Slieve Donard

Hotels
•
Graduate Hotels
8.8 (126 reviews)
Downs Road, Newcastle, Northern Ireland, BT33 0AH , Newcastle , GB
44-28-43721066

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Pets allowed

Facilities

Free breakfast
Meeting rooms
Full-service spa
Fitness facilities
Proposal/romance packages available
Fireplace in lobby
Health club
Free WiFi
24-hour front desk
Garden
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Friendly staff
Beautiful location
Nice spa facilities
Good dining options
Cons:
Cleanliness issues
Limited food after 10 pm
Room temperature issues

Categories

Cleanliness
7.3
Issues with cleanliness mentioned, particularly in the deluxe room.
Service
9.8
Staff was friendly and accommodating, high praise in several reviews.
Location
9.8
Great location near the golf course and sea, very well-received.
Room Quality
8.3
Rooms generally considered good, but a few issues noted with some specifics.
Amenities
8.8
Spa and bar facilities highly rated, but disappointment in food offerings after hours.
Value for Money
8.3
Mixed feelings about value; some felt not enough was provided for the price.
Food and Beverage
8.8
Breakfast options were good, but some complaints about late-night offerings.
Overall Experience
9.3
Overall pleasant stay with some notable highlights and a few drawbacks.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2026-01-06 06:02

Property Description

Experience the ultimate blend of relaxation and adventure at Slieve Donard, where luxury meets nature’s beauty.

Wellness and Relaxation
Unwind in our full-service spa, offering invigorating massages, rejuvenating body treatments, and refreshing facials. For those seeking to stay active, our health club, indoor pool, and hot tub are perfect for re-energizing.

Dining Delights
Savor local cuisine at J.J. Farrall's, one of our three exceptional restaurants, or enjoy the convenience of 24-hour room service. Wrap up your day with a drink at our stylish bar/lounge, ensuring every moment is catered to.

Exclusive Amenities
Stay connected with complimentary Wi-Fi, and take advantage of our extensive event spaces, ideal for conferences or weddings. With individually decorated rooms featuring espresso makers and Smart TVs, comfort and style await you.

Don’t miss your chance to stay at Slieve Donard; book your getaway today!

Important information:

  • Pool access available from 8:00 AM to 8:30 PM.
  • The property has connecting/adjoining rooms, which are subject to availability and can be requested by contacting the property using the number on the booking confirmation.

Check-in and check-out hours:
Check-out: 11:00 AM
Airport code: BFS

Property Policies

  • Pets

    Service animals are exempt from fees/restrictions

  • Pets

    Pets allowed

  • Sustainability Certifications

    Green Tourism Program

  • General

    Professional property host/manager

  • Pets

    Only dogs are allowed

See all policies

Location

Guest Reviews

8.8
Based on 126 reviews
Cleanliness: 7.3
Service: 9.8
Location: 9.8
Room Quality: 8.3
Amenities: 8.8
Value for Money: 8.3
Food and Beverage: 8.8
Overall Experience: 9.3
G
georgebK2817GV • Couples
10
Great Spot!
Pros:

What a magnificent facility. We had a great mini-suite upgrade and it was a perfect start to our Northern Ireland journey. Staff was great. The bar is spacious with great seating - a snooker room and grass tennis courts out back. If you plan on playing Royal County Down - the gate is just out the back.

Wonderful setting on the water.

2026-07-11 • via Tripadvisor
J
Jacqui • solo_traveller • gb
10
Pros:

Staff were friendly and made my parents visit for their golden wedding anniversary very special

Cons:

N/a

2026-07-11 • via Nuitee
T
Todd • couple • gb
9
2026-07-10 • via Nuitee
A
Aine • solo_traveller • ie
5
2026-07-09 • via Nuitee
H
Hazel • solo_traveller • gb
5
Was a good time but was anxious after the but incident so didn’t relax the rest of the stay
Pros:

The location and the staff and decor

Cons:

It could have been a little cleaner and there were loads of flies in the restaurant and on the buffet breakfast. Also just to note when my child was getting breakfast and we checked the allergens sign, nowhere did it say crunchy nut, so my child took a flake and ate it and by the time I realised it had been ingested. Lovely staff member named Jessica was very helpful and kind.

2026-07-09 • via Nuitee
S
Sharlene • solo_traveller • gb
8
Pros:

The pool stuff where very friendly also.

Cons:

Fresh milk is such a needed as there is a fridge not everyone alcohol

2026-07-08 • via Nuitee
M
murphy • extended_group • gb
10
Brilliant xx
Pros:

Very good

2026-07-07 • via Nuitee
M
Mackey • couple • ie
1
Incompetent
Pros:

Night Staff were terrible . Had to rebook a prepaid room as they could not find the booking (& the rebooked one !) the famous Brendan on night duty . Total incompetent

Cons:

Night Staff were terrible . Had to rebook a prepaid room as they could not find the booking (& the rebooked one !) the famous Brendan on night duty . Total incompetent

2026-07-07 • via Nuitee
M
Mackey • couple • ie
1
Incompetent night time manger
Pros:

Had to book a second room as unable to find the original prepaid room on booking.com .

1hr waiting to check in at 1am

Breakfast was cold, very poor nite service & room was in poor condition with no air con

Cons:

Had to book a second room as unable to find the original prepaid room on booking.com .

1hr waiting to check in at 1am

Breakfast was cold, very poor nite service & room was in poor condition with no air con

2026-07-07 • via Nuitee
H
Hutchison • solo_traveller • gb
10
2026-07-06 • via Nuitee
C
Conor • couple • gb
7
A little tired in places, but generally a very enjoyable stay.
2026-07-06 • via Nuitee
C
Chara • solo_traveller • gb
10
2026-07-05 • via Nuitee
E
Elena • solo_traveller • gb
3
A few updates needed
Pros:

Staff were friendly and helpful
The lobby and social rooms are beautiful
Bedroom very comfy

Cons:

Dirty towel in room. Given robe that had multiple holes in it and one large hole over the chest plus a dirty mark on collar.
Broken lounger at pool, peeling ceiling.

2026-07-05 • via Nuitee
W
Warren • solo_traveller • au
9
Very enjoyable but too short, should have stayed longer
Pros:

Grand and welcoming

Cons:

We had a shower problem, but they attended straight away and upgraded us to another room

2026-07-04 • via Nuitee
R
Rory • couple • gb
10
2026-07-04 • via Nuitee
C
Christopher • solo_traveller • gb
3
For the price, we expected better.
Pros:

Nice looking hotel.

Cons:

Air conditioning was broken and cause issues with our stay. A fan was not a great substitute.

2026-07-04 • via Nuitee
F
Fintan • couple • ie
10
2026-07-03 • via Nuitee
Y
Yvonne • solo_traveller • gb
9
Pros:

Location, staff, dog friendly and hotel facilities

Cons:

No Aircon in room but had fans

2026-07-03 • via Nuitee
C
Celina • couple • ie
9
The place was lovely, breakfast was good. Small issue sorted eventually
Pros:

The facilities and location were amazing

Cons:

We didn’t have any robes in the room and we had to call the reception. After one hour waiting, we called again. Passed 15 minutes and we asked for the person cleaning the room beside us to get us a robe which was promptly done.

2026-07-02 • via Nuitee
6
674stewartr • Couples • Belfast, Northern Ireland
2
Very disappointing trip with a grim view and dirty bathroom
Pros:

My wife is heavily pregnant, so we decided to book a last-minute baby moon for the weekend as an opportunity to enjoy some relaxing time together before our baby arrives. We booked the day before, given the uncertainty of how close we are to the due date. At the time of booking, we were informed that multiple rooms were still available (18, according to the staff member we spoke to). Having heard many positive things about the hotel over the years, we had high expectations for what we hoped would be a special stay.

Unfortunately, our experience fell well below those expectations from the moment we arrived. The room we were allocated overlooked an internal courtyard filled with rubbish, bird droppings, and nesting baby seagulls. Not only was this an unpleasant view, but the noise from the seagulls continued throughout the night, making it difficult to relax. We enquired about moving rooms, but by the time we checked in we were told there were no alternatives available. Personally, this view is unacceptable for any room in a four-star hotel.

On closer inspection of the room itself, we also found cobwebs around the edges of the bathroom ceiling, several dead flies, and noticeable white staining on the sofa. These are not the standards we would expect from a well-established four-star hotel.

Despite our disappointment, we tried to make the most of our stay and visited the spa. However, we had to ask for bathrobes to be sent to our room as none were provided despite being told they would be.

The spa fell way short of expectations, it was extremely busy with children and the facilities—particularly the tired-looking sun loungers—felt dated and far from the relaxing environment we had hoped for. Meanwhile, the sauna was barely warm and empty plastic glasses were lying everywhere.

As a coastal hotel, we had also looked forward to enjoying a drink while taking in the sea views. Instead, we found that the main bar has no windows, and the Lighthouse Café, which does offer views, closes at 5pm, leaving no opportunity to enjoy the setting in the evening.

Overall, what was meant to be a memorable and relaxing baby moon before the arrival of our baby became a very disappointing experience. Given the hotel's reputation, history, and four-star rating, we genuinely expected a much higher standard of accommodation, cleanliness, and facilities. In fact, none of these met our expectations; they were all quite far off.

At this stage, we have no plans to return to the hotel and will be telling friends and family about our experience.

2026-07-01 • via Tripadvisor