Lake of Shadows Hotel

Hotels
8.4 (140 reviews)
Grianan Park , Buncrana , ie

Free
Children allowed

Facilities

Offsite parking discounted rates available
Non-smoking rooms
Air conditioning
Restaurant
Room service
Family rooms
Lift / Elevator
Luggage storage
Safety deposit box
Fax/photocopying
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Great location
Friendly staff
Clean rooms
Delicious food
Cons:
Gloomy rooms
Dated decor
Cleanliness issues

Categories

Cleanliness
7.99
Rooms were clean but some mentioned issues with dirty crockery and cutlery.
Service
8.96
Consistently friendly and helpful staff noted throughout reviews.
Location
9
Located centrally and convenient for exploring Buncrana.
Room Quality
7.95
Rooms generally nice but some felt gloomy and dated.
Amenities
8.48
Adequate breakfast and tea & coffee making facilities provided.
Value for Money
7.94
Value reflects overall experience but slightly dinged due to cleanliness issues.
Food and Beverage
8.49
Food variety and quality were praised, though breakfast selection was deemed adequate.
Overall Experience
8.36
Mostly positive experiences, with some stated issues offset by friendly service.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2025-12-06 11:44

Property Description

Convenient Location
Located just a 5-minute walk from both Buncrana town centre and the beautiful beach of Lough Swilly, The Lake of Shadows Hotel offers the perfect blend of convenience and relaxation.

Cozy Accommodations
The warmly furnished rooms at The Lake of Shadows provide a comfortable retreat, each equipped with modern amenities including a flat-screen TV/DVD player and tea/coffee-making facilities. The en suite bathrooms add an extra touch of convenience to your stay.

Delicious Dining Options
Start your day with a full Irish breakfast cooked to order, and later enjoy hearty meals prepared with local, seasonal produce and daily specials at the on-site restaurant. For a more casual dining experience, lunch is served in the bar.

Ready to experience the charm of The Lake of Shadows Hotel? Book your stay now and indulge in a memorable getaway.

Check-in and check-out hours:
Check-out: 11:30 AM

Property Policies

  • Parking

    Free private parking is possible on site (reservation is not needed).

  • Internet

    WiFi is available in public areas and is free of charge.

  • Pets

    Pets are not allowed.

  • Children and extra bed policy

    Children of any age are allowed.
    Children up to and including 3 years old stay for free when using an available cot.
    Children up to and including 0 years old stay for free when using an existing bed.
    You haven't added any extra beds.
    Any type of extra bed or child's cot/crib is upon request and needs to be confirmed by management.

Location

Guest Reviews

8.4
Based on 140 reviews
Cleanliness: 7.99
Service: 8.96
Location: 9
Room Quality: 7.95
Amenities: 8.48
Value for Money: 7.94
Food and Beverage: 8.49
Overall Experience: 8.36
S
Sarah solo_traveller gb
10
2026-04-18 via Nuitee
P
PATRICK couple gb
8
100
Pros:

we were made welcome with a smile and very good greeting.

Cons:

breakfast was hot i would like a pot of tea in the morning.

2026-04-18 via Nuitee
A
Aisling extended_group gb
10
2026-04-14 via Nuitee
D
Doherty couple gb
8
2026-04-12 via Nuitee
couple gb
10
2026-04-12 via Nuitee
B
Breege family_with_children ie
10
Pros:

The hotel was lovely ....very clean, lovely friendly staff, breakfast very good 👍

2026-04-08 via Nuitee
S
Sebastiana extended_group it
10
Pros:

I went into my stay with meh expectations after reading some of the reviews, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. From the moment we walked through the doors, we were welcomed by a warm sense of coziness, cleanliness and genuine hospitality. The hotel is incredibly charming, with a lovely touch of nostalgia that makes it feel special rather than outdated. My room was spacious, super clean and had the most comfortable bed I experienced during my entire trip to Ireland.
The staff were kind and welcoming, with a special shout out to the woman at the front desk and the fellow who stayed late at the bar.
I really hope I’ll have the chance to return one day to lovely Buncrana and the delightful Lake of Shadows Hotel.

2026-04-02 via Nuitee
K
Kelly couple gb
10
we had a very relaxing and enjoyable stay. Everything within walking distance.
Pros:

Breakfast was excellent. great value for money.

Cons:

Everything was just perfect.

2026-03-29 via Nuitee
S
Samanthafe couple gb
5
Excellent location
Pros:

Good location

Cons:

Breakfast was tasteless

2026-03-08 via Nuitee
C
Craig family_with_children gb
9
Pros:

Hospitality and comfort.

Cons:

Nothing

2026-03-06 via Nuitee
N
NOREEN couple gb
8
Pros:

Breakfast was very enjoyable and accommodated my gluten free request. There was a fabulous selection of food, either continental or cooked. The room was a comfortable size with tea facilities. The hotel is in a great location , within easy walking distance to the main street with popular bars and excellent restaurants. I would be more than happy to stay again.

Cons:

Would have liked water in the room.

2026-03-01 via Nuitee
C
Conor family_with_children ie
10
10/10
Pros:

Great check in. Lovely room. And great food.

Cons:

Nothing

2026-02-27 via Nuitee
F
Fiona family_with_children ie
10
2026-02-22 via Nuitee
A
Aisling family_with_children gb
5
Unhelpful reception staff, very small rooms, wouldn’t rush to stay again
Pros:

Good location, close to Main Street and shore front.

Cons:

I had 2 rooms booked for 2 adults and 2 kids, I would’ve thought we’d get rooms beside each other. Was told at checkin that as the hotel was very busy they couldn’t place us in rooms alongside each other but I had made this booking months ago so can’t understand why the rooms were so far apart. Our stay was for our 25th wedding anniversary and our total group had taken 7 rooms with others in the group having rooms beside each other so what reception said was untrue. I also asked for an early checkin or if there would be a room we could leave bags in and that I could change into my dress as I needed to be at the 25th venue before 4pm and check in wasn’t until 3.30. I was told I could pay extra for early checkin and no offer was made to store bags. Very disappointing customer service.
Room was tiny and bathroom could’ve been doing with a good clean as the grout around shower and tiles was very grubby.

2026-02-11 via Nuitee
M
Michael couple gb
10
Fantastic
Pros:

Great location very clean the staff where amazing

2026-01-25 via Nuitee
C
cathy family_with_children gb
10
Pros:

Everything was great, lovely staff and hotel

2026-01-19 via Nuitee
C
christine couple gb
10
2026-01-12 via Nuitee
A
Alannah couple gb
7
2026-01-11 via Nuitee
D
David solo_traveller gb
9
2026-01-10 via Nuitee
P
peter couple es
9
great
Pros:

location and food was great

Cons:

breakfast one eastern European waitress insisted we could not have a pot of tea before our food we just want a cup of tea before eating we where there for 6 nights and this only happened once the Irish waitress where great and understood that we wanted tea before food

2026-01-05 via Nuitee