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Nestled in a serene, picturesque setting, The Salthouse Hotel captivates many guests with its stunning views and spotless premises. Accommodations are generally well-received for their comfort and spaciousness, though some guests point out issues with room temperature and upkeep. While the decor is elegant, the atmosphere receives mixed reviews due to the uninspiring dining options and a perceived lack of ambience.
Service quality varies, with commendations for friendliness alongside criticisms of unprofessional conduct. Opinions are split on amenities, with some displeasure expressed over additional spa fees and the overall value, as some travelers find the pricing steep for the offerings.
Location
Picturesque
Atmosphere
Uninspiring
Rooms
Comfortable
Value
Expensive
Cleanliness
Spotless
Service
Inconsistent
Amenities
Mixed
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For the price I expected to have a room with a view, not a wall. Very disappointed when arrived back to room at 4.30pm on second day there to find it hadn't been serviced. When questioned I was told bed wouldn't be made by staff. Eventually we got coffee sachets and clean mugs and glasses. Bathroom not touched though brought clean towels. For price, not impressed. If staff wore gloves and ppe there would be no problem and paying £458 for 2 nights b&b expect decent service. Food was excellent and staff in dining room were lovely.
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Date of stay: June 2021Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This is a lovely hotel particularly because of its scenic and quiet location not far from the town centre. The staff are friendly and helpful. However it is expensive for the level of service you get. We stayed for four nights but at no time were our beds made up or our sheets changed. The housekeeping staff do ask you daily if you need fresh towels or toiletries etc. The food is good. The service at breakfast is excellent but dinner can be a bit hit and miss.
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Date of stay: September 2020
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Location is definitely why sells this hotel, views over Rathlin, kintyre and Islay are spectacular, weather permitting. Pros- Rooms are decorated in lovely mute tones, large bathroom,all very clean. Food was good and plentiful at dinner. Spa relaxing. Cons-As a four star hotel you would expect to be accompanied to your room, but this wasn't the case. Tea/ coffee facilities were adequate but minimal.No instructions on how to contact reception, direction to local attractions, facilities. Nowhere in bathroom to set down toiletries.( although plenty of room for facility) Breakfast, small continental with two pots of yoghurt/ purée/granola and two with unidentified fruit chopped into the smallest bits. Two croissants and a small jar of jam and marmalade.. no offer of cereal or porridge, no fresh fruit, no cheeses, danishes or bread selections. Partner coeliac but was told they hadn't sourced gluten free sausages or soda/ potato bread. Only white bread available was of the cardboard kind m. Even though the Promise range is excellent and have a great variety. Spa-Never had to pay for the spa facilities at any other four star hotel as a resident. No towels to avail of in spa, tap water only to hydrate. Would be nice if had added lemon/ lime/ cucumber or mint. Didn't like having to walk back to room in wet robes. I appreciate that Covid has impacted on many things mentioned but other establishments have managed to negotiate these hurdles to provide the 4 star experience. I feel at the price the Salthouse has only to make some minor adjustments to really give its residents an experience as unique as its location. Having been informed by reception that there are plans to extend its capacity and to extend the spa and build a pool, it could ultimately find itself a victim of its own success
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Date of stay: November 2021Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Do not recommend at all! Seriously consider going elsewhere such as slieve donard which is renowned for its high quality and service and is actually significantly cheaper I stayed here recently and had high hopes for my stay considering the price of the room and especially since it was advertised on This Morning as the place to visit for a staycation in Northern Ireland. However I was very disappointed. When I entered my room I was hit by an overwhelming smell of what we eventually discovered was sewage. This was obviously a known issue as all the window in the room where open. With no contact information on how to ring reception or the bar from the hotel phone my partner went down to reception to complain. This was meant to be a relaxing night away but so far we hadn’t even had a chance to sit down as we weren’t sure what would happen regarding the smell. After waiting over 45 minutes for someone to come and investigate the issue my partner had to go down again. Eventually a staff member came up with an air purifier device which they use in the spa. She also recommended running the taps for 5 minutes to flush the smell away so this was a known issue but was not mentioned to us. As the hotel was fully booked that night they couldn’t move us but already this had put a dampener on the evening Then we had booked for dinner in the restaurant. Again they were fully booked but reassured they could squeeze us in. They placed us in lounge chairs with low tables which wasn’t the best posture for eating a heavy meal. I felt like the staff where possibly fussing over the owner who had made a flying visit that evening and the rest of the guests where not given the same level of treatment. This was a big thing we noticed. The price we paid did not reflect the level of service we expected and this was because we felt like the staff were very young and inexperienced. Not their fault at all. Down to poor management. The salt house need to reconsider either hiring more experienced staff or reducing the costs of the visit because I was not impressed and will not be recommending at all. Have honestly stayed and received better service from B&Bs in Portrush which is a fraction of the price. We had emailed to raise our concerns to management and after several chasing phone calls we finally received a poor response. Just shows they aren’t keen to compensate for poor service. Another thing I’d like to note especially with Covid still about was the fact yous watered down the hand soap in our bathroom. Some major cost cutting going on which I don’t understand since yous charge over 200 quid a night. And finally wrote a review on fb but the hotel aren’t too keen for it to be posted so just letting yous know what you could be in for
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Date of stay: August 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Having stayed in the hotel previously we looked forward to a return visit. I was surprised at the increase in price . In July bed and breakfast and evening meal was £170 that rose in August to £229 for bed and breakfast. I believe that is too expensive. I was prepared to pay that in anticipation of looking out from the bar area on that incredible view. That proved impossible as we hadn’t booked to eat and were relegated to a courtyard area which could have been anywhere. It was also cold and windy. We weren’t given access to our room until 3.25. Surely a hotel that charges this price should be able to accommodate residents much better. No member of staff was wearing a mask which left us feeling uncomfortable. I noticed tables in the courtyard not sanitised before others sat down. We left the hotel and found an eaterie in ballycastle where all staff were wearing masks and visors and the level of sanitising was exemplary. I spoke to the owners, father and son. I found the son polite professional and sympathetic, the father much less so. Unfortunately we will not return to the Salthouse.
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Date of stay: August 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lovely hotel in a fabulous location the views are outstanding the decor is beautiful however we had absolutely no view from our room on ground floor. The bathroom was very big, wet room style we were told it was an accessible room - what we'd booked online. This wasn't very clear at time of booking as we would definitely not have requested this when we didn't need it. Asked if we could possibly have a room with a bath to be told they only have 4 and these were all taken, also no ocean views available. Paid £20 each extra for one hour in the spa feel it's very lacking you may not even get to use either of 2 small outdoor hot tubs if other people are using not really worth paying extra for also towels not readily available in this area but staff happy to get them when asked. Dinner in restaurant was fabulous the staff were very attentive we were not rushed , good break between courses again views are amazing. Breakfast has to be the best ever the selection is top class. Payment for our booking was taken at time of booking but we received our itemised bill via email prior to checkout to find we were being billed again. Manager at reception was able to sort this but was not very apologetic. All in all this could be an absolutely amazing experience just feel could be brushed up in a few areas, staff could be more experienced/confident. Also could be more in way of outdoor seating at front on hotel rather than just 2 picnic tables but I understand our summers don't really lend themselves to outdoor dining. The courtyard is a lovely big area but again no views.
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Date of stay: August 2021Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Due to COVID our stay was delayed by 18 months but boy was it worth the wait! The hotel sits overlooking the wonderful Antrim coast, and luckily we had fantastic weather so could see right across to Rathlin Island. These views are made the most of at dinner so you can dine whilst taking in the stunning scenery.
All staff we found to be helpful and friendly, if they didn’t know the answer they would go and ask someone that did. We found everyone so attentive and were made to feel so welcome. A special mention to Cally at the spa - you made us feel so at ease!
The whole hotel was decorated to such high quality, and the rooms were lovely and clean. The bed was also very comfortable which is a must in any hotel. We also enjoyed the fluffy robes provided so could chill after a shower / spa.
The food was superb - we ordered off the set menu which in other places can sometimes feel like you’re going for the inferior option, but this wasn’t the case at all. Quality and portion size was perfect. The real winner was the breakfast though, continental followed by hot breakfast which was presented so well and the taste didn’t disappoint either.
The spa has two big hot tubs, a steam room, sauna room and a number of lounge beds - some of which are heated. We also paid extra to go in the seaweed baths which I would recommend (once you get over the fact you put seaweed over yourself!) as it made my skin feel amazing afterwards. We enjoyed the spa as it didn’t feel too overwhelming and as mentioned previously we had excellent assistance from Cally throughout, even bringing us our drinks to be enjoyed in the hot tub whilst overlooking the coast line. Superb.
Overall, if you’re wanting to spoil yourself (and given the past year or so who doesn’t?!) this hotel is a must stay. A very special place indeed!
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Date of stay: July 2021Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We received this stay as a Christmas gift from our kids and stayed mid January. On arrival we were greeted by the receptionist, who was friendly and efficient. We were given directions to our room, details of dining and of the spa. Our room (115) was beautiful. Very well finished with doors opening onto a patio. The views are stunning. We were blessed with great weather for January but could just imagine sitting out on the patio in summertime. We had dinner, which was part of the package, and can say it was a delight. The food was fantastic and the staff, once again were excellent. We had time in the spa, just sublime! Hot tubs with amazing views, seaweed baths, sauna, and heated recliners and refreshments. (There is also a steam room, which was closed due to Covid) There are treatment rooms too, with a good variety of treatments available. Breakfast was a highlight! Great choices of cooked breakfasts, plus continental breakfast items presented beautifully on a cake stand on your table. Tea, coffee and toast also included. You could wile away an hour or two over breakfast and again enjoying the views towards Rathlin Island. The hotel did not seem overcrowded and we felt safe regarding Covid. There were air sterilisation units and hand sanitiser stations throughout the hotel. Will definitely make a return visit and can’t recommend highly enough. Just a wonderful experience.
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Date of stay: January 2022
Value
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Beautiful position and amazing views , but that’s not what you only pay for , room was priced at 5 star prices with just 3/4 star facility . All staff were sort of friendly but wasn’t made to feel welcome, I asked a few time for advise on place ms to go as first visit etc but was told to look on their web page for info . The room was nice and big but nothing shouted £260 a night B&B have stayed in much cheaper with better quality everything . Bathroom looked like it only gets mopped as hairs on the walls dust on shower , toilet seat loose even a squashed fly on shower wall , the kettle clearly had Not been use for a while as covered in dust so housekeeping maybe needs to do a quick check over before room classed as done . I did mention this to reception , but ended up on return cleaning this fly off myself . Breakfast initial look has makings of being great but truly nothing exceptional , over done bacon hit and miss on eggs staff great but had to ask for things, but will put that down to maybe understaffed on a couple of day . But my biggest gripe is I booked hotel in advance directly with hotel given a price which was expensive but hey ho however when I looked online to think about booking a room for someone else I could of stayed in same class room B&B for £300 less than I was being charged , I rang to query this the week before arrival to be told it’s like airline seat gets cheaper nearer the time !! Anyway my review lovely place lacking in many parts from price , staff a little distant , will I go back probably not would recommend possibly but keep a check on prices as the difference is colossal . Shame as the whole concept is brilliant , Decor lovely and lounge very relaxing .
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Date of stay: July 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Check and re check prices ,
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Myself and my husband are just back from a 2 night staycation here and I only have good things to say! Hotel still has a very new feel with fresh decor. Rooms are spacious,light and well equipped. The views from the hot tubs are unbeatable,especially on a sunny day! Spa staff are wonderful and we really enjoyed our massages. You have to book access to thermal suite ahead of time as only 8 allowed at anytime which is great as it never feels crowded. We had both breakfast and dinner during our stay and the food was top quality. Varied drinks menu with lovely cocktails. All staff were extremely friendly and helpful at all times. Restaurant and bar staff all wore masks correctly at all times. The hotel have obviously invested a lot of money in installing air sterilisation units all over the hotel as part of their covid restrictions. In summary, I am looking for an excuse to go back again very soon and would recommend to anyone!
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Date of stay: June 2021Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The hotel has lovely spacious family rooms. It doesn’t have a pool but there is a beach close by. Also, I believe you can take the ferry ride to Rathlin Island.
Hope this is a help.
There are more places to choose from in the Ballycastle area.
PRICE RANGE
$290 - $378 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
United KingdomNorthern IrelandCounty AntrimBallycastle
NUMBER OF ROOMS
24
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect total costs of the stay, including all taxes and fees known to our partners. Please see our partners for more details.
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