26.02.28My stay was at a much more affordable rate than typical, due to agent loyalty discounts & staying on two very quiet weeknights near the end of winter.
I'd still say my rate was overpriced, but the hotel is usually very to wildly overpriced. After staying I just happened to look at some early spring weeknight rates. They're incredibly high for this same placeI justvisited. Still months before summer, would literally be double what I paid, which again I thought already overpriced for my experience.
The draw to me was the facilities - claimed pool, jacuzzi, sauna, steam. The jacuzzi is not going, seems to have been retired for good. Pool, steam room & sauna were working but things in the place are not in a good way. The showers by the facilities didn't work - though signs say to shower when you sauna - and I was told of the changing room showers (around ten), roughly 1 works OK (just OK) and another might do. I was lucky on try two.
As I relaxed on a plastic lounger after sauna, moisture dropped from the ceiling and into my eye. Last time I was here there was black mould all over the ceiling. It has been cleaned away visibly and I just hope there weren't traces which got into my eye.
I don't know if true but I was told a new group bought the place & leisure facilities are to close for renovation soon. From experience this can send prices even higher, as many hotels everywhere move from standalone businesses to parts of investment portfolios.
The room was a typical tourist 3 to 4 star, chain-type hotel room - very clean but with no heating on whatsoever from arrival to departure. The radiator said try turning the nob both ways, but neither worked. The outdoor temps were warm for winter - 12 degrees - but I'd to spend any time in the room with lounge wear on, under the bed covers.
Breakfast is continental - cereal, bread, croissant, packaged cheese (nice), packaged spreads, plus typical Ulster traditional cooked incl mushrooms & black pud. Also a fruit bowl and yoghurt. It was nice.
I was reading negative things about staff before arriving, but at breakfast and also in the bar, staff were very pleasant to me, also in the leisure centre.
26.02.05Great value for money, nice hotel, attentive staff and good food, ideal for business traveller