If the weather was anything to go by, we were in for a great time at the Limerick Strand Hotel. The sun was shining as we reached the gorgeous hotel on the edge of Limerick city. The hotel is an oasis of calm, but just minutes’ walk from the centre of the city.
Our arrival at the hotel was seamless, amble parking is available in an underground car park with a lift straight to reception. On arrival there were plenty of sanitizing stations, from a clever one positioned at the entry to the car park, another at the main door from the car park to the hotel, another outside the lifts and again in reception.
Our receptionist greeting us kindly and explained the main features of the hotel, where breakfast was to be served and dinner, as well as where the swimming pool was and which lifts to use from our own room to get to the pool with ease.
Next to the room itself, the glass lifts were just gorgeous and showcased a beautiful view of Limerick city, each journey in the lift allowed us to see something new. Being from Limerick originally, I really enjoyed pointing out the landmarks to the rest of my family (Elle (9), Ryan (4) and my husband Morten).
The room was on the Executive Level and it was a really great size. My daughter was thrilled with her ‘giant’ bed and my son was delighted to have a full-sized single bed too, (as opposed to the usual rollaway bed he gets on hotel breaks).
The hotel had left a lovely selection of welcoming treats for us. From colouring packs (with Limerick historical and fun images for the children to colour in and learn about the city), swim hats for the pool, checklists and local information designed for the children to learn about Limerick.
They had thought of everything. In addition, there were bags of sweets for each child (old school sweets), chocolate (Irish) and local artisan apple juice for them too, although I did have a nibble too.
They had left a bottle of the local Treaty Beer for my husband to try too, lovely touches all round.
My husband travels a lot internationally with work all over the world, (not currently of course, but generally), he was extremely impressed with the comfort of the room and its many amenities. He also really liked the Executive Lounge, which he feels is a major plus to business travellers, allowing them a ‘change of scene’ from the bedroom for long stays away from home.
The in-room tea making (complete with Irish rocky roads and tiffin squares), as well as the coffee machine were all very welcome too.
After a quick drop of the bags the children and dad were off to the pool (wearing their hotel robes and slippers), while I took the opportunity to walk back through memory lane and pass my old school haunts. My alma mater is positioned just 10-minute walk from the hotel. The walk along the North Circular and Ennis Roads allows for a nice bit of house envy, there are so many gorgeous homes to look at, it has always been a very nice part of town and seeing how older homes are blending with renovated new ones is very interesting when taking a stroll.
We ate at The Terrace Bar & restaurant during our stay. The table we got had dual aspect views over Limerick and the sun was shining in the dining room. The staff at the restaurant were highly attentive and deeply knowledgeable about the menu. The menu for children was very varied and offered the children good healthy options.
My daughter had fish and chips and honestly the quality was fantastic. My husband opted for calamari (he said it was the best he ever had in all his travels!) and he also had a vapour cooked steak. I had delicious pate and a wonderful burger.
My youngest had his favourite sausages, mash and gravy. The deserts and ice-creams were polished off quickly with mum and dad having a couple of drinks too. I was so impressed with the meal and I have recommended the hotel already to many Limerick family members for upcoming family occasions. I will most certainly be back.
We slept well in the room, the bedding was wonderful, very high-quality sheets, pillows and duvets and a great night was had by all. The children and dad availed of the pool again on our second day and I hit out for another walk, covering Munster Rugby HQ, the Gaelic Grounds etc. It was lovely to explore the city as the day was just starting.
Breakfast at the hotel was wonderful, there was a small continental selection, along with an ‘ordered’ breakfast. The pancakes were a huge hit at our table and the children ate well. Again, there was lots of choice and the staff were attentive, professional and courteous. I could not fault them on anything.
I can honestly say that we will return for another staycation with the family, hopefully in the not too distance future. The children said the only bad thing about the hotel was that we were only staying one-night – high praise indeed. After our relaxing stay, we felt ready for our little boy to start school and our daughter to return to 3rd class. The last few months have been a whirlwind for families, but a short stay at The Limerick Strand Hotel can really revitalize you and have you ready for the winter ahead.
My children are already asking can we book to go visit Santa in Limerick this year and maybe stay over at the Limerick Strand. Highly recommended, we will be back.
To book a stay at The Limerick Strand Hotel visit their website here.
