Mount Errigal Hotel

Situated along a busy road and flanked by a parking lot, the two-story brick Mount Errigal Hotel is a bit nondescript, but it has elegant interiors, a homey atmosphere, and modern amenities that make this a comfortable and popular choice for travelers exploring the northwest of Ireland and the Wild Atlantic Way. The traditional lobby is decorated in rich burgundy hues that are complemented by wooden paneling, molded white ceilings, and a maroon carpet festooned with swirling cream patterns that matches the wine-hued velvet armchairs and plush curtains. Fireplaces imbue the space with a sense of coziness, while high ceilings and large windows bring in light.

The traditional decor extends to the hotel’s restaurants and bars, where interiors range from a fine-dining restaurant with a grand piano centerpiece and red velvet chairs surrounding round tables clad in crisp white tablecloths, to a relaxed wood paneled bar illuminated by floor-to-ceiling windows and lots of comfortable seating.

The Mount Errigal Hotel is located on the main road into Letterkenny, a large town in Donegal that is a five-minute drive from the property. There is not much within walking distance of the hotel besides a gas station and a convenience store down the road (a seven-minute walk away). The Letterkenny Institute of Technology is nearby, and farther away is the Letterkenny Shopping Center and the bus station (about a 20-minute walk). The hotel is located along the beautiful Wild Atlantic Way, a scenic driving route on Ireland’s western coast. The Donegal section of the route includes stunning seaside cliffs at Malin Head, the most northerly point of Ireland, and the picturesque Fanad Head, both about an hour’s drive away. The gorgeous Glenveagh National Park, with its beautiful lake, mountains, and 19th-century castle, is a bit closer and also worthy of a visit (30-minute drive).

The Mount Errigal Hotel has a range of rooms, from basic units to higher-priced suites. Decor varies, but rooms are pleasant and clean, if a bit staid and dated, with patterned carpets and standard wooden furnishings. All rooms have flat-screen TVs, large work desks, free Wi-Fi, and tea- and coffee-making facilities. Higher-priced Superior Rooms offer the most space (besides the Suites), and also have minibars and free daily newspapers. Bathrooms, though small (especially in Standard Rooms), have shower/tub combos, ample sink space, fluffy towels, and limited toiletries.

Master Suites have separate living rooms, and are decorated in rich purple hues and dark wooden furniture, with high-tech bathrooms that have combo hot tub/sauna/steam rooms with back massage and aqua puncture jets.

The Mount Errigal Hotel has two restaurants: the fine-dining Strawberry Garden Restaurant and the more relaxed Dexter’s Smokehouse Bar and Grill, which serves bar food, gourmet burgers, and steaks. This Spanish hybrid indoor barbecue grill/oven is reportedly one of only two in Ireland. A continental or full Irish breakfast is available for an additional fee.

There is a large leisure center with a 66-foot swimming pool, children’s pool, sauna, steam room, and hot tub, as well as a fitness center and an aerobics center. The hotel is also well equipped for corporate functions and banquets, with several meeting rooms and an event space, including conference as well as wedding facilities. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel, as is parking.