There are many reasons people are drawn to Donegal, from the stunning beauty of the north-west coast to the warmth and charm of the people - these were certainly our priorities, and our stay at The Clanree Hotel, in Letterkenny, gave us the opportunity to enjoy both.
On the edge of the town, and located near good roads, well connected to all the nearby attractions, it was an ideal base for our few days in Donegal.
The Clanree Hotel itself offered warm hospitality in pleasant surroundings.
Situated just off the N56, a few minutes from Letterkenny town centre, it is an excellent base to explore the beautiful North Donegal coastline. The fascinating city of Derry and all its history is also very easily accessible from this hotel.
When we arrived at the hotel, the lobby was bustling due to a wedding reception's welcome drinks being held in the area.
Whilst this meant it was a busy (dare we say slightly chaotic) environment for our check-in, it was still clear to see how pretty the hotel lobby is. In fact, all the public areas in the hotel were very well presented. And, indeed, we found this area to be lovely and much calmer later in our stay.
Despite the busyness at the entrance, check-in itself was friendly and efficient, and we were soon on our way to our room.
We stayed in a spacious family room on the 2nd floor. The room was comfortable and came equipped with a flat-screen TV, tea/coffee facilities and complimentary wi-fi. The bathroom, although quite basic in design, was large and met our needs.
The room decor in general was perhaps a tad dated in style, and some of the furnishings were showing signs of age. And whilst the majority of the room was clean, there were one or two spots that possibly could have been cleaned to a higher standard. However, overall, this did not detract from what was a very enjoyable stay.
One of the attractions of this hotel, to us, was the Leisure Centre. Guests of the Clanree enjoy complimentary access to their 20m swimming pool, jacuzzi, sauna and steam room facilities. So once we were all settled, we headed straight to it.
The pool area was spacious and well-maintained, with a good-sized jacuzzi, sauna and steam room facilities. There was also a separate section of the main pool for kids.
The changing facilities were a decent size with showers, toilet facilities and lockers. It has to be said, though, the water temperature of the showers was very cold, and the cleanliness of the changing facilities could have been better. In fairness, sometimes this is more to do with clients than the hotel, but we did feel the need to bring some hygiene issues to the attention of the staff, who immediately took action to rectify the matter.
After a good night's sleep on very comfortable beds, we headed down for breakfast.
There was a decent amount of options available, including yoghurts, cereals, fruits, porridge, pancakes and a hot buffet option with your typical cooked breakfast options. There was a small section of gluten-free options also.
We didn’t get the chance to spend any time in Aileach, the hotel restaurant or McGettigans Bar and Restaurant, so we can’t give a first-hand account of these - but, evidently, they’re popular and both appeared busy when we were there.
McGettigan's particularly looked like a great place to spend some time and enjoy a drink or a bite to eat.
The Clanree hotel was a great base for our few days in Donegal, and we were very pleased with our stay. The staff were friendly, our room was comfortable, and the hotel's leisure facilities really added to our enjoyment.
Really, Donegal’s outstanding natural beauty and some of the stunning nearby parts of the ‘Wild Atlantic Way’ were the main attraction for our trip - and in that regard, the hotel was very well placed to allow us to explore the region.
