I truly have never stayed a hotel that has such synergy between staff. It makes for a fantastic stay. From Patrick at the top to front desk pro's Laura, Andrea and Analisa. A quick thank you to them after my wife's car completely shut down on the highway and they all became family to help out. Epic. The hotel has a ton of eating options from high end to our nightly stop Pins with Tom, Owen and an incredible staff. They know what we want before we order!!! The food from the best seafood chowder to fish and chips (with a perfect Guinness) and just what you need to start a great conversation with new Irish friends. That's the vibe at one great hotel. Blessed to be here. Oh yeah, great large rooms and free parking. Unbelievable!!! read more

See all

I spent a night there. Overall I enjoyed my stay. Location: way out. Not much to see around it, Parking: easy in the basement. Very helpful on the snowy day! Room: large and spacious. A nice welcome pastry. Very nice bathroom with interesting night lights. Restaurant: limited dinner menu but good food and helpful staff. Buffet included eggs to order. Staff: pleasant and helpful. Recommendation: great hotel if you don't mind the location. read more

We had the most incredible dinner here- it's the best meal I've had in Ireland. The fish was incredibly fresh; the preparation and presentation were top notch! read more

The Twelve Hotel - Pan seared cod - Hotels Near Me - Barna Village, G

I'm from the US and have been planning my Irish elopement since Covid canceled my wedding, twice. I did a ton of research and found The Twelve and West. Both were extremely highly rated, and even listed as "best of Galway" for several years, despite not being actually IN Galway. We'd originally thought we were going to have people with us, so I'd been in touch with the helpful and genuinely kind staff ahead of time to book a private dining room, etc. When it turned out that our guests couldn't make it, the staff was extremely accommodating and able to switch our meal reservations around, despite it being a significant shift. It set the right tone from the beginning. Upon arrival we were delighted with the quirky front outdoor seating, and treated with a refreshing glass of house made juice. Aine was just lovely and made us feel immediately at home. We had booked the X11 Suite for the night (pricey, to be sure, but WORTH IT) and were thrilled with the layout and decor. We enjoyed an excellent bottle of champagne, played some Bob Dylan and the Eagles on the record player, giggled whilst boxing with Rock 'em Sock 'em Robots, marveled at the luxurious and soft couches (note to self: replace current couch with velvet couch!), and made bubble forts in the 2 person jetted tub (sorry for the extra bubbles!). We then changed for dinner and made our way down the single flight to West for our evening meal, where we were given choice of seating. Pro life tip: don't waste your money on a gigantic wedding in some wedding factory with stained wall-to-wall carpeting serving dry chicken. Spend a fraction of it on a night in the most posh, eclectic, apartment-sized hotel room, and then: get the chef's tasting menu at West. We consider ourselves to be foodies; we love to eat and enjoy everything from takeaway pizza to gastronomy. It doesn't matter the level, as long as the food is done well. Let me tell you all right now: West does EVERYTHING well. We were eating for literally 4 hours. From the amuse bouche down to the decadent chocolate trifle, everything was hands down amazing. Their new(ish? 6 months) head chef is an artist. In the 10 yrs my partner and I have been together, this is perhaps our favorite meal. At least in the top 3. It was EPIC. The chanterelles with truffles was the winning course, but everything else was not trailing by much. I will dream of that oyster with cucumber gazpacho and jalapeño sorbet. My partner said he will dream of the pan-seared turbot with dill oil and lobster curry. I did not disgrace myself by licking my plate, but I certainly contemplated it. Multiple times. And to make the evening even more perfect, the staff was beyond compare. Fergal should be given his weight in awards. He was fantastic. Dare I say genius? I can't sing his praises enough. A sherry that drinks like a dry cider? A Chardonnay that I ACTUALLY enjoyed to the point that I looked it up to purchase? All of the wine pairings were on point, and just as delicious as the food. But also, I can't neglect the rest of the waitstaff. The lads who served us were so friendly and knowledgeable and we had just the absolute best time with them. This experience truly made our special night beyond amazing. It was well worth the cost, and we are already planning our return trip. Thank you to the entire staff of Twelve and West. You are all amazing. read more

See all

We stayed in The Twelve Hotel for two days on holiday from the United States. The hotel is easy to find and has great parking options. Reception is vey nice and helpful with their suggestions for attractions and dinner. We stayed in a Marvelous family room and the room could have used a little tweaking. The beds were quite hard and the spare bed for our son's room was very hard. We had a suite and it was very loud with parking lot noise from local bars. The restaurant and bar have great food! I feel like for the money for the suite the accommodations were adequate but not overly worth the price. read more

Thank you Fergus, and all the amazing staff at the Twelve Hotel for making this past wedding week amazing. You all over met every expectation and made this a perfect experience . To plan a wedding from another country isn't easy , you all made it flawless. There are no to words express my gratitude and Thanks. Thank you THE TEWLVE HOTEL!!! read more

There's something about a love note from one's hotel room that gets a traveling girl all giddy. "Welcome to the Twelve," read my little card in all its genuine ballpoint splendor, "we wish you a pleasant stay with us." From high, airy ceilings to the chic Pins Bar & Lounge, or the detailed and delicious menu in the hotel's own up-and-coming West Restaurant, there's a feeling of unique comfort and cheeky luxury here. We started with a comfy seat at the front desk to sort out finances, a nice touch after hours hunched over a steering wheel. Once in our Marvelous Suite* we ooh'd and ahh'd at the dramatic down-lighting and rich wood floors, complimented by creature comforts including a well-dressed king sized bed, lush soft furnishings, a flat screen TV and wet room bath**. The Twelve, and its quiet hometown of Barna, is centrally located for amazing Galway experiences that cater to shoppers, sight seers or the slightly more adventurous. The front desk staff enjoy the chance to suggest local attractions, book tickets or point you in the direction of the perfect pub. For us, the late fall afternoon made for a perfect chance to get out and enjoy the wild, open scenery of rural Galway at sunset. Before turning in for the night, we perused the front desk library of complimentary dvds, picked a favorite and headed for bed. Despite the rather close proximity of apartments and parking, the hotel has done an excellent job of noise management, or has excellent neighbors (whom I invite to visit my building and show the upstairs tenants how it's done). From 8 to10am the next morning The Pins lounge served a varied but unexceptional hot breakfast at prices which were less expected as accepted as part of a weekend high life get-away. We scooted back to Dublin following a swift check out, already planning our next visit (and looking forward to another little note). * their name, along with the Splendid, the Luxury, the Funnymoon and the aptly titled XII. ** The author would like to give special mention to our welcome note's accompanying plate of chocolates and cake which was demolished with decidedly un-chic gusto. read more

The Twelve Hotel - Courtesy of www.thetwelvehotel.ie - Hotels Near Me - Barna Village, G

Hands down - my favorite hotel (thus far) on the west coast of Ireland. The Twelve is a sexy 'go-to' for a lovely weekend getaway. From the restaurant options to the roomy rooms, it does not disappoint. Each time I have stayed at The Twelve, there's a treat waiting for me: chocolate dipped strawberries and shortbread. It's one of the many reasons I keep returning :) The only thing that will make The Twelve any better is possibly Thirteen... (whatever that could mean)! It's the eleventh hour - where do you want to spend your weekend?! TIP: Look for specials that include breakfast - it's worth it! read more

The Twelve Hotel - The Twelve Entrance - Hotels Near Me - Barna Village, G

I was here on July 14 for a few days and the hotel was kitschy which is completely my style! I loved the swings in the lobby, the Irish bartenders with their curly mustaches and skinny jeans and fabulous attitudes, and the cooked-to-order breakfast. The only reason I didn't give FIVE stars was because I'm relatively certain after piecing the events together (and using photos of our time in the UK to help determine the facts) that one of the hotel staff stole my passport, passport holder, over 500 euros in paper and around 40 in euro coins. Sad that if you don't stay in a five-star you can experience this type of behavior. Yes. I have filed a police report. BTW the BEST seafood restaurant is a block from The Twelve and is called O'Grady's on the Pier. Try their oyster platter!! read more

A real gem in a small what appears to be a recently renovated village. The friendliest staff I've ever met. Ice tea on arrival, a handwritten card in the room with a little welcome cake and strawberries. I requested a quiet room when booking and when we arrived I noticed there was a wedding there so I initially had a few reservations about how the night would be, noise wise. I needn't have worried, I didn't hear a sound all night and slept really well! I loved that the rooms were paired off behind a door off the corridor which minimised the noise from passers by. Gorgeous bathroom and large shower head over the bath with lovely organic shampoo, conditioner and shower gel. I can't say enough good things about this place! I would come back to Galway just to stay here :) AND Complimentary coffee vouchers from the bakery next door on check out. read more

The Twelve Hotel - Hotels Near Me - Barna Village, G

I have been coming to Galway for a few yesrs now and always stay at The Twelve. The staff always remember my name and make me feel welcome and comfortable. They even put treats in my room with a personal greeting just for me. I would rank this among the most romantic hotels I've ever stayed. The ambiance, lighting, including the bathroom mood liights, and furnishings give just the right feel. The next thimg to discuss is the food. The West is a very nice, fancy dinning experience, but at a premium. The Pins is their bar and restaurant for every other meal. The food here is equally amazing as upstairs, but in a more casual atmosphere. This is also the place the locals hang to watch rugby, hurling and football (soccer). It can get a bit crowded on game day, but that's what makes this such a great place to be. Take a drive just a few minutes from Galway to Bearna Village, you will thank me for the experience. read more

The Twelve Hotel - Raspberry pancakes and half order of eggs...yum! - Hotels Near Me - Barna Village, G

My husband and I stayed here in August and loved it. If you have a car it is a short drive past downtown Galway ( a plus in my opinion). The staff is incredibly welcoming and helpful. We did not have reservations but they gave us a reasonable rate for a beautiful suite that was so comfortable and quiet and worth the "splurge". The rooms were beautifully appointed and have a nice modern edge with a record player and fun old records to play. I would have liked a bath tub, but the shower was lovely. The amenities were of high quality and they even had a fabulous hair dryer (!!!) . We had dinner and breakfast at the restaurant in the pub area and food was fabulous. They have an impressive posh restaurant (the menu looks amazing - and I am a New Yorker!) in the hotel which we did not try because it was late and we were up for a casual light meal. There were plenty of locals in the restaurant which was important to us. Who likes to eat at a hotel that is made just for guests?! We would definitely return and we thank the staff again for all their tips about our upcoming travel and authentic kindness! (BTW -- there was a lovely bakery next door for which they gave us a voucher for free coffees/tea/latte for our morning's drive). read more

The Twelve Hotel - Bedroom Area - Hotels Near Me - Barna Village, G

See all

This place is absolutely beautiful! Was very impressed when we arrived. It was beautifully decorated for Christmas time with assortment of cute random trinkets and knicknacks on display. We were greeted by Fergus the Manager with a hot glass of cider which was delicious. He up graded our room because we were on our late honey moon. The room was very spacious and gorgeous. Very comfortable. Wood floors with a large bar/dining area. They have two restaurants one up stairs and one down stairs. Both places very delicious food. Manager went above and beyond to make sure we had a memorable stay. Would definitely love to come back if we are in the area again. read more

The Twelve Hotel - Hotels Near Me - Barna Village, G

See all

The Twelve Hotel is a hidden gem. It's not hard to find, it's just not in the normal area that people vacationing may think to stay. The Twelve Hotel is a reasonable drive from Galway - maybe 20 minutes? Thanks to the more remote location, the hotel is quiet, parking isn't too difficult (although the parking garage is VERY tight), it has a good restaurant and bar, the rooms are spacious, and the whole hotel feels very modern and stylish. The breakfast that is included is very good. They have a continental breakfast spread and a menu of hot items to choose from. Both mornings we had breakfast at the hotel and I enjoyed the french toast. The soda bread was also very good (and is one of the things I miss most from our trip). After a long day traveling from Dublin and exploring the Connemara area, we ate dinner at the Pins Restaurant in the hotel. The food was good but service was very slow. For instance, I ordered a cider and it never came until I asked about it and was told they ran out of that type. The replacement came fairly quickly but that was only after waiting for quite a while initially. It was definitely busy but they didn't appear to be understaffed and the tables adjacent to us also had very long wait times for ordering, food arrival, drinks, and the check. We stayed in one of the suites which had a separate seating room which gave us plenty of room to relax. The bed wasn't the most comfortable and we both woke up a bit stiff each morning. Generally we were very happy with our choice to stay at the Twelve Hotel. 4 stars. read more

See all

6 or 7 stars. Amazingly big rooms (separate with door for kids, their own TV) and really neat decor. Beds huge and comfortable, downstairs bar/restaurant were awesome. Great cooked-to-order breakfast and the pizza at the restaurant was tasty. Staff very friendly. Beats staying in a box-hotel in Galway, it's only a 5 minute drive or so to that area. So go stay here instead. :) read more

12 Reasons to love The Twelve Hotel: 1. Location - located just outside Galway in Barna, quick access to walking/hiking trails, lovely sights and restaurants in Galway, etc. Easy in and out, easy to find. 2. Parking - free, and easy and ONSITE. Under the building in fact. Zip right up the lift to reception or your room, made traveling with a little person that much easier. 3. Friendly staff. Everyone we encountered was simply lovely. Very helpful and efficient. We had zero complaints but if we had, I have no doubt it'd have been dealt with. 4. Wonderful (complimentary breakfast) for hotel dwellers. Made to order hot breakfast and coffees? You've got my heart, Twelve. You've got it. Plus a buffet of cereals, yogurts, fruits, pastries, juices, water. What else might one want in a hotel breakfast!? NOTHING! 5. Free and reliable wifi. 6. Mood lighting in the bathroom + a nice tub! Romantic you say? Well yes, maybe...but i happened to love it because my baby thought it was the best place he had ever been in his entire 5 month life. Colored lights! A bathtub! Heaven for everyone. The bathroom was spacious, well equipped, with wonderful potions, plush robes and clean surfaces. Ahhhh, yes. Fun for the whole family. 7. Excellent room service from the onsite restaurant. The night we arrived we were knackered and in need of a meal we could eat while the baby slept, so voila. A beautiful pork dish + fresh salad and a few drinks and we were very happy travelers. 8. BED. Comfortable. Plush and clean. Just like the rest of the room. 9. Coffeemaker with nice coffee in room. Well done. 10. Family suite - adjoining extra space makes things feel a bit more livable, and they'll equip your room for whatever size child you are bringing. For 170 euro/night, it felt like a dream! 11. Fine dining restaurant: West. Obviously due to our "third wheel" we were not planning to enjoy West, but it is a fantastic option so if you are staying here do make a reservation and check it out. 12. And the real dealmaker!? Two tickets for complimentary coffees at the onsite bakery (The Pins) upon checking out. I mean, really? These guys get me. And the coffee was fantastic. Obviously, the 12 reasons say it all. I'm a fan. If you are headed to Galway, here's my highest recommendation on where to rest your head. After a junky stay in Cork (glares at Imperial Hotel) that left me quite eager for a relaxing few days, The Twelve was JUST what the yelpers ordered. Having found them on Yelp (quickly I might add!) and zipping it off to my husband to book, I had little idea what I was getting into. Thanks for the solid yelpers! It was all we could've asked for and more. It's just a few minutes outside Galway City in a village called Barna. read more

As a special Easter treat we headed to Bearna to Ostan 12, or Twelve Hotel, and it was a super special couple of days. After being welcomed with a glass of mead ice-tea while checking in, I continued to enjoy all the little touches of this lovely boutique hotel. The rooms are spacious, quiet and funky. All rooms have coffee and tea making facilities and a great mini bar. Although, the food in the hotel was so wonderful we didn't have to delve into this! I love the feel of this hotel, the personal touch of a hand written note from the team, the decor, the cool bar and lounge, and (very important for me) the food. We practically rolled out of the Twelve after two gorgeous nights there. We didn't get to sample the seaweed baths or massages on offer as we didn't have the time. We were too busy exploring places nearby like Roundstone in Connemara. Bearna is in a great position at the "gateway to Connemara" to work as a base for day trips and beach adventures. I liked this hotel so much that it got a bit ridiculous, I even liked the chairs they use, the cutlery they have and children's books in the bar if your little ones need entertainment. I won't continue to rave about it, just make sure that you visit. read more

Read about the 12 a few times in the paper and said we better try it when we go down. So we did. Sadly it didnt live up to the expectations that were delivered in the papers. We got two pizzas they were the products that were always mentioned in any reviews that I had read so I said id give one a try. It wasnt the best. The pepperoni was all stacked together the cheese was all over the place, basically a badly made pizza. The only other pizzas that I noticed going out were margaritas and then just veggie ones. (That I could see) We also got deserts they were nice. They also claimed that they had "The Worlds Number #1 Pasta" La Campofilone??Anyone else heard of it?? Thought so? And I work in the food trade. read more

The best hotel in Galway! Exceptional service, great restaurant. The attention to detail is impeccable. Highly recommend to anyone visiting the area. Bakery on site, pizza oven pick up on site, bar, two restaurants. Can't go wrong staying here!! read more

Great location and amazingly friendly staff! The rooms are modern and spacious, ours came with a bar in each room! They give you some welcome cookies and a hand written letter, everything was very thoughtful. They have a restaurant/bar on the main floor which had the most flavorful chicken! They also have a higher end restaurant on the 2nd floor which was fantastic. We will definitely stay here again on our next Galway trip! read more

When we arrived we were greated with such warmth and hospitality that it really was nice to arrive here after a long and rainy trip over from Dublin. Upon entering our room we found a handwritten note and some goodies on our desk.That pastry was delicious and so welcoming after a long drive! Our first night there we were pretty beat so we decided to have dinner at their West Restuarant. It was amazing food and the staff was super helpful and gave us suggestions on what to try. We ended up getting the same meal just different deserts. We also dined at the Pins for breakfast and had dinner there as well. Fund and friendly staff greeted us each morning and at night the bartenders took good care of us. One of my favorite hotels on our trip to Ireland. The service was great, parking was free, coffee was tasty (a big win for this coffee drinker) and this hotel was close to several area tourist sights in Galway and a comfortable place to retire afterwards. read more

Had bar food one evening here last week with my fiancé. It was very busy & we had to wait at the bar for about 20 mins for a table. We both ordered pizzas which were very good indeed. A dessert of ice cream wouldn't usually deserve a mention but were beautifully presented & of good quality too. Overall quite good with friendly attentive service. read more

The Twelve Hotel - Hotels Near Me - Barna Village, G

See all

Do not make a reservation. Do not stay here. This hotel does not honor its own stated policies regatding cancelations or no-shows.

Red carpet welcome with a lovely receptionnist, a nice chat and an ice tea...a cute personalised card with chocolate strawberries and brownies (as good as they look!)...that's enough to impress me highly. But then I find out that the rooms are paired up (there's 1 first door with a bit of a corridor between the 2 rooms and then your own bedroom door, reducing noices)...one standard (actually bigger than standard as far as im concerned) double bed room with bath and all, and one suite...I was lucky enough to get the suite one on a week day and it's just fantastic, the details that matter : Voya products in the bathroom (im in love with that Vetiver smell) and the beautiful dark wooden floor. breakfast is decent, the european one more than the irish breakfast, I tought. As per the restaurant, again, a lot of efforts and creativity in the decoration of the place, particularly great for couples and a romantic environment, the staff is super friendly there too, however i found the food quality very uneven, although the mussels were highly recommended, I wasn't sure of their freshness and the container was just inadepquate (only 1/.3 of the mussels were in the cream)...a few more things were just not good enough but I loved their desserts and the bread. So all in all it's a bit of a confusing / unbalanced experience in the restaurant. read more

Our entire family stayed here in 2009, just after Christmas and before New Year's. We had just spent a week in Dingle and were finishing up our vacation almost...the staff was all you could ask for, the rooms amongst the best I've had in Ireland and the lounge and restaurants superb. We so looked forward to a drink by the fire in the lounge at night with the locals. read more

Great hotel in the quaint little town called Barna. Very close to Galway, but you definitely have a 10-15 minute drive if you want to get in to town. read more

For one thing, the food and drink here is pretty much ok. For that I would give them nothing but positive reviews and even full marks. But however, what lets them down completely is that quite simply and yet outright brutally as well; when it comes to that understanding of how staff treat customers in this place... what utter outright and abominate disgrace, most honestly has to be said. That is not just word from me. Do not think that for a second. Just don't because it is not, not at all and not ever. The first thing I will say is that the staff here are as rude and uncaring towards the customer as they are abominately incompetant when it comes to their looking after them. There is a particular manager there whom for his abusive and arrogant nature is a proper f***** a******. My family had to ring the place up on numerous occasions in the past so we could put that fool, that dope in his proper place, for such so-called treatment of customers, utterly how dare he and they for that and for keeping him in the first place, enough said at that. What a f**** a***** whom for his abominate excuse for how he treats customers. How dare he and they for putting s*** like that on customers just who do they think that are and nothing but. Whenever you go to this place it is the same s*** always you get from them, they are a shower of f***** a******s, brainless incompetent muppets who will only screw you around and thats it. Last but not least, I am not even going to into how every single time you are there they are just always disgracefully too late coming to your attention as a customer. This is regardless of whether the place is either full or has nobody in it at all. Whenever me and my folks visit the place its perfectly quiet (only three or four people there whom have already been served) and still the staff have their heads so far up their a******s no matter what that they can't possibly come to your attention ever. How dare they and utterly nothing but. Secondly, they are always no matter what just as way too late in bringing you and whomever else is with you your food after you ordered it. Way too late (thats to say you could be sitting there for a f***ing hour waiting, when there is nobody there but yourselves and thats a fact). In a way that few other restaurants that I know of have the incompetence to follow such suit. Last but most definitely not least, whenever they bring you your food it is always way too cold to be served to you. Disgraceful service. For either a hotel, bar or restaurant, they should be truly kicked proper in the pants for such treatment and excuse for service. Enough said at that and nothing but, how dare they truly and I hope they properly get it in the end. read more

The service today was pathetic. 20 minute wait for a table. Another 40 since we ordered still waiting for the food.

Funky place. More outside Galway then I thought but I had a car. No car and it would be a pain. Really nice people, great pub downstairs but no crazy noise. Great breakfast. Nothing but good things to say-large room and a welcome cookie. Got to love the welcome note and cookie. read more

Rooms were nice but restaurant manager was a bit of a prick. Would not put the British Open on the tele as there was a football match on.

I can't say enough about this wonderful hotel and restaurant. Everyone was so welcoming and helpful, the rooms were great, beds so comfy, and the food in the restaurants was outstanding. From the moment we walked in, we were greeted with a warm welcome by Manon and everyone we encountered from there on made our visit special. Coming from NYC, we booked this hotel through local friends to plan a surprise party. Everyone was in on it and made the evening so extraordinary -- we will remember it forever. And the food... oh my god, top notch, highest gourmet quality -- from starters to desserts, it should be on any Best of Ireland list. The bakery was unreal as well, I will dream of their brownies and brown bread for ages. And the pineapple marshmallow was to die for, the whole presentation... Plus, the wait staff was wonderful as was our luggage handler. You can tell everyone at this establishment cares and wants your stay to be wonderful. I hope to return again! read more

This review is very overdue! My family and I stayed for 3 nights on a road trip down the Wild Atlantic Way. From the first email, The Twelve Hotel was exceptionally easy to deal with. Upon arrival we were impressed by the decor and the service of the concierge. Our family suite was amazing. We had dinner at the hotel restaurant and it was sublime. All in all we can't rate it highly enough! read more

Once a down trodden old mildewed cottage from the 19th century known around the country for its landmark status of being at the gateway to no-where, The Twelve Pins was a depressing old joint, full of stained red carpets and keyboard music sessions reminiscent of the 30's. During the general rabid destruction of the village of Bearna under Bertie's unrestrained pocket money agreements, this old spot was promptly demolished and rebuilt as a ubiquitous 'luxury' hotel renamed 'The Twelve' with underground parking etc etc. The decor inside smacks of New Money celtic tiger vulgarity, but pulls it off better than most. One item of particular note is the enormous glass unicorn on the way down to the toilets. Trad music is imported and seems out of place and the clientele consist mostly of the yound Dublin families who have been ostracised by the locals as they flocked in their hundreds, nay thousands, to move into luxury estates and endeavour to make this affluent sea side suburb into the 'South Side' of Galway. read more

Went for a quick lunch....service poor.......ignored....went to bar to order...finally got order in.....girl in red hair very poor attitude.....food was good chowder and sharing plate were good....had to grab take away coffee due to slow service....not a place for quick lunch but will be back. read more