The Rabbit Hotel & Retreat
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Hotel Details
Location
The Rabbit Hotel & Retreat · Templepatrick, United Kingdom
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Key Highlights
- ✓Exceptional Service: The staff consistently receives glowing reviews for being "exceptionally kind and accommodating," "super friendly and helpful," and providing "first-class service."
Expert Review: The Rabbit Hotel & Retreat
The Rabbit Hotel & Retreat: A Comprehensive Review of a Michelin Key Selected Property
The Rabbit Hotel & Retreat in Templepatrick, United Kingdom, consistently garners high praise for its unique blend of quirky charm, luxurious amenities, and exceptional service. As a Michelin Key Selected property, it offers a distinctive and memorable escape, often described as a "grown-up playground" that doesn't take itself too seriously.
1. Overall Rating & Sentiment
The general consensus for The Rabbit Hotel & Retreat is overwhelmingly positive, with an impressive average rating of 8.6 on Agoda and 8.5 on Booking.com. Many guests describe their stays as "exceptional" and "wonderful relaxing" experiences, with numerous 10/10 ratings across review platforms. The sentiment highlights a successful balance between laid-back luxury and vibrant character.
2. Key Highlights
Guests consistently laud The Rabbit's standout features:
- The Lakeside Spa: This open-air facility is a major draw, boasting hot tubs, a Roman bath, steam rooms, saunas, various pools, and even a "mini-beach" complete with sand and a beach bar. It's often highlighted as a fantastic and well-maintained area where guests can spend a significant portion of their day.
- Unique Design & Atmosphere: The hotel is celebrated for its "beautifully designed" and "quirky" aesthetic, mixing country-inn charm with modern flair. Expect vibrant colors, unique artifacts, and bespoke touches like Belfast-designed wallpaper and hand-painted rabbits in each room.
- Exceptional Service: The staff consistently receives glowing reviews for being "exceptionally kind and accommodating," "super friendly and helpful," and providing "first-class service."
- Culinary Delights: The on-site restaurant is highly regarded for its delicious food and extensive menu.
3. Room Quality
The Rabbit offers a range of "exquisitely designed rooms," including "Snug" (20 sq m) and "Comfy" (24 sq m) options, with some "Comfy" rooms featuring desirable outdoor bathtubs and wood-burning stoves on private patios. Rooms are described as comfortable, cozy, spacious, and modern, featuring amenities such as Dyson hairdryers and Marshall amps.
4. Dining Experience
The hotel's on-site establishment, The Rabbit Restaurant, is a highly popular eatery, even with locals. It has earned a 1 Rosette Award for Culinary Excellence. The menu offers a brasserie-style experience with a focus on modern Irish cuisine, including steaks, seafood, and international options. Reviewers praise the quality and taste of the food, with specific mentions of "Beer Battered Chipolatas" and "Truffle Arancini." Breakfast is particularly well-received, scoring 9.4 on Booking.com and offering full English/Irish, vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free choices. Room service is also available.
5. Service & Staff
The staff at The Rabbit Hotel & Retreat are a consistent highlight in guest feedback. They are frequently described as "amazing," "exceptionally kind and accommodating," "super friendly and helpful," and delivering "first-class service." Many guests appreciate the personal touches, such as a resident dog named Florence who interacts with guests and staff leaving cards and treats for special occasions.
6. Location & Accessibility
Nestled in the picturesque village of Templepatrick, the hotel offers a serene escape. Its convenient location is approximately 20 minutes from Belfast and just 10 minutes from Belfast International Airport, making it easily accessible for both local and international travelers. The property is a lakeside retreat, and complimentary on-site parking is available for guests.
7. Value & Pricing
While prices can vary depending on dates, The Rabbit Hotel & Retreat is considered to offer "exceptional value for money." Average room prices are around $366 (Agoda) or £193.2 for a specific date (Expedia). Booking.com rates its value for money at 7.8 out of 10.
8. Common Complaints
Despite the overwhelmingly positive reviews, some minor issues have been noted by guests:
- Privacy in Outdoor Bathtub Rooms: Some guests found that rooms with outdoor bathtubs lacked privacy due to overhead balconies or proximity to other rooms.
- Noise: A few reviews mentioned being able to hear neighbors or noise from upstairs rooms.
- Dining Service Issues: Isolated incidents of slow dinner service, such as a starter arriving after the main course, have been reported.
- Spa Treatment Availability: It's recommended to book spa treatments in advance, as they can be fully booked.
- Mocktail Quality: One guest noted that mocktails at the Palm House contained mostly ice.
- Facility Maintenance: A review mentioned some buttons in the main pool being off or broken.
- Room-Specific Issues: One instance of a sewer smell and toilet flushing problems in a particular room was reported.
- Lack of Lifts: A few guests noted the absence of a lift, which could be a consideration for some.
Sources
Points to Consider
- •Despite the overwhelmingly positive reviews, some minor issues have been noted by guests:
- •Dining Service Issues: Isolated incidents of slow dinner service, such as a starter arriving after the main course, have been reported.
- •Room-Specific Issues: One instance of a sewer smell and toilet flushing problems in a particular room was reported.
Google Reviews
1,658 reviews
Recent Guest Reviews
Niall Mullally
I was happy with everything but I felt that the valentines menu was a bit of a scam unfortunately. The portion sizes were tiny, and after claiming that there was five course online I was shocked to see that a square of watermelon and tea/coffee was advertised as two courses. Was very disappointed. With this, it seemed like the rest of the courses were made much smaller and as a result we ended up ...
Response from the owner
Hi Niall,<br>Thanks for taking the time to post a review, I was glad to read that you enjoyed your stay with us overall but am sorry you felt the dining experience didn't feel like value for money. Sh...
Alin Ciocan
Great stay! We were there for a wedding and had amazing experience. The staff were extremely friendly and very helpful and the people behind the bar were great craic. I definitely recommend the spa as it is a stunning location and the views are really good. Checked out at 11 but we got a great deal where for £35 were able to use the spa after checkout for the rest of the day with a delicious lunch...
Response from the owner
Hi Alin,<br>Thank you for your positive review!<br>Hope to see you again soon at The Rabbit :)
luke mccrudden
Horrible experience at the rabbit hotel... paid £515 for the luxury room with hot tub. Unfortunately the hot tub is located beside the heating system for the hotel and is very noisy! It's like being on a building site, myself and my partner could not relax. We then got a call from the security staff at 1am saying we were too loud. The security man stood outside our room for half an hour to check t...
Ivona Marinović
We stayed at your hotel as part of the Festive Getaway package and paid extra for an upgraded room and a private jacuzzi, bringing the total cost to €482, plus an additional £20 for a late check-out. After checking out, we felt that for this price, the overall experience could have been much better. The highlight of our stay was the dinner — the food was very tasty and the restaurant staff were ex...
Response from the owner
Hi Ivona<br>Thanks for taking the time to post a review, and for sharing your lovely photographs. I'm sorry to read that your recent stay with us didn't quite hit the mark. We would be happy to discus...
Ciara Mallon
We stayed for our friend’s wedding, which was amazing. The staff were all lovely and always smiling, and the rooms were gorgeous. The food at the wedding was amazing. The rooms were lovely and well looked after. However there was a lot of hair on the bed and found on the shower head and inside the bottom of the Dyson hair dyer. The fridge in the room was a nice add, however when we checked out th...
Sandy Kelly
I have been fortunate enough to have visited Spas across the world, and I can honestly say yesterday’s experience at the Rabbit Hotel Spa was one of the best experiences I’ve had. All my colleagues completely agree, the venue and the facilities were second to none, but most importantly, the staff were exceptional! From the reception staff to the therapists and our servers in the restaurant – ever...
