Travel Review: A relaxing stay in Dillon's upgraded suites in Letterkenny

As a Derry woman, I am ashamed to admit that I haven’t spent much time in Letterkenny apart from the occasional shopping spree. I was incredibly excited, so, to be invited to spend the night in Dillon’s Hotel, a family-run hotel in the heart of the trendy Cathedral Quarter, which recently benefitted from a £1.3 million investment. The drive from Derry was short and pleasant and the sat-nav took us straight to the hotel’s car park, which is located just before the hotel on Letterkenny’s one-way main street.

On arrival to the hotel, we were impressed by the hotel’s cosy lobby, which features leather armchairs, plush sofas, bright red and gold carpeting and wood panelling, with plenty of natural light filtering through broad windows. We were met by a friendly receptionist, who directed us to our room, booked us in for dinner and shared some information on where we could take ourselves for a pre-dinner walk. A third of the hotel’s bedrooms have recently been converted into two-bedroom deluxe rooms (essentially two bedrooms behind one door) and luxury suites that provide families and friends with all the space and comfort required for a group getaway. Entering the suite, an involuntary gasp escaped my mouth as I saw the size of the suite, which had a seating area equipped with a sofa, armchair and coffee table in front of a TV. The bathroom was fitted with an impressive waterfall shower and the walk-in wardrobe was the biggest I had ever seen in a hotel.

We admired the features of the room and a complimentary lemon tart before heading out again to discover Letterkenny. We went out the door of reception and went left down the main street before we came to Market Square. We admired the features of the area and wandered on up the street to explore the incredible Cathedral. We had heard that there was a beautiful ancient oak woodland near Letterkenny, so we went back for the car and made the short journey to Ballyarr Wood. We enjoyed a crisp autumn walk around the woods, before hopping back to the car to head back to the hotel for dinner but we stopped at Letterkenny Town Park on the way back, a place I have passed hundreds of times but never been in and we were so impressed with the vast park, equipped with a big grassy area, wide paths and a skatepark for children.

Back at the hotel, we made our way through the bar area to the hotel restaurant, where we were greeted by two lovely staff members, one of which took us to our table beside the window, where we could watch the hustle and bustle of the main street. We were assured that the hotel is committed to using only the finest locally sourced ingredients and the produce is sourced from only the best suppliers. With this in mind, I ordered the Chicken Noodle Soup which had delicious chunky vegetables, juicy chicken and beautifully soft bread on the side. My partner had the black olive tapenade and smoked Applewood cheese bruschetta which had excellent flavours and just enough cheese. We ordered a bottle of house Sauvignon Blanc, which was simply divine.

For mains, we both had the 10oz. Sirloin Steak, served with beer battered onion rings, tomato and a generous serving of pepper sauce. The steaks were notably high quality cuts of Irish meat, from E&B O Donnell in Letterkenny, and were cooked to perfection. After all this, we didn’t think we would have room for desert but I was too tempted by the creamy Baileys panna cotta to resist. It was served with homemade shortbread biscuits, which were melt-in-your-mouth delicious and perfectly complimented the pana cotta. My partner had fresh strawberry and white chocolate cheesecake with a honeycomb crumb and Chantilly cream, which was superb.

The restaurant had a lovely atmosphere and was enjoyed by a mix of locals and tourists alike. The staff were exceptional and incredibly friendly and attentive, happy to answer all our questions and also have a bit of fun.

We decided to take ourselves across the road after dinner for a nightcap in Blake’s Bar, a typical bustling Irish bar with live music almost every night. We brought a pack of cards and sat at a small table at the bottom end of the bar beside the music. The bar was almost full, which was surprising for a Sunday evening, but we had a spectacular night of fun with the locals.

We awoke the next morning feeling refreshed and rejuvenated, having had a peaceful nights sleep in the big, comfortable bed. We headed down to the bottom floor in the lift for breakfast, where we ordered coffees and hot breakfast, before helping ourselves to the continental breakfast buffet. Again, staff couldn’t be faulted for their welcoming friendliness and willingness to help.

After checkout we explored the Donegal County Museum, before making the 30-minute journey back home to Derry. I would highly recommend a night away in Dillon’s to experience the warm, hospitable service for yourself, which encompasses traditional Irish hospitality at its very best. The convenient location to everywhere in the north west makes it the ultimate basecamp for a great adventure.

To book a room, visit dillons-hotel.ie.