Inishowen Gateway Hotel

Just loved everything, from the staff who made us very welcome, gorgeous rooms, very comfy bed, the food and the catering staff. We thoroughly enjoyed our overnight stay and the wedding. We would highly recommend The Innishowen Gateway Hotel in Buncrana. Keep up the great work and thanks again for everything

Everything

All of it.

The room was good size with sea view good facilities.

We’re just home from a lovely stay at the Gateway. Happy to share my experiences for others:

Pros:
- incredibly lovely and welcoming reception staff - couldn’t be nicer!
- lovely hotel with excellent views over the lough.
- excellent location to get to some outstanding Donegal beauty.
- breakfasts were buffet Irish breakfast, porridge, cereal and pastries. All excellent.
- the Roast of the Day at dinner was delicious, the desserts of the day, also lovely.
- onsite parking was great
- great pool for the kids and very close to lots of beaches and a great playpark.
- the spa was fabulous. My massage with Linda was a highlight of my trip.

Cons:
- family rooms don’t have a view at all, but made up for by a huge room (411).
- a little maintenance needed on the tiling around pool and peeling paint in our bathroom.
- my biggest gripe - shower curtain over narrow bath. Ends up sticking to you in the shower. Eek. But hardly the worst thing in the world.

Overall, lovely hotel and great experience. Thanks to all the staff!

My family have been going to the Inishowen Gateway hotel for about 25 years now. The staff have now become part of our extended family! And the hotel has become a home from home. We’ve had many milestone family breaks at the hotel to include my daughter’s wedding in 2018. We’ve seen many changes to the hotel over the years we’ve been going. All good I have to say. My late husband always called it his “Happy Place”. It started off with just the two of us going, then my kids, my parents, sister and her family and all of my grandchildren. Any time we’ve stayed it’s always been amazing but over the years it just gets better and better! From your arrival through to departure, they can never do enough to make sure that your stay is very comfortable. The rooms are beautiful and have everything you need to make it a comfortable stay. The views from the sea view rooms are beautiful. The spa is fantastic if you’re looking to have a nice treatment when you’re away. The food is really good and has quite an extensive menu to suit all tastes. You’ll be so full up with the extensive breakfast menu, you’ll probably feel satisfied until dinner. But if you’re a bit peckish in the afternoon the bar does really nice light bites. And if you like swimming there’s the added bonus of the pool and the gym. The area of Buncrana is beautiful and so quaint. The extensive seating and walking areas all around the sea front. With coffee docs dotted in all those places too which is perfect if you just want a nice coffee and to just sit and chill at the sea front with the amazing views over Lough Swilly. If you like getting out and about. Swan Park is a beautiful area to explore with its beautiful waterfalls and wee fairy houses dotted about the area. The kids will love it. The hotel offers something to young, old, active, disabled individuals and the area of Buncrana definitely offers something for every one too. Including an extensive golf course if that’s your passion or if it’s to become a new passion! If you’ve never stayed at the hotel before you definitely should give it a go. You will not be disappointed! Our most recent stay was the last week of March 2026 for four nights and we hadn’t been there for over a year as I was recovering from major surgery. We usually go two to three times per year, so we were having major withdrawal symptoms. It was great to be back and we hadn’t another amazing stay and the staff made it as though we’d never been away. Thank you so much. I’ve more major surgery again at the end of April so as soon as I’m fit to drive again we will definitely be back for another brilliant stay. I want to give a specially mention to Aishleen, Gemma, Sandra, Sharon, Miread and of course all the staff from the housekeepers to the waiting staff the chefs, the bar staff everyone is amazing and can never do enough for you. Sorry if I’ve spelt your names wrong! Thank you once again for another amazing stay. See you all soon again.

Geraldine Mcaleese 💕x

Stunning location and views. We could have sat looking at the sea all day. Plenty to do in the local area and the hotel food and staff were excellent. Hospitality galore and spotlessly clean rooms. The pool is an added bonus. Very highly recommended.

Fantastic hotel great location lovely room very spacious and clean throughout the hotel staff were friendly and helpful the pool sauna and steam room were great would recommend and will certainly be returning

My friends and I booked the Sunday slumber package which was fantastic value. We had bed breakfast and a 4 course dinner in the restaurant. Everyone absolutely loved all the food which was delicious. The staff are so attentive and the service is really fast. They really can’t do enough to help. We had two adjoining rooms which was fabulous for four people. It was like one big room with four beds and two bathrooms so perfect for us. Lots of plugs and mirrors snd the rooms are spotless. The beds are really comfortable too. I can’t recommend enough. Thank you so much to everyone who made our stay so enjoyable.

Great location. Rooms were so clean. Reception staff were really friendly. We ate in the bar there was 8 of us. Starters came at the same time as mains so main was cold by time I ate my starter.

Like the location view of the sea staff lovely 😍

Very comfortable bed and food from the bar was amazing
Reasonable priced for stay and grub

Wedding Anniversary Treat. We were booked to go today 26 March but the forecast was (correctly) awful so the handy cancellation policy used to book in a week early and the weather certainly did not disappoint. Nor did the hotel - usual high standards of friendly service, cleanliness and good food. We got a real upgrade to room 304 with sea view, sofa and fridge and brand new decor including a big refresh in the ensuite. Despite a bus tour being in the dining room table service was very speedy and just the sort of food we enjoy - roast dinner hard to beat after days spent walking. However, now of mature years I can no longer finish what's on my plate! Portions are very generous. Breakfast is great. We have mixed feelings on the new tea and coffee self service. I do enjoy a morning cappuccino but there is still something nice about a pot of tea on the table. The first morning there were little milk jugs at the tea point, which I always consider a bit of waste in any hotel, but after that there were pitchers of milk, more economical. So DIY granola, compote, yoghurt, egg, bacon, and a chocolate croissant to finish. What a start to a great day's walking! Back soon.

Great location lovely hotel helpful friendly staff great swimming pool sauna and steam room. We had a lovely breakfast good variety we also had an evening meal if I had to give 1 negative about my experience it is the portion sizes I could not finish my meal and it was amazing

The Gateway is a great place to stay. The staff are very friendly and welcoming and the food is top notch. It was great to see the Lough View Bar reopened and hope it will remain as the hotel’s main bar going forward.