Lough Eske Castle

I have tried on two occasions to get a response from management to my concerns, however no one has bothered to respond. I sent my first email soon after our stay and another one at the start of this week. I only received an email back from reservations acknowledging my email and saying they would pass it on. Sadly I therefore feel the need to publish this genuine review, especially for families with young children. We recently stayed in this beautiful 5* hotel, however unfortunately we did have some issues as soon as we arrived. We were staying as a family (2x 2 year olds) and upon check in were told that our room wasn't ready and that someone would call us when it was- this was around 3.15pm. We were told to go and wait in the bar with 2 toddlers. No apology. At 3.55pm I went back to the check in desk (where I may add -other guests also were frustrated and disappointed that their rooms were not ready) to be told that we could now have our key card. Upon arrival to the room, we settled in (it was now around 4.10pm), the room was beautiful and clean, cots were provided for both children and all was in place. We had a lovely view of the gardens and were enjoying the room. Sadly just as we were about to order food for the children we realised that the door would not lock, and the maintenance team could not fix it that day. This was really disappointing as not only is this a general safety issue, but a hazard with young children who could escape from the room and get hurt on the stairs on the landing. We were offered a downgraded accessible room or an 'upgrade' which we could look at first. Interestingly the 'upgraded' room was generally cheaper on the website, was not in the original building and also looked onto the car park. We took the upgrade as at this point it was getting late, the children hadn't ate and we had already lost around 2 hours of our one night stay. We ordered food and it was lovely, the pool was great- all very clean and tidy and in general we did have a lovely stay after dealing with the aforementioned issues. The kids enjoyed themselves and loved the pool. The female staff member in the pool was so friendly and the lovely man that walked us to our room was accommodating and tired his best to make our experience positive. As a 5* establishment I do think that things could have been handled a bit better, and honestly did leave quite disappointed. Just to add our one night say was around €540 not including breakfast.

What a wonderful stay! The grounds and public rooms afforded much needed relaxation. The staff are so friendly. Ask for Bence in Cedars!

This is the first time I've ever left a negative review but I feel so annoyed at my experience... This was my second visit to the beautiful Lough Eske Hotel, and I was genuinely shocked by the current state of the spa — a far cry from the luxury experience I had expected. Facilities in Disrepair: Nearly everything seemed broken. The hot tub had a steel rod sticking up dangerously, only one thermal shower worked, the steam room was functional but the ice machine wasn’t, and one of the saunas was closed. This left seven of us crammed between a small sauna, a steam room, and a dysfunctional hot tub. Solarium Discomfort: While the solarium looked inviting, the air conditioning was left on, completely neutralizing the warmth. We stayed for just three minutes before giving up. Changing Rooms & Towel Policy: The changing areas were below standard — chipped tiles, dirty showers, no soap or shower gel. But the worst part: towels are no longer freely available. No one informed me of this, and I had to return to my room in a soaking wet robe. When I asked, staff were apologetic and admitted this was due to a new management rule. Limiting towel access at a 5-star hotel is unacceptable. Penny-Pinching on Shower Caps: Charging €3 for a shower cap in a supposed luxury spa feels incredibly petty. Most 5-star spas provide these as standard. It’s small touches like this that make or break the guest experience. Safety and Cleanliness Issues: The steam room was temperamental, and the pool had chipped tiles — not only unsightly but also a potential hazard. This was closed off soon after... My Advice to Management: Shut the spa down this winter and do a proper refurbishment. As it stands, the spa experience significantly detracts from what is meant to be a luxury stay. Right now, it doesn’t come close to 5-star standards.

Lough Eske Castle is a little piece of heaven, whether you are visiting as a family or a couple. My family and I went there on vacation. We are from the United States. Their grounds are impeccable, and the suite we purchased was the nicest room I've ever stayed in, and I've stayed in some high-end places. The staff had great attitudes and were very helpful. My children also loved the vibe of the castle and touring the gardens. I highly recommend taking the carriage ride, enjoying the spa, and hiking to the lake. This is the perfect getaway for anyone seeking a few days of rest and relaxation.

The rooms and property are beautiful. I only gave 4 stars because of slow service in the dining areas. Both the bar and Cedars had extremely slow service.

I attended with my daughter for my cousins wedding. Well.. it was truly an amazing experience!! The staff right from the start to end couldn’t do enough for you, check in was seamless, our room.. well it was beautiful!! We had a ground floor room opposite the spa facilities and we had patio doors opening up to the garden. The wedding reception was amazing!! Food was lovely (although would have liked two choices for starter and dessert, although I appreciate with a big function that may not be suitable). Breakfast was amazing!! I wouldn’t definitely stay again, as I didn’t get time to explore the whole castle!!