Name: Ballyliffin Lodge & Spa
Address: Shore Road, Ballyliffin, Ireland, Ballyliffin, County Donegal, IE
Price range: $125–$188 per night
Rating: 9.03

What guests think

At Ballyliffin Lodge & Spa, travellers praise the scenic setting and sea views, the welcoming atmosphere, and especially the friendly, attentive staff, with many finding it a relaxing base for exploring Donegal and enjoying the on-site leisure amenities.

Rooms are generally spacious and comfortable, but several guests note dated decor and small TVs, and recurring noise from weddings or thin walls can disturb sleep. The pool, spa and leisure center are popular, though some report crowding, towel shortages, or tired areas, and spa treatments may require booking well in advance. Food and breakfast are often enjoyed, yet multiple reviews mention inconsistent quality or slow service, while others found the bar and restaurant very good. Overall, a comfortable base with strong leisure facilities, but be ready for possible event noise and uneven dining.

Facilities

Cleanliness

Rooms

Service

Location

Dining

Was this helpful?

AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Facilities

Many enjoyed the pool, spa and leisure facilities, and several liked the bar. At times areas felt crowded, towels were missing in the gym, and some noted tired or less clean spa spaces; treatments may require advance booking.

Related guest reviews

8

Joanie

Jul 11, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Rooms were spotless. Lack of towels in the gym

8

Robert

Jul 4, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

This hotel is in a great location with wonderful views. It is family owned and has a warm and friendly ambience. The facilities are good overall, although some aspects are a little tired. The pool is pleasant. Breakfasts are excellent, and we also enjoyed the food from the bar menu. Staff are mist helpful.

6

Fiona

Feb 21, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Disappointing. The spa and changing rooms are very tired and dirty in places. The scum line around the jacuzzi was particularly bad. Food was ok. Staff in the restaurant were lovely. Doesn’t feel like a 4 star hotel

10

Janet

Oct 13, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Incredibly relaxing stay, we loved the family feel of this hotel. Friendly and helpful staff, lovely pool

8

Rebecca

Jan 6, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Our balcony room was spacious, and the sea view was beautiful. The bed was very comfortable. The room is definitely dated (no smart TV, worn out materials, etc). The location is okay; there isn't much nearby and driving the narrow roads is a bit, precarious, though there is a waterfall and monestary ruin about 5 min drive away which is worth a visit. I appreciated the spacious bathroom. The spa was very nice, and our massages were great. Our room didn't have aircon, and it did get a little warm. We opened the slider door, and that was perfect, but without a screen we didn't feel comfortable leaving it open all night. I wasn't impressed by the restuarant. Nothing I had there was very good (I am being generous--it wasn't good at all), and they desperately need to put out water for easy access at breakfast (having to ask for it is a pain). It's a nice hotel, but it could be improved with updates.

8

Mareike

May 15, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

+ Das Hotel hat eine schöne Lage, man blickt auf die Bucht von Ballyliffin + Personal an der Rezeption, im Restaurant & beim Frühstück sehr freundlich. + Parkplatz direkt vor dem Haus + Restaurant & Essen in der Bar waren sehr gut. Gute Auswahl & Preis-/Leistung. - Einrichtung wirklich sehr in die Jahre gekommen. Für den Preis haben wir definitiv in Irland schon besser gewohnt. - Zimmer hat am Anfang sehr unangenehm gerochen, wir mussten erstmal die Fenster öffnen, die allerdings nur halb geöffnet werden können. - Teppichboden fleckig - Zimmer war behindertengerecht, was wir nicht brauchten, allerdings war das Badezimmer sehr alt, die Fugen nicht wirklich sauber & die Lüftung war sehr laut. - Das "Leisure-Center" ist lediglich ein Schwimmbad mit einem kleinen Sauna-Bereich. War leider total überfüllt, als wir am Abend noch eine Runde schwimmen wollten. Für eine Nacht war es ok.

Translate

10

David

Oct 13, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Rooms very clean. Enjoyed the spa & pool/sauna/steam room. Staff were very friendly and helpful.

8

Richard

Oct 27, 2023

·

Stayed 2 nights

It was really lovely and the spa was excellent 👌

8

Anne Marie

Feb 12, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Beautiful location. Enjoyed the spa facilities, clean comfortable room and very friendly staff. Will definitely be back.

10

Neal

Jul 23, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Lovely clean and tidy hotel, staff very helpful, food excellent, pool area clean and tidy. Have already recommended to family and friends.

Was this helpful?

AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Cleanliness

Reviews largely describe the hotel and rooms as very clean, with several noting immaculate spaces. A few mention maintenance or cleanliness issues in bathrooms and the spa/changing areas.

Related guest reviews

6

Fiona

Feb 21, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Disappointing. The spa and changing rooms are very tired and dirty in places. The scum line around the jacuzzi was particularly bad. Food was ok. Staff in the restaurant were lovely. Doesn’t feel like a 4 star hotel

8

Liam

Nov 23, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Our stay was very nice the staff were brilliant, good food that evening and also breakfast and or room was clean, but a little dated for a 4☆ Hotel and a little noisy with the music from the function room. We would still recommend it for a stay in Donegal.

8

Mareike

May 15, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

+ Das Hotel hat eine schöne Lage, man blickt auf die Bucht von Ballyliffin + Personal an der Rezeption, im Restaurant & beim Frühstück sehr freundlich. + Parkplatz direkt vor dem Haus + Restaurant & Essen in der Bar waren sehr gut. Gute Auswahl & Preis-/Leistung. - Einrichtung wirklich sehr in die Jahre gekommen. Für den Preis haben wir definitiv in Irland schon besser gewohnt. - Zimmer hat am Anfang sehr unangenehm gerochen, wir mussten erstmal die Fenster öffnen, die allerdings nur halb geöffnet werden können. - Teppichboden fleckig - Zimmer war behindertengerecht, was wir nicht brauchten, allerdings war das Badezimmer sehr alt, die Fugen nicht wirklich sauber & die Lüftung war sehr laut. - Das "Leisure-Center" ist lediglich ein Schwimmbad mit einem kleinen Sauna-Bereich. War leider total überfüllt, als wir am Abend noch eine Runde schwimmen wollten. Für eine Nacht war es ok.

Translate

10

David

Oct 13, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Rooms very clean. Enjoyed the spa & pool/sauna/steam room. Staff were very friendly and helpful.

8

Kaitlin

Dec 7, 2022

·

Stayed 1 night

Spacious clean room and great irish breakfast.

10

WG

Sep 11, 2024

·

Stayed 3 nights

Excellent hotel. Thoroughly recommend it. Lovely spot, great value, good service and hotel very clean

10

Felicia

Dec 2, 2022

·

Stayed 19,327 nights

My room was spacious and had a lovely terrace. The staff was very helpful and everything was well cared for and clean. I wish I had a chance to use the beautiful pool area. Maybe next time!

10

Catherine

Aug 9, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

From the moment we arrived for our mum's 80th birthday party every thing was perfect. We were all looked after by the wonderful staff, can't wait to go back again. Rooms, food, gardens everywhere was immaculate.

10

BRENDA

Sep 4, 2023

·

Stayed 2 nights

Short stay was excellent. Staff were friendly informative and helpful. Room was exceptionally clean and food was lovely

10

Neal

Jul 23, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Lovely clean and tidy hotel, staff very helpful, food excellent, pool area clean and tidy. Have already recommended to family and friends.

Was this helpful?

AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Rooms

Many find rooms spacious and comfortable. However, repeated feedback mentions dated decor and small TVs, and noise from weddings or thin walls affecting sleep in some rooms.

Related guest reviews

8

Margaretta

Apr 6, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Beautiful hotel, views are amazing, only down side was the walls are to thin, we could hear everything from other rooms.

2

Naruhiko

Jul 29, 2023

·

On the day of stay, they hosted wedding party, which i was notified by the message through expedia app in advance but i didnt notice. REGARDLESS, I didn't imagine the level of the noise and it continues until 2AM!!!! my room was shaking with the beats and shouts from the club party and it was NO WAY for me to sleep. Quality of sleep is extremely important when traveling particularly with jet lag. This experience at Ballylifin Lodge Hotel that ruined my trip was clearly not what i expected for 4-star hotel. I dont understand i had to pay the full price for this experience. Hotel could have done this differently; better communication with the detail (party until 2 am), limit the volume, allocate room away from the party room (if any room is better), limit the club party by midnight at the latest.

8

David

Jan 30, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

We had a 2 night stay in late January and thoroughly enjoyed our visit. Our superior room was warm, clean and very comfortable with excellent views across the bay. We dined both nights in Jack's bar and the food was delicious. Served hot with good portion sizes and a reasonably priced bottle of house wine. The bar staff were very attentive and efficient. A special mention to Helen who looked after us so well at breakfast time....such a lovely lady and a real asset to the hotel.

6

Anne

Oct 10, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

I liked the property but room could use with updating. TV’s were terrible and more like an old computer monitor. Staff person at checkin was not super helpful but other staff members were good. I would stay there again.

4

Jackie

Aug 19, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

The noise from wedding receptions on both nights of our stay did not match our need for a restful weekend.

6

Patrick

Jan 14, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Stayed 2 nights (Fri & sat) on B & B. Got one of the back rooms looking into a field scatted with old PVC windows as a backdrop. Room very basic and quite cold with the heating controls needing constant attention. Small TV with very limited stations available contrary to what it states in the hotel room folder. The hotel is at best a 3* with pool facilities, again a limited selection of drinks available in the bar, thankfully Nancy’s Barn is close by for food

8

Rebecca

Jan 6, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Our balcony room was spacious, and the sea view was beautiful. The bed was very comfortable. The room is definitely dated (no smart TV, worn out materials, etc). The location is okay; there isn't much nearby and driving the narrow roads is a bit, precarious, though there is a waterfall and monestary ruin about 5 min drive away which is worth a visit. I appreciated the spacious bathroom. The spa was very nice, and our massages were great. Our room didn't have aircon, and it did get a little warm. We opened the slider door, and that was perfect, but without a screen we didn't feel comfortable leaving it open all night. I wasn't impressed by the restuarant. Nothing I had there was very good (I am being generous--it wasn't good at all), and they desperately need to put out water for easy access at breakfast (having to ask for it is a pain). It's a nice hotel, but it could be improved with updates.

8

Liam

Nov 23, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Our stay was very nice the staff were brilliant, good food that evening and also breakfast and or room was clean, but a little dated for a 4☆ Hotel and a little noisy with the music from the function room. We would still recommend it for a stay in Donegal.

8

Patrick

Feb 15, 2026

·

Stayed 2 nights

Nice hotel with the refurbished room, had a room with a balcony with lovely views,however the weather did not allow for much usage of the balcony. Food was good and drinks were reasonably priced compared with other hotels recently visited

10

Noel

Aug 9, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Room was very dated and tv was ancient, however great location.

Was this helpful?

AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Service

Service is widely praised as friendly, attentive and helpful across the hotel, including reception, bar and breakfast teams. A few guests reported slow breakfast service or unhelpful responses during busy event periods.

Related guest reviews

10

Brenda

Jul 25, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Ballyliffin Lodge is a really lovely Hotel. We had stayed here before and would definitely recommend it. Staff are very helpful and friendly and breakfast was very tasty!

10

Roisin

Aug 7, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Very enjoyable stay, lovely friendly staff, beautiful food, great leisure centre, couldn’t be better

6

Anne

Oct 10, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

I liked the property but room could use with updating. TV’s were terrible and more like an old computer monitor. Staff person at checkin was not super helpful but other staff members were good. I would stay there again.

10

Janet

Oct 13, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Incredibly relaxing stay, we loved the family feel of this hotel. Friendly and helpful staff, lovely pool

8

Shelley

Apr 12, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Great location with magnificent views and easy access to the area by car. Check in process effortless and rooms were very clean, well laid out with plenty of space and all the basic amenities. Unfortunately we did not get to use the spa and had hoped for a massage but you need to book well in advance. Convenient to have restaurant on site and breakfast included with portions ample. However we were a little disappointed with the service having to ask a number of times for items.

8

Liam

Nov 23, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Our stay was very nice the staff were brilliant, good food that evening and also breakfast and or room was clean, but a little dated for a 4☆ Hotel and a little noisy with the music from the function room. We would still recommend it for a stay in Donegal.

10

David

Oct 13, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Rooms very clean. Enjoyed the spa & pool/sauna/steam room. Staff were very friendly and helpful.

4

Joseph

Jul 27, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

The property is very nice, but their policies are not. Be very aware that this place does a lot of special events and when those special events take place, room guests are treated like second class citizens Noise till 1pm, no parking….I needed to park 1/4 mile away. The staff and manager could care less. I would never stay there again.

10

Judith

Jul 24, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Lovely hotel with beautiful views. The staff in the hotel were very friendly and attentive throughout our stay. Very good food and great service.

10

BRENDA

Sep 4, 2023

·

Stayed 2 nights

Short stay was excellent. Staff were friendly informative and helpful. Room was exceptionally clean and food was lovely

Was this helpful?

AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Location

Scenic setting with sea views and a convenient base for exploring north Donegal, golf, and nearby beaches. Some note limited amenities in the small village and the need to drive narrow local roads.

Related guest reviews

10

Patrick

May 16, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

I go to Ballyliffin to play the great nearby 36 hole golf course. I’m sure there are other nature-oriented options (e.g. hiking around Malin Head and other beautiful areas). This hotel is a comfortable and convenient base for my purposes. The fitness center is a welcome amenity onsite. The staff is friendly and efficient.

10

Eileen

Apr 18, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Always enjoy our times at Ballyliffin Lodge, lovely location and friendly, helpful and very pleasant staff

8

Robert

Jul 4, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

This hotel is in a great location with wonderful views. It is family owned and has a warm and friendly ambience. The facilities are good overall, although some aspects are a little tired. The pool is pleasant. Breakfasts are excellent, and we also enjoyed the food from the bar menu. Staff are mist helpful.

10

JAMES

Jun 25, 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

The staff in this hotel are excellent . Very friendly and attentive .They made the holiday . Very good food and service . I will definitely be back . If you want a place to explore Donegal this hotel is in a perfect location .

10

steve

Apr 18, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

great base for the north of Donegal, and a smashing hotel with good food and bar. not far from the beach

8

Rebecca

Jan 6, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Our balcony room was spacious, and the sea view was beautiful. The bed was very comfortable. The room is definitely dated (no smart TV, worn out materials, etc). The location is okay; there isn't much nearby and driving the narrow roads is a bit, precarious, though there is a waterfall and monestary ruin about 5 min drive away which is worth a visit. I appreciated the spacious bathroom. The spa was very nice, and our massages were great. Our room didn't have aircon, and it did get a little warm. We opened the slider door, and that was perfect, but without a screen we didn't feel comfortable leaving it open all night. I wasn't impressed by the restuarant. Nothing I had there was very good (I am being generous--it wasn't good at all), and they desperately need to put out water for easy access at breakfast (having to ask for it is a pain). It's a nice hotel, but it could be improved with updates.

8

Shelley

Apr 12, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Great location with magnificent views and easy access to the area by car. Check in process effortless and rooms were very clean, well laid out with plenty of space and all the basic amenities. Unfortunately we did not get to use the spa and had hoped for a massage but you need to book well in advance. Convenient to have restaurant on site and breakfast included with portions ample. However we were a little disappointed with the service having to ask a number of times for items.

10

Mickey

Oct 22, 2024

·

Stayed 4 nights

Love this place! Excellent location! Beautiful views. Great food and accommodations. Entire staff was friendly and courteous. Great access to points of interest in area. Highly recommended!

10

Keivan

Jun 21, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Lovely hotel with friendly atmosphere. Well recommended.

8

Patrick

Feb 15, 2026

·

Stayed 2 nights

Nice hotel with the refurbished room, had a room with a balcony with lovely views,however the weather did not allow for much usage of the balcony. Food was good and drinks were reasonably priced compared with other hotels recently visited

Was this helpful?

AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Dining

Many guests enjoyed tasty meals and breakfasts at the restaurant and bar. However, multiple reviews report inconsistent quality, limited drink selection, or slow/poor breakfast service.

Related guest reviews

10

Brenda

Jul 25, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Ballyliffin Lodge is a really lovely Hotel. We had stayed here before and would definitely recommend it. Staff are very helpful and friendly and breakfast was very tasty!

6

Celestine

Jul 16, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Nice hotel food quality not great Breakfast terrible all dried up sitting for hours not refreshed poor quality for money Evening meal ordered from menu wasn't up to standard poor quality meat

8

David

Jan 30, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

We had a 2 night stay in late January and thoroughly enjoyed our visit. Our superior room was warm, clean and very comfortable with excellent views across the bay. We dined both nights in Jack's bar and the food was delicious. Served hot with good portion sizes and a reasonably priced bottle of house wine. The bar staff were very attentive and efficient. A special mention to Helen who looked after us so well at breakfast time....such a lovely lady and a real asset to the hotel.

10

Gerard

Sep 7, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Wonderful place to stay & restaurant was fantastic Staff was wonderful. Scenic!

6

Patrick

Jan 14, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Stayed 2 nights (Fri & sat) on B & B. Got one of the back rooms looking into a field scatted with old PVC windows as a backdrop. Room very basic and quite cold with the heating controls needing constant attention. Small TV with very limited stations available contrary to what it states in the hotel room folder. The hotel is at best a 3* with pool facilities, again a limited selection of drinks available in the bar, thankfully Nancy’s Barn is close by for food

8

Rebecca

Jan 6, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Our balcony room was spacious, and the sea view was beautiful. The bed was very comfortable. The room is definitely dated (no smart TV, worn out materials, etc). The location is okay; there isn't much nearby and driving the narrow roads is a bit, precarious, though there is a waterfall and monestary ruin about 5 min drive away which is worth a visit. I appreciated the spacious bathroom. The spa was very nice, and our massages were great. Our room didn't have aircon, and it did get a little warm. We opened the slider door, and that was perfect, but without a screen we didn't feel comfortable leaving it open all night. I wasn't impressed by the restuarant. Nothing I had there was very good (I am being generous--it wasn't good at all), and they desperately need to put out water for easy access at breakfast (having to ask for it is a pain). It's a nice hotel, but it could be improved with updates.

8

Shelley

Apr 12, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Great location with magnificent views and easy access to the area by car. Check in process effortless and rooms were very clean, well laid out with plenty of space and all the basic amenities. Unfortunately we did not get to use the spa and had hoped for a massage but you need to book well in advance. Convenient to have restaurant on site and breakfast included with portions ample. However we were a little disappointed with the service having to ask a number of times for items.

8

Liam

Nov 23, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Our stay was very nice the staff were brilliant, good food that evening and also breakfast and or room was clean, but a little dated for a 4☆ Hotel and a little noisy with the music from the function room. We would still recommend it for a stay in Donegal.

8

Jeremy

Jun 8, 2023

·

Stayed 2 nights

Very good, clean , comfortable, great position, excellent Spa but food in Bar was poor. Carbonara very poor, not seasoned, poor quality of chicken and bacon. Left most of it. Not 4 star maybe 1/2 star. We had food in Nancy's Barn day two, what a difference.

10

JULIE

Oct 9, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

We received a friendly welcome on arrival. Room was spacious and cosy. Temperature in room can be adjusted easily by guests. Nice pool facilities. Dinner and breakfast was tasty. All in all a lovely place to stay.

Was this helpful?

AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Month	Average price
January	$160
February	$135
March	$138
April	$140
May	$136
June	$138
July	$164
August	$169
September	$143
October	$145
November	$139
December	$134

Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
		1	2	3	4	5
6	7	8 $162	9 $145	10	11	12
13	14 $133	15	16 $134	17	18 $188	19 $181
20 $135	21 $188	22	23 $143	24 $143	25 $178	26
27 $141	28 $142	29 $145	30 $142

Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
				1 $125	2 $178	3 $175
4 $125	5 $141	6 $139	7 $128	8 $130	9 $178	10 $179
11 $128	12 $129	13 $128	14 $142	15 $140	16	17
18 $128	19 $140	20 $130	21 $129	22 $130	23 $181	24 $180
25 $142	26 $144	27 $140	28 $142	29 $142	30 $178	31 $178

Select dates to see prices and availability

Monthly average prices

About this property

Location

Guest reviews

Superb

Who stays here?

What guests think

Property Policies

Check-in instructions

Good to know

Optional extras

FAQs about Ballyliffin Lodge & Spa

Have a question?

Considering this hotel for your Ballyliffin trip?

Prices for upcoming dates