during a short trip through Ireland and enjoyed every minute of it. The rooms are spacious and the bathrooms wonderful. One thing I will say is that some of the furniture could use a little updating, but overall I found everything to be of the highest quality and was impressed by how much the staff truly seemed interested in catering to our needs. We spent a couple of nights in the bar with Paul in the driver's seat --- he's an expert in conversation and drinks. If you have the money and the time - stop for a bit in Donegal at Lough Eske. It won't disappoint!

Wow what a luxurious place. 5 star for sure. Everyone is helpful and so nice. The place is simply amazing. I would recommend this place to any one who is looking for a 5 star get away. Leave the kids at home. More fun that way. Food Is delicious wow wow.

My husband and I spent 2 nights here on our vacation through Ireland. It is one of the most gorgeous hotels that we have ever stayed at. The staff were overly friendly and helpful to recommend places to eat nearby. We made reservations for the tearoom and had a wonderful time. We also had reservations for the spa and it was incredible. The best message we have ever had in our life. I highly recommend staying at the castle if you ever have the chance. The room itself was beyond incredible, clean and cozy.

We stayed in this hotel because it was prearranged by our tour company, but I'm so glad we did. I think it was the most enjoyable experience of all our hotels in Ireland. The area is fantastic; wild and untouched. It is fairly far removed from anything else, try to arrive during daylight the first time! The castle itself is gorgeous, inside and out. Our room was large and luxurious, with fluffy duvets and a great towel heater. The staff were friendly and helpful. Breakfast was fantastic!!! I was so happy to have that included in our room rate, as it was first class!! Even had salmon on the spread. Yummy. A few things that I would have hoped for in such a nice establishment, and thus why I had to dock a star: - no porter to assist with luggage up the entry staircase. - no leisure center or exercise facilities. This would have been good as the surrounding roads were narrow and could have been dangerous for runners trying to get a workout in. - no complementary water. Other hotels have provided this, as the water isn't great to drink. Guess they want you to buy the mini fridge offerings. - our mini fridge kept opening (or perhaps not closing fully) and our food went warm that we had placed in there. The fridge was obviously old school and could have used an update. However, these things were fairly minimal compared to the other great aspects. I would certainly stay again!!

Beautiful Hotel in Donegal which also had an awesome spa. The Castle is huge and very cool. They had complimentary bikes you could take out to explore the grounds with. The room we had was huge and had a world class shower. The breakfast and other meals were superb.

absolutely loved this place and the entire experience. rooms where a good size, beds were super comfortable, bathroom was huge, every staff member we interacted with were wonderful, kind, and helpful. would definitely stay here again.

This is really a 3.5 review for the hotel and a 5 star for the breakfast. Service was probably 4.5 or so, not super attentive, not trying to over deliver but definitely top notch. The reason for not a 5-star for service is because the first room they tried to put us in was the very last room on a wing of the hotel. Wifi was non existent from the bed or the desk. It was decent in the bathroom, the part of the room closest to the middle of the hotel. So we called and was like, is there anything you could do to boost the wifi signal to this room? The front desk was like, oh well sometimes it's spotty and I'll call the engineer and see if there's anything we can do, probably not but I'll check. No statement of and then I'll get back to you or oh well would you need to move rooms etc. Note this room is FAR away from the front desk. Takes literally 10 minutes to walk back. After not hearing back from them for another 15 and to be clear, it wasn't clear they were gonna do anything, my husband walked back up to the front and asked for a new room. They obliged but seriously, some follow through would have been nice especially since it's not a surprise to them this happens if they are telling us the wifi is spotty in that room. I feel like they just blew us off. That said, aside from that one mishap, everything else about the service was great, especially the super friendly staff at breakfast who is whom we interacted with the majority of our stay anyway. Breakfast - now if you've traveled to Asia and experienced the gluttony of buffet items, you will feel right at home here. Like Asia, there's half a section for American-like breakfast and another section for local or in this case Irish breakfast. Though to be honest, some of the "Irish" stuff included pancakes, sausage and bacon so not all that different than what Americans or other Europeans might eat. There was plenty of fresh fruit, cereal both healthy and for kids version, freshly baked croissants as well as loaves of bread with cheese or smoked salmon and anything else you can imagine topping your toast with. There was also a corner of fresh squeezed juices though seems like not many people noticed it there. And then on top of that you had an egg and crepe station with the nicest chefs. Their omelet was superb. Better than I make at home. In conversing with them, they told me they strain the egg mixture - that was their secret. And of course super fresh ingredients goes without saying. Every morning, we rolled ourselves out of breakfast with no need for another meal til early dinner time. It was a perfect way to prep for our day trips away from the hotel. Now on to the room itself - the actual room was lovely. Huge bathrooms, great walk in closets and lots of space for luggage and sitting areas, great spa toiletries. Furniture was a bit worn and some pillows were super lumpy ... Like if they were in my household, I would have thrown them out and there were sometimes down feather butts poking out of the bed, though all that could have been overlooked. The main problem is that instead of AC, these people open windows. Now we are next door to a lake. A beautiful lake but all lakes breed "nature." On my last morning there, I saw an insect the size of my hand perched on the top ledge in the hallway outside one of the corridors on our way back from breakfast. If I saw that bugger in my room not to mention perhaps in the bathroom with me while I was showering, I would have screamed bloody murder. Instead, we found several gigantic juicy flies and lots of small insects in our room. My gracious husband obliged in continuously killing crawling and flying bugs for the first few hours we entered our room every night because housekeeping liked to crack our windows open just an inch daily while we were out. Thank goodness there are no Mosquitos in Ireland. Though I'm sure I slept with a few bugs here and there during our 3 day stay. Get some screens for goodness sake!!! How is this ok for a 5-star hotel? Would I go back? Not sure. Depends on the season. I might try Harvey's point or call to ask if they use AC. Also, a tip, the second floor seemed a lot hotter than the first. So more chance of opened windows being a necessity whereas in our new room on the first floor, I felt as if we could have survived without.

This castle is amazing and one of the best hotels we have been to while vacationing. Staff is beyond friendly and accommodating. The room is gorgeous and very well appointed. Bathroom is lavish with a separate toilet room, shower room and main bath tub area. All marble tile and heated floors. The bed is so welcoming soft and comfortable. The grounds are well taken care of and the gardens lush and lively.

We found the Lough Eske Castle while hiking around Lough Eske from our hotel down the road. We thought the exterior was gorgeous ... the mix of new and old buildings, the wonderfully dense woods around the property and the cast iron sculptures sprinkled around the grounds were immediately captivating. We stopped in for a quick drink at their bar and we also impressed with the interior ...a beautiful mix of the old castle architecture with modern art aesthetics. So we decided to come back that night for dinner. Best decision we made that week! From the moment we were greeted to the minute we left, the staff was friendly, efficient and professional. The table service was superb ... they were there almost at the moment we realized we wanted something more. And they served food to match ... oysters fresh from Donegal Bay, a lovely sea scallop starter with tomato comfit and rocket salad followed by a perfectly medium rate Irish Sirloin. It was hands down the best food we had during our visit to Ireland. I am hoping we can actually stay at the hotel at some point in the future, but it is well worth the visit for dinner if you are in Donegal.

I was out in Solis for dinner for a birthday celebration. I had big hopes for the restaurant but ended up a little dissapointed.. The menu was a little expensive on first view but I was in the hope that the food would justify this. The starters were very small and the presentation was very lazy. One starter that had king prawns offered us 4 medium sized prawns that you would find in the supermarket frozen section. And this was approx 12 euro. The mains were nice, the braised beef was lovely. Desserts were okay, a little thrown together and again, presentation was not superb. Service was good, if a little too in your face. Not worth the huge price tag im afraid, but it may have changed since.

Just finished a 3 night stay at this luxurious 5 star hotel/castle. I've always wanted to stay in a castle and jumped at the opportunity to stay at this beautiful place on the Lough. We were warmly welcomed upon arriving and were quickly checked in. They gave us maps of the surrounding area with hiking trails. The rooms are gigantic with a big king size bed, desk and table with couch. The bathroom is big enough to sleep an elephant as it comes with a bath tub, shower and separate toilet area. The toiletries are very fragrant (sandalwood or cedar) and there's lots of it. The floors are even heated so no worries about cold feet in the morning. Breakfast came with the rate and it's a first rate breakfast buffet with a wide selection of breads, cereal and fruit; many juices; and a wide selection of hot foods (bacon, omelettes, pancakes) with many made to order. You can even order several a la carts items like poached eggs or porridge. We'd often eat enough to get us thru lunch. The staff is so nice that they also won't mind you taking a little extra to go. We only had one negative which was that the hotel tends to leave doors open to help regulate the temperature in the hotel (I guess). Since you're in the Irish countryside, there's insects and we often found insects flying around as we wandered around the castle and sometimes even in our room. It might be smart for the hotel to install some insect lanterns near the larger doors to prevent the bugs from getting very far. I feel that with us being in the countryside, insects in the building is inevitable so it was a minor annoyance to us. All in all, the stay was great and a great launching point for exploring around Donegal and the area.

WOW, what can I say. We were on a HOTEL CASTLE tour and this was by far the best. The area was fantastic. The rooms were huge, even a walk-in closet. WiFi was reliable. Breakfast was included and I would have loved to have stayed just for the breakfast... It was extremely bountiful, wide selections. fresh fruit, cheeses, sausages, breads, home made yogurt ... Eggs to order, crepes... Can't say enough. I didn't try their dinner, nor see their menu.

I can't say enough about this amazing, beautiful hotel and their helpful staff. With less than three months notice, the staff at Lough Eske, led by their wonderful wedding planner Stephen, helped us to plan my dream wedding. Every detail was perfect and I couldn't imagine a better setting for the most important day of my life. In addition to a beautiful location and gorgeous property, the service at the castle makes for the best experience I've ever had in any hotel. All of my guests commented constantly on how friendly and helpful every person they met was, from the door man to the people at the desk to the bartenders to the waiters. It was such a lovely experience.

Booked their finest room, a Garden view suite. This hotel is located far out of town and down a very narrow scary heavily wooded barely paved road. We luckily arrived in mid day and with BMW HUD GPS was assured it was the right way. There are no signs. Without GPS you will think you MUST be going the wrong way and will soon be lost forever. Out of no where a car or truck will often come barreling around a corner with no regard for safety at all. The road is only wide enough for 1 car. This castle has been burned down and fallen into disrepair and lack of use and interest many many times in its long history and I now understand why. The hotel is not nearly as nice as the photos. The materials used are cheap though new. The staff is not properly trained with young locals trying to pretend they have some knowledge. God bless them they have little to none. No one greets arriving cars. The front door is left wide open for bugs and cold and no one cares. The front desk management are bewildered and unapologetic and unaware of what you might expect from a 5 star hotel, which they do not deserve. They are locals trying to hold onto their jobs so bless them for that, but they should hire a trained 5 star manager who can train them from the top down. We were disappointed at every step from arrival to condition of their top suite, to their restaurant thinking they are top notch but terribly uneducated and their chef should be working in a burger grill at best. We were so eager to check out and thankful it was during day so we could safely navigate out. Next time we will just find a nice home to rent in town.

Lovely hotel for a wee romantic break! It's a nice building and setting but we found it ever so slightly tired in places and the layout means lots and lots of walking down endless corridors! Spa and pool area are simple and pleasant with lovely views to the landscaped walled gardens and Courtyard. Overall it's very good hotel but maybe a slight let down if you are expecting a truly 5 star experience.

Didn't stay here, but Had Tea service, Afternoon Service. I must say the Gentleman Server went out of his way to give us great service, and talk with my 8 year old daughter including catering to her. He made her enjoy tea, I would go back in a heart beat, its a beautiful castle, and he pointed out a lot of details for us to explore. He made us feel very welcomed. and helped us have a beautiful tea service Thank you again.

The castle was breathtaking. Our room was lovely. We had drinks in the bar and the staff was very friendly. We took a walk around the grounds which was spectacular.

The castle itself is beautiful but the service is laking. For being at a 5 star establishment there are several things we felt they failed on. First you have to park far away and drag your luggage in yourself. There was no bell man to meet us at the door. We did get help going from the front desk to our room but that poor man had to carry our bags up and down endless stairs as there was no elevator. They allow dogs there and the people bellow us had there dog barking through the night and morning, I had to call from my room twice and then get out of bed early in the am and walk down to the front desk and demand they addressed this. At the time we booked they had an advertised special on their website for The Gathering but they told us it expiered and they would not honor it, three months later when we finally stayed there they still had it listed on their site. When we checked out they did not offer to help with our luggage and in fact watched us struggle with holding the doors open and wouldn't help. This was the most glamourous place we had ever stayed at yet we got the worst service. It's very expensive and I recommend taking your money elsewhere.