Galway, The Twelve

My girlfriend and I had been planning to take a trip to Ireland celebrate (or as she put it, commiserate) her 30th birthday on May 2nd 2011. This coincided with the Royal Wedding, so we were convinced we would have a hard time finding a place to stay for a reasonable amount. After a short time searching the internet, we found a selection of places that were both available and affordable. The one that we liked the look of the most was The Twelve, situated by the bay in Galway, the west coast of Ireland. We found several deals that covered our 2 night requirement, including the Gourmet option, which included a meal at the hotels own restaurant, 'West'. This had received many good reviews, and for '159 per person for two nights, we booked.

We rented a car from Dublin and drove across the country to take in the scenery, it was superb. On arrival, we found the car park easily, which had plenty of space, so we got our bags and headed to the lift to reception.

In my opinion, it doesn't matter how good a place is, if the service is poor, it can ruin a beautiful place. This was not the case here. We were greeted in the perfect welcoming manner by Samantha, who offered us a seat, went through our booking, and informed us of the Hotel amenities and other information. She offered us help with our luggage and went to our room. It really set the mood.

Making our way through the hotel, we were impressed by the decor and the subtle lighting, large elaborate mirrors from floor to ceiling were a common feature, and some interesting art work decorated the walls. Arriving at our room, we were very pleased. Dark wood furniture, modern yet classic, filled the room. The bed was had Tempur mattress and superb pillows, I have never slept that well, very comfortable. The bathroom had a huge walk in shower, and mood lighting. When you pull the light cord, coloured up lights illuminate the room. We had a large window that looked out to the bay, and although by a main road, this was not a disturbance at all. We received a knock at the door, and were given a small plate with two strawberries dipped in chocolate and short bread as a welcome gift. A small touch, but greatly appreciated, and a sign of the Hotels good service.

We went to the bar (The Pins) and had a few pre dinner drinks, and again, the service was perfect; Polite, fast, and a pleasant atmosphere. We had booked our table for 7pm, so we left for the restaurant, which happened to be on our floor. Once again, we were greeted with superb decor, a welcoming atmosphere and excellent service. The staff clearly wanted to provide a great experience and were attentive without being intrusive. We received some recommendations, and decided on Salmon Fishcakes/Mussels to start, followed by Fillet Steak/Pork Loin, the finishing with Summer Fruit with Short Bread/Ice Cream. The food was ... well superb doesn't cover it, divine maybe? It was amazing. Not too much, not too little, the flavours were perfect, cooked just as I like, and I asked them to do something a little special with Michelle's desert for her birthday, they wrote Happy Birthday in chocolate around her plate in superb writing, and placed a candle in one of the scoops of ice cream. As I write ice cream it sounds a bit plain, but it was a very rich, delicious variety. The whole experience was absolutely perfect.

Upon leaving the Hotel, we received our bill, were talked through any extras we put on our room, and were treated just as we were on arrival. We left feeling that not only had we got a good deal anyway, we had found the deal of the decade, as although the Hotel was great, the service is what made it that little bit more... perfect.

I cannot recommend this Hotel enough, I will be going back at some point :)