Spent one Saturday night at this smart little hotel in downtown Galway. The Volvo Ocean Race teams were to arrive sometime that evening and every bar/pub/restaurant was filled to the max. In spite of the crowds that partied late into the night, we heard no street noise from our suite (the windows are treated so as to buffer sound). The breakfast bar was well stocked and the hot breakfast menu offered a half-dozen appetizing choices. Front desk staff was friendly and service, overall, was excellent. Parking available at a nearby lot for reduced rate. A+ experience.

After a lovely meal elsewhere we decided to go to the House hotel for a cocktail last Tues 9th June. When we were finally greeting by the barman after waiting 8 mins for him he explained to us that they have a cocktail menu but he doesn't do cocktails. I thaught more training for your bar staff would be offered especially from your award winning cocktail barman you have there. How hard is a [--] on the beach in fairness!!! obviously we left straight away.

I stayed in this hotel for one night last weekend. The location is fantastic - close to shops, pubs, etc. It was also an ideal location for the events of the Volvo Ocean Race.
I was given a wheel chair accessible room as I was told on check in that this was the only room available. The room was spacious, the bed was comfortable and the bathroom was very large.
I did however have a number of minor complaints. I felt that the cleaning standards in the room could be improved - there were a large number of cup stains on the table in the room. The paint on the door was quite chipped. There were a number of hairs in the bottom of the wardrobe. Also the sink in the bathroom and near to the shower door had brown / orange stains which showed that the attention to cleaning wasn't the greatest. Also the room had a balcony but it was filthy - bird poo, green discolouration, etc.
I know that these are only small points but I feel that these are important for a boutique hotel to improve on.
Also the tv was sitting on top of a very large minibar - surely they could find a stand?or attach the tv to the wall?
The service was very impressive - the staff were pleasant and attentive. There was also a map of Galway and detailed information on the area provided in the room - this was a very nice touch. Also, there were complimentary dressing gowns, slippers, hairdryer and safe in the room - services which I have not found in a number of the hotels I have stayed in recently.
I would stay in this hotel again if I was visiting Galway but the cleaning must improve!

Galway’s The House Hotel is a gem. My dear wife and I spent a pleasant, although rain-sogged three nights in The House. We arrived in Galway by railroad train from Dublin (the train in itself was a pleasant adventure), left the train station with our bags in tow, and walked the easy four or five blocks to the hotel. From the railway station the hotel is across the square, around a turn, past the Kinlay House Hostel to Merchant Street and then down Merchant Street to the Spanish Parade area and the hotel. Spanish Parade is simply a small area of Galway that several hundred years ago was the center of Spanish shipping for the ancient seaport town.
The Irish, we discovered, and especially the Galwaians apparently have a fear of placing street names on their streets. The absence of street signs makes maps sometimes meaningless, but, with patience and determination, a number of Galway’s tourist sites, restaurants, public houses, shops, and shopping center, as well as the railway station, are in easy walking distance from one another.
We enjoyed our stay at The House Hotel. The receptionist who greeted us as we escaped that rain into the contemporary hotel lobby was gracious, helpful, and shared with us a grand sense of humor. Our second floor room, although small by U.S. standards was certainly adequate and well appointed. The bathroom was modern, although small. The House, as is not the custom with many Irish, Scottish, or English hotels, supplies washcloths with other bath linen. That, to us, was a pleasant surprise. The hotel’s complimentary wireless service was fast and solid. We experienced absolutely no problems of “issues” with our room and with the staff.
The dinning room-restaurant is a popular nightspot for the little town. The menu was varied, although we noticed the absence of many true Irish dishes like Irish stew, lamb, or bangers. However, during one of our hotel restaurant meals we ordered the black pudding appetizer. It was well presented and well prepared. We do recommend, however, against the hotel’s version of Irish coffee. The Irish coffee served from the hotel bar was probably the least well prepared of any we experienced during our two week Ireland visit. Although in the hotel’s defense, the night we ordered Irish coffee, the bartender was also working as a server, a receptionist, and he may have even been doubling as the cook. He was doing all of the jobs well, but he was a bit harried (although he was gracious and professional).
The breakfast provided with our hotel package was excellent. The buffet was extensive and included smoked salmon, cheeses, pastries, assorted cereals, and assorted juices. The full Irish breakfast was good, and the scrambled eggs were well prepared (that is, the scrambled eggs were not watery).
The hotel receptionist helped us arrange a coach tour, and she recommended several interesting and successful dinning experiences. One of the recommendations was McDonagh’s, a seafood establishment noted for fish and chips. We also had a wonderful Irish stew not too far up the street from McDonagh’s at the Quay. We had lunch one rainy day in the Galway Museum’s restaurant and coffee bar and experienced a surprisingly well prepared Guinness stew.
We think our best meal during the three-night Galway stay was at Busker Brownes pub. There we selected a wonderful lamb shank and mash and a well-done Guinness steak pie.
Because of the constant Irish rain, our stay in Galway might have been a trial; however, the people we met, the good food we experienced, and the service provide by the staff of The House Hotel made the visit positive and upbeat. We can recommend The House with confidence.