The Hardiman — Hotel in Galway

Please, please read this prior to booking this hotel, especially if you are American and accustomed to truthful advertising. The website is completely deceitful, and a bill of goods. I wish we’d read reviews prior to booking instead of being falsely enchanted by their website photos.

When we checked-in to The Hardiman hotel we were greeted by nothing but unhelpful staff, no bellman, and no help getting our luggage in until we asked. We were early, so our rooms were not ready which was understandable. Upon getting into our two rooms, we were greeted with the the smallest, dirtiest, dingiest, hottest, dustiest “4 star” hotel you have ever seen. The bathroom looked like it was from a jail cell, and it was filthy. It even had provided “beauty products”, if you could call it that, the shampoo and body wash was in one product. Not sure I’ve ever stayed at another “4 star” hotel that offered 2 in 1! The website is deceitful, whereas other local hotels clearly note when you won’t have AC in your room, the Hardiman only has it on their FAQ section, and even there be sure to note only the Deluxe SUITE has AC, and there was nothing but an old fashioned radiator in the Deluxe ROOM. The photos on the website do say “All bedroom images shown are for illustration purpose only. All our rooms are uniquely different with a mix of types and sizes that reflect the hotel's 167 history, Image may not be the exact bedroom received” and that is the one thing that wasn’t a lie on their website, and boy is that an understatement. I have attached some real photos for reference.

When we complained to the front desk we worked with who was supposedly the manager at the time, a young brunette woman, who could not have been more rude. We even turned around and saw her talking about us, the “guest”, when she thought we couldn’t see. In the end, they upgraded us to Junior Suites, which were just as dingy, dark, and old. But at least they had an updated bathroom, AC (which didn’t work even after the staff checked it) and separate shampoo and body wash. On the website it claims you get turndown service with this room, which we didn’t. You can hear everyone between the walls, anytime a door opens in the hallway, and every step the person in the room above you takes. The staff never greeted us, or spoke to us again throughout our stay. Besides one woman on the evening shift (I believe named Rosa) on Tuesday night who could not have been more lovely and helpful.

Thankfully, we only have a two night stay at The Hardiman, had it been more we would have moved hotels. There are so many better places throughout Ireland, at comparable costs, do not waste your precious time or money in this gorgeous country at this Motel...

This hotel is in the city centre adjacent to Galway train station WHICH IS BEING REDEVELOPED! And as it is not on the hotel land, they have no legal obligation to tell you this. 50% of the hotel rooms overlook the CONSTRUCTION SITE. The first room we were given had no air-conditioning so the choice was to open the windows and have the noise and dust or close the windows and suffocate. We asked to change room. The second room was a dark and dingy room overlooking a flat roof which houses the hotel air-con units and the kitchen fans! We were a small group of nine and had booked four doubles and one single for two nights. The hotel gave us twins and when we asked them to give us what we had booked, they refused, saying that they were fully booked. Meanwhile there was a stream of guests arriving to check in after us yet still the reception staff refused to reallocate any of our rooms. I dealt with a girl called Anoulla or Fanulla (not sure of spelling) who had no people skills whatsoever. We happen to be a same-sex couple and this girl questioned why we wanted a double and not a twin. I explained to her that married couples tend to sleep in double beds. This is the first time in my adult life I have experienced such discrimination. Unforgivable! And this actually breaks the law so I am seeking legal advice. After a call from our travel agent to Sinead, most of us got the rooms we had booked on the second night. The hotel then attempted to apologise by offering us free drinks in the bar. We sat in the bar that evening waiting for table service and placed our order; I ordered a simple gin & tonic with a slice of lime. What arrived was a glass of ice with two olives - no gin or tonic! I sent it back. The second attempt was a tall glass with ice and gin but still no tonic or lime and two olives! By now my 4 friends had finished their apéritifs and we were going out for dinner so I went up to the bar to ask for my gin & tonic. The barman called Cottle told me that “I had to wait as he was serving other people”. Unbelievable! I asked him why as a barman, he didn’t know the difference between a slice of lime and an olive - he ignored me because he was too stupid to think of an answer. So the free drinks also backfired on the hotel. This hotel seems to have bad attitude stuff who are unbelievably rude and unprofessional. And until the train station redevelopment is completed, guests risk a noisy, dusty room with no air con. I strongly suggest you stay elsewhere unless of course you like an argument over your G & T...

Recently stayed here in a Deluxe Double Room. Booked at this hotel based on the reviews here and what I saw on reddit forums online.

Overall - I feel the that customer service experience was poor for how this hotel is supposed to be perceived. Having stayed at other 4-star+ hotels in Ireland during our stay, we had a much better overall experience at other places.

Prior to arriving I had tried to change my dates, and thought I had done so - and didn't find out that this change had not happened until the day before our stay.

I got a phone call that they were trying to bill me for the room for the previous date I was intending on staying. It was then I was informed that the issue was on my end for not providing all the needed information to change the reservation.

This was confusing to me as I had an email in which I told them - yes that room and date worked for me.

It was only after this that I read what I thought was a marketing email from them and saw at the very bottom they wanted me to reconfirm all of the information I had already provided on the initial booking - so this whole thing felt odd, redundant, and avoidable.

Upon arriving at the hotel the reiterated how the mix up was my fault (just poor customer service), and were given keys to our room. Once we got to our door and began to enter - we realized someone else was already in the room!

This is a huge security issue, and I felt awful for the woman who was in the room as we had to have scared her pretty bad.

We went back downstairs to tell them what had happened, and they again mentioned how because I didn't book the room correctly, the key cards had been assigned incorrectly. There was no apology, or any attempt to try to make things right with us at this point, or any point going forward.

Having stayed at other hotels around the world that are 4-star & up hotels - the entire experience we had was off brand for what we were expecting.

The room was okay - but I wouldn't say it was worth the price point we paid.

The biggest win for this hotel is the location, which felt like that was what we were paying for.

I guess for the price point I was expecting more in multiple areas - and it felt like the hotel as a whole...