Clarion Hotel

Wow — fairly upscale looking hotel I have to say. Not my experience with Clarion’s in the US. Location can be real hairy to get out of with a car (was working out in Ringaskiddy and left about the same time as everyone else came into downtown which is pretty much gridlock with the tight roads and traffic signals). Handy restaurant downstairs and aside from the 2-​way/​single-​lane-​bravery-​challenge parking garage entry/​exit I have to say this place is super. Didn’t get to enjoy the quay (it was dark when I left in the AM and dark when I got back) but from appearances from my outdoor balcony (nice! Wasn’t expecting that!) this hotel looks like it is well within all the sights to see in Cork. Clean, quiet and reasonable price. Great dinner and breakfast all within the hotel.

Stayed here in June with family. Had 2 rooms for 4 adults and 6 children. The rooms were spacious, the beds comfortable, and there was air conditioning so we could get the rooms to just the right temperature. Great location, helpful and friendly staff — gave us great recommendations for restaurants and things to do. We also ate in the hotel restaurant (Asian/​Irish mix) and the food was very good and the prices reasonable. Highly recommend this place if you’re staying in Cork — it’s not a B&B — it’s a typical US-​style hotel. Also strongly recommend a visit to the «Coffee Pod» outside the front door of the hotel. Food and beverages there are great!

Wonderful customer service! They were so accommodating! I came here to present at a conference. They have great room service from the restaurants downstairs. I loved the full breakfast buffet every morning. It’s the perfect way to start off the day! The hotel is in a great location on the river and close to great shopping and restaurants. I will definitely stay here again!

We’ve stayed at the Clarion twice now, and I’m most definitely a fan. The rooms are very nice — clean, spacious, and boasting comfortable beds and free Wi-​Fi. On this visit we had a room facing the internal «courtyard», but the blackout curtains in our room worked nicely and although there was some noise during the daytime hours, it was perfectly quiet while we were sleeping. The bathroom was also nice, with the exception of the tub/​shower, which had one of the (personally dreaded) European ½ shower doors… but the lighting was good, there was plenty of counter space, and the towels were large and plush, so that somewhat made up for the shower door.
Staff were friendly when we checked in, and were quick to direct us to the nearby parking garage (10 Euros a night to park) and answer any questions we had. They also offered us complimentary bottles of water, which was appreciated. As we stayed during the Xmas holiday season, the whole hotel was nicely decorated and gave off a festive air, and although we didn’t eat in the hotel, we saw plenty of people making use of the seating/​dining area in the lobby. (There is a coffee «shop» as well as an actual restaurant on site.)
The location absolutely cannot be beat — it’s a quick walk to tons of pubs, restaurants, shops, and basically all of downtown Cork. If you’re looking for a clean, comfortable, and affordable hotel in Cork that’s near all of the action, you can’t go wrong with the Clarion. We’ll certainly be back.

Haven’t been to the clarion in over a year now but I went their quite frequently and loved it each time. The check in staff remembered me (or at least checked the system for my name) which was really nice and the rooms are always perfect. Facilities are great as well although I would stay well clear of the restaurant they have their, it won’t change my review as that’s the restaurants fault so definately a place to stay if you want comfort and city centre location

Things I loved: The room was utterly fabulous. Great balcony, city view, clean, good size. The bar staff. were amazing, efficient, friendly, chatty and helpful. pints weren’t bad except Guinness which is terrible in hotels. Food decent.
Things I didnt care for: reception staff, very cold. Bed in room was two twin beds together hate that. Lovely hotel but no smoking area?! Wut? Room service menu… Very basic. Demanded up front payment.

Very nice business hotel, comfortable and affordable. The Asian inspired food is tasty but this limits their menu quite a bit. Decent breakfast buffet with hot food, good coffee and the usual (fruit etc).
They have replaced the TV’s from CRT to LG flatscreens, WiFi is free and fast and the beds are very comfortable.

Nice hotel. I’ve stayed here 4 times over the past 5 years. The Kudos restaurant menu could do with an update. The breakfast buffet was ok, although having a nice peaceful start to your day was almost impossible due the the poorly placed servers station, and the constant banging of cutlery and plates. Housekeeping and staff are a bit inconsistent. After 6 days of having fresh bottles of water in my room, they suddenly stopped. I enquired and was told they are only for checkin, «but I’ll get some complementary bottles sent up». Sure you will, and for the next 5 days my water never arrived again. In Room internet is good. Euro-​style half shower guards are also a complete pain, but then again I’m not mopping the flood of water off the floor, so what do I care?

Wonderfully helpful staff (especially Sonia on reception) who couldn’t be more helpful. Room was fabulous, food and ambience great, the warmth of everyone there (despite losing the rugby 6 nations to England on St Patrick’s Day) can not be surpassed. Short walk into Oliver Plunkett St and most of what’s going on in the town.

My first impressions as I checked in was wishing I was at the river lee. I haven’t seen a CRT tv in a while, and the bathroom was tiny. The shower was especially annoying. It took me too long to figure out how to use and I managed to get water everywhere since the glass divider doesn’t extend across the entire shower (WHY???) I was exhausted and starving, so I ordered some fish and chips to the room which arrived much faster then expected, and met my quality expectations. Itching to see the city I started to walk by the river. In less then 15 minutes I found myself at the River Lee admiring the gorgeous building and impressive views. Sadly they couldn’t help me get a room. So i headed back to my room. convinced this wasn’t going to be a good stay. I was pleasantly surprised to realize I was wrong.
I slept like a baby that night. Excellent bed. When I hooked up with my colleagues who had stayed at the River lee, they complained about the internet. At the Clarion, the internet was free, and amazingly faster then most hotels where I’m forced to pay. I was able to stream video off the internet which is amazing.
Cork is pretty nice for being such a walkable city, but over time I began to appreciate the location more and more. There are many great restaurants nearby. Getting a taxi was easy.

Not my favorite hotel, mainly for service. Everything else was fine. Rooms were clean. Location was convenient walking distance for restaurants and shopping, located right on the river. But the service was horrible. Starting with no one ever returning a promised call to answer the question of directions to an area pub and ending with a neglected wake up call. The breakfast service in the restaurant did not seem to include clearing plates and the use of chaffing dishes caused many utensils to go for a swim (which is not especially appetizing, nor sanitary).

Stayed one night on a day trip out of Dublin, as we are visiting Ireland. Hotel room was very modern and efficient. Location was walking distance to everything we wanted to visit, which was key since we didnt want to do much more driving. The underground carpark was very convenient. And I guess the feature we appreciated most was the free in-​room wi-​fi! This is the first hotel in our week in Ireland to have this; others provided it in the lobby only. In fact, i’m using it right now to post! ;) Excellent value!

The staff was beyond nice and helpful. They were friendly, welcoming and helpful! The hotel is modern and well decorated as well as comfy and homey; the best of both worlds. The carmelized biscuits left in the room for guests are delicious! I wish I could find them in the states.
The location of the hotel was perfect it was within close walking distance of the best stores and resturants the city has to offer. Also, the bus stop is just down the block which made it very easy to walk to the bus just after breakfast at the hotel and go to the city we were touring for the day.
The only negative I found at the hotel was the breakfast wasn’t very good and it was kind of expensive. It was an all you can eat buffet so I guess that is why the cost is so high but I found the eggs disgusting because they were so soupy. However, the staff in the resturant were extremley helpful and accommodating.

CLARION HOTEL PENTHOUSE 28.08.10
The stunning rooftop penthouse of the Cork Clarion Hotel overlooks the city and I suspect that is why attracted most of us who visited during the recent Heritage day. But it is more than just a viewing point. The split level venue is an ideal party or product launch base and is fitted with all the latest technology.
And just to confirm: the views over the city are quite good, especially to the east, south and west.
GOOD WINE SHOW 13.11.09
Very enjoyable session at the Good Wine Show in the Clarion yesterday.
First up were the Curious Wines (Bandon) section where we got off to a lively start with a mouthful or two of Aureus Cremant de Loire. They had a terrific selection and definitely the best leaflet on display.
Then called to the Carrigaline based Karwig Wine stand where again we availed of excellent information delivered in a friendly manner. While they have wines from all over, their strongpoint is the quality and quantity of their German and Austrian wines and we particularly enjoyed our sample of the Wohlmuth Riesling.
Then it was on to Bubble Brothers, the city based merchant. Again, the staff were informative and friendly and we got a big welcome from the rep of the Australian Xanadu estate on the Margaret River, four hours out of Perth.
This estate was once owned by an Irish family (Lagan) but recently taken over by the Rathbones who have just relaunched the wines. And they are good and it was here, after talking a «consultation» break at the food tables (Irish and French cheeses from On the Pig’s Back, bread from Arbutus and smoked duck from Ummera), that we decided on their 2007 Next of Kin Cabernet as our Best in Show! The 2009 Next of Kin Sauvignon Blanc Semillon is not bad either!
Then, the day still young, we headed down to Kudos Restaurant with a 20% discount voucher from the show (which is on again this Saturday from 11.00 to 16.00).
LUNCH AT THE ATRIUM
The Atrium Lounge in the Clarion Hotel (Lapps Quay) is a good spot for a light lunch. Certainly, I enjoyed my recent visit and found the prices quite reasonable.
I had a Toasted Focaccia (with Greek cheese and tomato), served with a salad and a handful of potato crisps. It was quite substantial and the cost was € 8.50. I had a glass of Siete Sauvignon Blanc (€ 5.75) with it and was very happy with the meal.
You get quite a choice of similar dishes — my companion had a Chicken Quesadilla — and they also have a selection of sandwiches.
The Atrium is more or less an extension of the lobby. It is not self service. You are served at your table as you sit in very comfortable seats.
So, if the shopping gets too much and you need a pit stop, call into the Clarion, relax and treat yourself.

Nice hotel in a great location the room was spacious and well equipped, great breakfast (room service) we spent 2 nights there and will certainly be back. They have one of the best bars i have seen and a nice outdoor area (weather permitting). the swimming pool and gym are top class.