Summerhill House Hotel

The breakfast variety and affordability were highlighted. Guests appreciated the friendly staff and convenient location near Enniskerry village and amenities.

We were there for 3 days for a wedding. First night we were put in what SHOULD have been a nice corner room with a good view. Sadly EVERYTHING about the room was old, broken or barely functional. The shower did not work, the phone did not work, the chair was broken, the bed was an ancient painted brass bed and noisy, pillows were (as everywhere in Ireland) TERRIBLE. I was too ill upon check-in to complain but asked to be moved the next day which they did. Then in that room which was ok they never serviced the room. Never made the bed, cleaned the bath - nothing. No safes in the rooms. The restaurant was ok for breakfast the first day but the second day there was a big group in the hotel with, clearly a lower quality breakfast paid for and the staff just assumed that we got the same thing - was like pulling teeth to get service. All of the rooms and overall hotel did not feel professionally maintained and decorated. Felt like lots of do it yourself things bought at the hardware store like pressure curtain rods that sliped around when adjusted because they were not attached. And don't get me started on the their room numbering (system?) The 300 rooms were on the second floor. the 400 rooms were on the third floor and there was a mix of numbers on the ground and first floor. FUBAR is the word I kept arriving at.

I’ll start on the positives .…beautiful location within walking distance to Enniskerry village. Entrance to hotel is welcoming and beautifully decorated. Lovely reception, drawing room & bar. We had dinner in the terrace decorated room & the food was delicious…….Check in was 1500, we arrived at 1540 & our room wasn’t ready. Other quite simple and inexpensive things to correct, let them down considerably. You are wowed by the decor as you enter to disappoint when you enter bedroom. Zero consideration or comfort. Red/black carpet, yellow walls, grey curtains, white linen. Bedside lamps had us confused & their cables got caught up in our pillows. No spare sockets, we had to unplug the television to charge a mobile phone, we had four beds in this room how four people would manage I don’t know. No privacy curtains, every time you changed or came out of the shower you had to close over the dark heavy curtains as there was a public path outside our window. There were holes in the walls where previous pictures or headboard had been hung, no attempt to fill them in & paint over. At night time every guest stopped outside our door to chat & plan breakfast times, our room was opposite the lift. Reception was right beside us & they didn’t move people on. Lukewarm low pressure shower was so frustrating, AVOID room 201. As I said earlier food was delicious, the service was appalling. Very young awkward apologetic unassertive staff, they made us so uncomfortable. Local kids working a summer /weekend job. They were untrained & that’s so unfair to them & to guests paying a lot of money. I absolutely do not expect nor want a formal service, friendly & experienced is suitable for here. We ordered a bottle of wine, waited ages, it was then plonked on the table with the cork recorked & help yourselves. Zero wine etiquette. So we unpopped our bottle & had a taste ourselves, very nice wine but gosh a poor delivery. We decided to ourselves maybe the wait staff were too young to handle alcohol, if this is the case then bar staff / restaurant manager should look after wine delivery. On check out reception asked how was our stay, it was easier to say grand & leave. To start listing off our issues & getting ourselves frustrated again we hadn’t the energy. Management need to stay in rooms for a night & experience the shortfalls. Staff need training, this hotel could be great easily & inexpensively. Read the reviews & act!!