We had checked into hotel in Tralee which we had to leave as it was terrible The Great Southern took 15 of us in at short notice and a great price. The ambience was great, the staff were helpful over and above their call of duty, the rooms were spacious and clean. The food was excellent particularly afternoon tea. The foyer was warm and welcoming. We had 8 children between us all as you can imagine they could be noisy and messy but we were never made feel unwelcome. It was a delightful experience and i have been ranting and raving about this hotel since my return. I cant wait to go back again.

We stayed for a night at the Great Southern in October in the new section. It was rather sleek and beige. The bathroom was nice, and the room was extremely clean. The weather was a little warm so the large window in the room let in lots of fresh air and light. Great location. Walking distance to everything. Staff was professional and helpful. Did not have dinner at the hotel, but at the Londonderry Arms Hotel. Food and atmosphere there were very pub like. Everyone was helpful. The price was reasonable. The hotel was quiet.

I had reason to stay in The Great Southern in Killarney last Sunday and Monday night. I had originally booked just the Sunday night but on my way to check out I received a phone call from friends making more plans for that night so I extended my stay which was no problem at all.

The room was on the ground floor even though I had asked for an upper floor room when making my reservation but the room I was allocated had a lovely view of the garden and fountain with a huge window. I was probably better off with the one I had. The room itself is old style but clean. The reception and lobby area is wonderful.

The ONLY problem I had with the entire stay was whoever was in the room next to me enjoyed watching TV until the very early hours. This ordinarily is not a problem but the room I was given had interconnecting doors with the other guests room so sound proofing was practically nil. I'm pretty sure if I had commented on this to reception I would have been offered a different room but it hardly seemed worth the trouble.

All in all it was a lovely 2 days in Killarney. I would stay at the Great Southern again. It's cheap and clean with friendly staff and in a great location. What more can you ask for.

I would recommend this hotel to you only if you are stone deaf. If you are looking for a peaceful and relaxing break, look elsewhere. We had booked a suite for four nights. The first 'suite' offerred was on the ground floor in a sixties (USSR type) wing of the hotel; it was the shape of a portakabin, it had large windows, no blinds and consequently offerred zero privacy. It had all the ambience and charm of a mobile home. On rejecting this appalling room, we were offerred a second floor room in the main house. Although it had a 'back of shopping mall' view, it was a lovely room.

We had a superb meal out in the town at Gabi's seafood restaurant - highly recommended.

On our return to the hotel the nightmare started. We were woken at about 1.00am by scores of drunken wedding guests who had escaped from the reception complex and had taken over the residents bar in the hotel. The management happily poured drink down their throats and illegally allowed them to smoke in the hotel foyer until the last guest crawled out of the hotel at 5.30 am. My complaint to the management solicted an assurance that they had now all left. A promise made that the manager would contact me the following day wasn't fulfilled.

Two hours later, at 7.00am, we were rudely awoken by the sound of three coaches pulling up in front of the hotel - whose engines were left running whilst the hundreds of coach party wallers shuffled on board over the next two hours.

The breakfast was great.

After rooting out a manager the following evening, I was informed that there was another wedding already in full swing , but it was smaller - so there should be no problem.

We did sleep ... until about 3.30am when we were awoken by the dulcid tones of 'Fields of Athenry' at full volume, interspersed with IRA chants beneath our bedroom window. No management or security were to be seen until I complained.

The third day was relatively uneventful, other than for the sound and smell of coaches belching forth diesel fumes into our bedroom from 7.00am to 9.00am, from 5.00pm to 7.00pm and again from 9.30pm to 10.00 pm each evening, when the coach wallers returned from their little trips.

The food and service in the restaurants was still good.

On the last day, the hotel really excelled themselves, by laying on a halloween type party for witches. The party comprised of about 150 lowlife scumbags, all dressed as prostitutes (probably didn't bother changing) who proceeded to get absolutely plastered (surprise, surprise). It was about 1.40am , I recall, when all 150 were eventually evicted en-masse (beneath our bedroom window) .The drunken orgy of swearing, puking and generally disgusting behaviour continued for about another hour after after the hotel management bolted the front door and washed their hands of the problem.

At 7.00 am the noise of the coaches gently awoke us from our slumber. No apologies from management.

To summarise, this hotel is an abslute disgrace. As a paying guest, you feel like you are only there under sufferance. The hotel is completely given over to unruly weddings, dubious parties and coach trippers. It is an awful shame because there is much to like about the hotel, but it is totally negated by not being able to sleep for more than a couple of hours each night.

The hotel has just changed hands (twice) and it shows. The policy of the hotel, clearly, is to make the easy buck from weddings and coach parties - especiously as you don't need to try very hard to please either catagory. The young management team, whilst being apologetic, have no control whatsoever over the unruly elements.

I made them refund the supplement I had paid for the suite (€200), but on reflection they got off very lightly. My advice to you all would be to avod this hotel like the plague until they can get their act together - but don't hold your breath.