This large, modern purpose-built guesthouse is beside the River Lee Hotel, and there is secure parking in the grounds.
Built to offer hotel quality accommodation at a moderate price, it is comparable to a budget hotel; public areas are not grand but reception is prompt and friendly, and there is bottled water on each floor, newspapers in the breakfast room and generally pleasing surroundings throughout, including original art works.
Spacious guest rooms, which include 9 newer ones, are furnished to a high standard (with free broadband, safes, 12 channel TV, trouser press, tea/coffee facilities and room service as well as the more usual facilities) and the bathrooms, some with jacuzzi baths, are well-designed. Suites have SuperKing beds, Nespresso coffee machine and bathrooms come with whirlpool Jacuzzi baths.
Efficient double glazing helps to offset traffic noise in rooms at the front (if you do not need to open windows), but rooms at the back may be a better option.
A very good breakfast has always been a high point of a stay here and it is served in a bright contemporary dining room, which is set up with a comprehensive buffet display of fruits, cereals, yoghurts and so on, to help yourself to while your cooked-to-order food is being prepared. The menu has a bit of attitude - no Full Irish, here it's The Lancaster (or the Mini Lancaster, or The Vegetarian Lancaster) - and the porridge is served decadently with honey & apricots, or cream & brown sugar, while most of the other dishes veer towards the brunch end of the spectrum: pancakes various ways, for example, bagels and a Gourmet Breakfast Omelette.
It's all really good and the main suppliers are credited - meats from O Crúalaoi Butchers, Ballincollig and eggs from Upton Eggs,Innishannon - which is always nice to see.
The strange thing is that guests so often express pleased surprise about the high standard of breakfast at Lancaster Lodge - a compliment of course, but it's just what they've been doing very well for many years and that deserves recognition.
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