It's a delightful place to stroll/hike/jog and there's enough to keep kids enthralled…read more It has a great play area and there's a cafe hired to a private sector company that also has a cafe in the Kilbroney Park. We get in free at least for this year as we are residents who can choose one of our parks to have free entry. The decision to charge and hike our household rates was made by incompetent folks on a hundred k a year plus who always have free parking where they work enabled by councillors who enjoy generous expenses. We are always the suckers. No doubt we'll be hit for forest park payment next time round.

The Slieve Gullion Park was a wonderful experience. This was a very active stop on our tour. It…read moreincluded a 2 mile hike up a very rocky and unstable hill. The climb was not easy but very fun. There were two level a to the hike. The first part was a bit easier than the second. At the half way point there is an area to stop and rest, beyond that, the path gets much steeper and rockier. At the top we're two stone Stone Age monuments at the top of a rocky hill. There was a small entrance to what I think was a burial chamber which I did not enter. This is an invigorating, medium difficulty hike. It was well worth the climb.

I came here for breakfast once during my stay in Cavan and the chef who worked there was lovely and…read morevery generous with portions. Despite it just being me alone, he gave a whole basket of complimentary bread which came in addition to my poached eggs on toast! The coffee was a nice tasting Espresso which I enjoyed, and the service was pretty quick too, but then again it was 8 am with not many customers yet. The prices very reasonable especially for the amount you get, and everything is around €4-7. They have a good few basic options like eggs (poached/ fried/ scrambled), porridge, full irish, a la carte extra options like roast tomatoes and mushrooms. The restaurant itself is like a dining hall, not too big but still spacious. Overall, I was pretty satisfied with the food and service here.

Stayed here for New Years as was going to an event best …read more Quiet friendly hotel staff very nice and friendly Rooms are clean , good facilities and nice bathroom , no complaints really Had drinks at bar was quiet but again staff very nice Breakfast was lovely full Irish and cereal etc Can't see any major faults with this hotel so would recommend

I cannot believe no one has reviewed this place…read more They have more reptiles than any other zoo I have visited and they are very well looked after. Whenever I ask "Dublin or Kilkenny" my child still says Kilkenny !!!

We came here for a wedding and it was incredible. Each room has a unique feel to it and with over…read more100 people at the event it felt very comfortable. We stayed upstairs in room 11 and it was really pleasant. Newly remodeled and clean. Highly recommend checking this place out for an event or just to stay and admire the castle!

When one of my best friends told me he was going to get married in a castle in Ireland, I was…read moreimmediately pumped for the trip. And Bellingham Castle was the chosen venue and boy it exceeded all expectations. I even got to stay here for one night and they had such a pleasant hospitality. We ended up getting the "Kevin" room, which had a balcony view of the garden and patches of greenery that stretched as far as the eye could see. The place was really peaceful and my New York State of mind was completely gone, although temporarily. I really felt like a little kid when I went on to explore the different rooms in the castle. The furnishings and designs are things you would expect to see in films. My favorite rooms were probably the Bottlery (wine room) and The Buttery (the kitchen). Their castle dog, Ri, was super adorable and roamed around as if he owns the place. Some castles can feel intimidating but this place felt very intimate and homey. If only I could live there forever....

As a kid I was a member of Blackrock Tennis Club for a long time, and I have been able to see how…read moremuch it has grown and come along. The place is very small, offering only four courts with a club house and then one bowling green with another club house. I do remember when it used to only have two courts. The courts themselves are very nice and well maintained. They offer a tennis team, ladders, leagues and tournaments for kids and adults. The clubhouse for the bowling green has a pub in it and they have club events there and discos. The staff can be very strict about dress and letting non members play. It is a great little community but the place is tiny, so its worth reserving a court during peak times.

Outstanding hotel in a great location in the heart of Dundalk. Not sure how our friends found it -…read moremaybe Expedia? The rooms are super clean and they did a fancy refurbishment by the looks of the lobby. The staff at the reception desk have been very accommodating. The one girl in the lobby made an excellent recommendation for a sushi place down the road. The bar attached to the restaurant is very nice looking and comfortable. Excellent food selection. I had the grilled prawns tapas which came out sizzling and was just the right amount of food. The truffle chips are also very good. My husband enjoyed his chicken curry meal. The bartenders are very engaging and friendly. The only thing I did not like about our room was the step up shower situation. I struggled to get safely into it and always afraid of falling when getting out. Never was able to get the water temperature to be right. But it was a great hotel experience and I highly recommend.

So, rather than making a snap judgement, I waited until the last night to do this review. Before…read moreyou read further, I stand by my initial impression of the Imperial versus the Crowne Plaza. The location alone makes it my preference. That being said, my further understanding of the service culture and indigenous expectations in that regard moderates some of the negatives I will raise moving forward in this review. I have been educated by an Irishman about service expectations. The Irish are very patient people, so by American standards, "slow service" is relative. What I considered slow service at the Crowne appears to be normal service after my experiences at the Imperial. Unless you are being served out of order (which is unacceptable anywhere) the time it takes for them to get to you may seem excessive at times, but may be the norm. If you make your displeasure known, the reaction will vary from indifference to insincerely apologetic. At any rate don't expect fast service, especially if busy. Also don't expect to be serviced by one person on whom you can focus your pleasure or displeasure. Whoever is available at the moment is your best bet. Hence the apparent indifference to the need or expectation of tip. Except for the more experienced service workers it is neither expected or appreciated. So that pretty much brings me to the callouts at the Imperial. The more experienced staff know how to act, but it is clear they are the exception and most of the workers are ill-trained for the service industry. While almost always courteous, they are rarely attentive or sensitive to the fact that you are a guest. (I would compare to McDonalds employees in a hotel setting.) So the local bloke who is a daily visitor will trump the hotel guest when it comes to attention. If you tip and ingratiate yourself with someone who gets it, you will always get superior service when THEY are there. Otherwise expect the norm. The hotel itself is utterly charming and well presented. Yet it is clear this is a local venture, so even with the redesign and upgrades, there are some misses. The trim in the bathrooms prevent the new toilet seats from resting properly in the upright position, so for males wishing the seat up, you will need to hold it. (Too bad for couples.) But the rooms are lovely, and the Crowne has little on them besides some amenities. (You need to request an ironing board and iron.) The food is great and well presented, despite the HUGE variety of options just steps away. I was told there were "several" pubs and restaurants in walking distance. THERE ARE DOZENS, and with my overweight self, I discovered as many or more during my jaunts. That is the true allure of the location. Shopping at all levels and types. Now, putting my business traveler hat on, there are a few more issues. The WiFi in your room is adequate but not the best. Some Marketing idiot thought it was a good idea to make their landing page to be their Facebook page, which makes connecting a challenge. Not to mention it's a bad idea unless you know most of your posts are positive. And you only find out there is "good" WiFi in the lobby, restaurant and pub if you followed the advice above and get the tip from the seasoned guy or gal you made friends with earlier. All in all I have enjoyed my stay and plan to book this location for my January return, but cannot recommend it to my colleagues unless they are willing to accept these caveats. If only here for a day or two, stay at the Crowne. If here with any down time, the Imperial is where it's at.

Absolutely Amazing place. Spent 2 nights here at the end of our Ireland vacations The grounds were…read moregorgeous and the food at the bar was fantastic. You can't get a bad pint of Guinness in Ireland and you can't get a better Chicken Cesar Salad - best one i've ever had. Staff was super friendly and accommodating and the weather was perfect as well. if you get the chance stay here for a night or two on your way to or from Dublin or Belfast. Stunning in every way!

Loved this experience from start to finish. The castle is on beautiful grounds. We were there for…read morea pre wedding high tea. Coming from the USA we were so excited to have this experience! The tea was delicious, so was the coffee, and all the snacks were also fantastic. Staff was super nice and the grounds were so well manicured. Overall a beautiful experience