I planned my wedding with the Marine Hotel and I felt very taken care of. Overall I would say the staff were quite friendly and the wedding coordinator, Liz, was personable and checked in often for updates to the wedding plans. The hotel itself has many room options. My husband and I had friends and family book rooms through the hotel and they were able to accommodate up to 5 people in a room. And each room was spacious with a small desk and kitchenette like space. There was a rainfall shower and plenty of drawer space/hangers for clothes. They have breakfast (which is a fry up buffet) with eggs made to order. The venue was gorgeous and the beach is right outside the front doors! There were only a couple of negative points about the hotel itself. I chose a warmer time to have my wedding and the hotel was not well equipped to deal with the heat. There were a few fans for the rooms, but definitely not enough to go around. This kind of weather is a rare occurrence for Northern Ireland as I am sure the hotel is plenty equipped to deal with the cold. This also affected the ceremony room (where me and my guests were sweating through our clothes) and the rehearsal dinner room. Other than that, the hotel was a fantastic location and I would definitely go and stay in some of the cooler months.
weeliz8860
We stayed at the Marine hotel Ballycastle weekend 22nd September. We found the hotel very comfortable and clean, the staff were very friendly and food was beautiful. The only downside we found was there were no drinks served even to residents once the bar closed which was disappointing as we met other residents at the end of the night and would like to have a drink with them while we were chatting.
Explorer27092751797
A group of us went for breakfast here during our trip, we were greeted by a lovely staff member who seated us at the table. 1 person ordered the full cooked breakfast, asking for no mushrooms and no beans. The breakfast arrived with beans and no mushrooms, and no tomato. When we said it to the waitress that it was actually no beans and no mushrooms, she rudely said “well I didn’t take the order so” and it took it back. The breakfast came back, with mushrooms, no beans, however the egg and rashers still had beans on them. Felt there was no point telling the waitress for a second time based on her poor attitude. Food was okay, not great. When it came to paying, we were waiting 5 minutes at the till while staff chatted. Would not recommend.
Jaffathecat1
Visited here this afternoon to try & have a quick bite to eat. Despite it being around 5.30pm we were told many of the lobby tables were reserved for dinner, despite the fact that the guests were not expected for another 2 hours. Most of the staff serving were kids who really didn't know what they were doing or what food was available. The lobby bar & food area was grubby and some of the cakes & stuff for tea looked tired. Shan't be rushing back any time soon
19stephenmuir77
Just home from three days over The Lammas Fair. Despite everywhere being packed the hotel was well staffed and organised. Our wee family always had a comfy sofa and table to play board games and enjoy a few drinks. The staff team is the real credit to this hotel always professional while keeping genuine friendly warmth. Can't wait to be back sitting at our bedroom window looking out over the incredible views to Fair Head with the only decision to make being to have another Gin n Tonic or a cold Guinnes.
295jayneb
A lovely family stay at the Marine Hotel ! We were a family of 10 staying over for a seaside weekend in August and had a wonderful time at this hotel. The hotel managed to cater for everyone - elderly grandparents who had a very accessible sea view room on the corner of the 1st floor close to the lift to grandchildren who were staying with young parents in the beach house to also catering for younger single family members. Our rooms were spotlessly clean and very comfortable. We dined in Marconi's in the evening and the food was great - really recommend this hotel. Excellent location
532noelled
Very poor reception area. Our Seaview room was clean but was over a seating area where people tied loudly and shouted until 4am, then traffic from 5am. Breakfast lovely but dinner on the 1 night we ate there qas extremely poor and expensive. Wouldn't stay again as we got home exhausted.
Nattyshark
Myself and a friend stayed here as we were attending a wedding nearby. As we were flying in to Belfast from England and had a long day ahead my friend called in advance to request that we could check-in early as we had to attend the wedding rehearsal. The lady we spoke said she would note the system to ask that our room was cleaned first so it would be ready prior to 3:00pm. When we arrived at the hotel at around 1:30pm we were told no note existed on the system and we could not check-in. The lady we dealt with was very dismissive and didn’t seem to appreciate that it wasn’t our fault that the previous person we spoke with didn’t note the system. Another lady approached the reception desk and without even asking about the situation said very abruptly that she could guarantee we wouldn’t get an early check-in. Again her attitude was very dismissive and she didn’t seem interested in helping at all, the lack of customer service was really quite shocking considering we were paying nearly £300 for a two night stay. We were left to sit in reception which was very comfortable with sofas and a Costa coffee shop so that was a plus. Someone did come and see us at around 2:30pm and said we could check-in which was helpful but there was no apologies for the early experience and it was all very awkward. The hotel itself was fine, the room was clean and nicely decorated. The bed was comfortable and nice sheets. I wouldn’t say it was worth £300 but I appreciate it is in a beach front location and the area must be touristy. The beachfront outside of the hotel is wonderful. The breakfast was great, the quality I would expect for the price paid and the service in the restaurant was great, the staff were friendly and helpful. Unfortunately our experience was dampened by our initial service via reception and as such we wouldn’t stay again.
Susan M
A Group of eight of us stayed for one night dinner bed and breakfast after a day trip to Rathlin Island. The reception desk was tucked away in a corner of the entrance....not very well signed....but the staff were very welcoming and smart.Rooms were comfortable and clean. The meals were excellent although service was very slow. Saying this we would stay here again.
V8707FTmartinab
Want to give a special shout out to the staff at the Marine particularly Claire and Conor who looked after us the first evening of our stay and were so good and friendly we knew we were staying in the right place for a few days beside the seaside. The hotel has everything needed. Self serve hot/cold breakfasts, good coffee, and though we don't generally like hotel restaurants for dinner the Marine is an exception - the chowder is particularly good and so was the slow cooked beef. That said you could stay around the Marine for your stay but do explore up the hill where the actual town is, it's lovely with lots to see.
We paid £175 for 2 adults to stay in a sea view room in August 2023. This review covers the good and the bad but unfortunately more of the latter. Pros: A good view from the room Bed was comfortable Staff were very pleasant Continental breakfast was fine and as expected Cons: We couldn't find reception when we arrived. We actually walked back outside again because we thought we'd entered a cafe rather than a foyer. Another guest overheard our conversation and told us where to go. The room (209) was the smallest double room we've ever stayed in. Looking at the fire escape plan on the door it looks like it might have been eeked out of an adjacent room. In hindsight, we should've asked to be moved but we were in a rush to meet people when we arrived. The room wasn't clean. Dust everywhere on bedside tables, plug sockets, windows, picture frames etc. Some sort of white residue scattered up the door frame and door in the bathroom. The shower door would not close. No hot water for a morning shower at about 8am. Scratches (from a dog?) on the inside of the toilet door. It was very noisy throughout the stay but this was in some ways was to be expected given the room was at the front above the main street so we haven't docked any marks for this. Overall a disappointing stay and definitely not value for money. At checkout we did tell reception about the shower door but the foyer was so busy we decided to just leave rather than start a whole discussion. Ballycastle is lovely. Sadly, next time we visit we won't be staying here.
333erinnm
Great hotel, staff very friendly especially the lady with short blonde hair in the foyer area. The hotel is in a great location right on the seafront. The room was spotless and had everything we needed. We stayed in the Lir Suite which was worth it for the amazing sea view.
hillenannie
So I stayed at The Marine Hotel for 3 nights B&B from 31st July to 3rd Aug with my family. This hotel was recommended to us but we were all left very disappointed. The hotel itself is clean as are the rooms but honestly the bedrooms were very basic. Furniture was fold up tables, the TV in our particular room was only a 14 inch which you could barely see if you are lying in bed and the remote didn't work either. Took over 24 hours to get a fan when requested and when we ran out of toilet roll I waited 3 hours from contacting reception and still nothing so I had to go and hunt it down myself. We were told by various locals not to eat there and they were right after we ate there the first night. The fish was covered in so much batter that it was too burnt/crispy on the outside and raw in the middle and with a £17 price tag just for fish and chips it really wasn't good enough. We didn't eat there again for our evening meals. Breakfast was terrible also with warm milk for cereal and the cooked breakfast was just awful with cheap sausages and bacon that was so rubbery you could have used it as a sling shot! Plus no continental breakfast either which I prefer to a cooked one. To be honest we got a better stay/breakfast/value for money staying at a Holiday Inn recently. The fact that we paid over £500 for the 3 nights B&B per room was appalling when we realised what we actually getting for our money. Some staff were lovely (our room cleaners) while some of the younger staff looked like it was the last place they wanted to be and were very abrupt and rude when you asked them for anything. The hotel is dog friendly and we did bring our small dog and in this case they provided a bed, bowls, water and puppy pads when we first went in but £50 for just the dog I though was also a bit steep especially when I've only ever paid max. of £15 anytime we've stayed in other hotels. All in all very disappointed in the whole experience and won't be staying here again.
W8639VEcathym
Came here on Friday 4th of August for seafood evening, and I couldn’t compliment this place any higher!! Service and food was fantastic!! Emma was fabulous and couldn’t have been anymore accommodating! FOOD…… WOW! It was the best Cod Fillet I have ever tasted!! The Chef’s needs a raise ? this menu was absolutely fantastic….Hats off ? The view from my room exceptional room 210 and the cleanliness was second to none!! If you do not book this hotel, you do not know what you are missing!!
103bartekk
The hotel experience was extremely unpleasant as I was disturbed by other guests loudly shouting at 4 am. Despite reaching out to the reception for assistance, their response was unhelpful. After several discussions, they reluctantly agreed to provide a partial cash refund, but shockingly, they deducted the refund amount directly from my bank account. It's evident that the hotel staff, including the manager, behaved unethically and greedily, with the manager even avoiding our concerns. The manager seems creepy wouldn’t bring kids near that place.
I planned my wedding with the Marine Hotel and I felt very taken care of. Overall I would say the staff were quite friendly and the wedding coordinator, Liz, was personable and checked in often for updates to the wedding plans. The hotel itself has many room options. My husband and I had friends and family book rooms through the hotel and they were able to accommodate up to 5 people in a room. And each room was spacious with a small desk and kitchenette like space. There was a rainfall shower and plenty of drawer space/hangers for clothes. They have breakfast (which is a fry up buffet) with eggs made to order. The venue was gorgeous and the beach is right outside the front doors! There were only a couple of negative points about the hotel itself. I chose a warmer time to have my wedding and the hotel was not well equipped to deal with the heat. There were a few fans for the rooms, but definitely not enough to go around. This kind of weather is a rare occurrence for Northern Ireland as I am sure the hotel is plenty equipped to deal with the cold. This also affected the ceremony room (where me and my guests were sweating through our clothes) and the rehearsal dinner room. Other than that, the hotel was a fantastic location and I would definitely go and stay in some of the cooler months.
We stayed at the Marine hotel Ballycastle weekend 22nd September. We found the hotel very comfortable and clean, the staff were very friendly and food was beautiful. The only downside we found was there were no drinks served even to residents once the bar closed which was disappointing as we met other residents at the end of the night and would like to have a drink with them while we were chatting.
A group of us went for breakfast here during our trip, we were greeted by a lovely staff member who seated us at the table. 1 person ordered the full cooked breakfast, asking for no mushrooms and no beans. The breakfast arrived with beans and no mushrooms, and no tomato. When we said it to the waitress that it was actually no beans and no mushrooms, she rudely said “well I didn’t take the order so” and it took it back. The breakfast came back, with mushrooms, no beans, however the egg and rashers still had beans on them. Felt there was no point telling the waitress for a second time based on her poor attitude. Food was okay, not great. When it came to paying, we were waiting 5 minutes at the till while staff chatted. Would not recommend.
Visited here this afternoon to try & have a quick bite to eat. Despite it being around 5.30pm we were told many of the lobby tables were reserved for dinner, despite the fact that the guests were not expected for another 2 hours. Most of the staff serving were kids who really didn't know what they were doing or what food was available. The lobby bar & food area was grubby and some of the cakes & stuff for tea looked tired. Shan't be rushing back any time soon
Just home from three days over The Lammas Fair. Despite everywhere being packed the hotel was well staffed and organised. Our wee family always had a comfy sofa and table to play board games and enjoy a few drinks. The staff team is the real credit to this hotel always professional while keeping genuine friendly warmth. Can't wait to be back sitting at our bedroom window looking out over the incredible views to Fair Head with the only decision to make being to have another Gin n Tonic or a cold Guinnes.
A lovely family stay at the Marine Hotel ! We were a family of 10 staying over for a seaside weekend in August and had a wonderful time at this hotel. The hotel managed to cater for everyone - elderly grandparents who had a very accessible sea view room on the corner of the 1st floor close to the lift to grandchildren who were staying with young parents in the beach house to also catering for younger single family members. Our rooms were spotlessly clean and very comfortable. We dined in Marconi's in the evening and the food was great - really recommend this hotel. Excellent location
Very poor reception area. Our Seaview room was clean but was over a seating area where people tied loudly and shouted until 4am, then traffic from 5am. Breakfast lovely but dinner on the 1 night we ate there qas extremely poor and expensive. Wouldn't stay again as we got home exhausted.
Myself and a friend stayed here as we were attending a wedding nearby. As we were flying in to Belfast from England and had a long day ahead my friend called in advance to request that we could check-in early as we had to attend the wedding rehearsal. The lady we spoke said she would note the system to ask that our room was cleaned first so it would be ready prior to 3:00pm. When we arrived at the hotel at around 1:30pm we were told no note existed on the system and we could not check-in. The lady we dealt with was very dismissive and didn’t seem to appreciate that it wasn’t our fault that the previous person we spoke with didn’t note the system. Another lady approached the reception desk and without even asking about the situation said very abruptly that she could guarantee we wouldn’t get an early check-in. Again her attitude was very dismissive and she didn’t seem interested in helping at all, the lack of customer service was really quite shocking considering we were paying nearly £300 for a two night stay. We were left to sit in reception which was very comfortable with sofas and a Costa coffee shop so that was a plus. Someone did come and see us at around 2:30pm and said we could check-in which was helpful but there was no apologies for the early experience and it was all very awkward. The hotel itself was fine, the room was clean and nicely decorated. The bed was comfortable and nice sheets. I wouldn’t say it was worth £300 but I appreciate it is in a beach front location and the area must be touristy. The beachfront outside of the hotel is wonderful. The breakfast was great, the quality I would expect for the price paid and the service in the restaurant was great, the staff were friendly and helpful. Unfortunately our experience was dampened by our initial service via reception and as such we wouldn’t stay again.
A Group of eight of us stayed for one night dinner bed and breakfast after a day trip to Rathlin Island. The reception desk was tucked away in a corner of the entrance....not very well signed....but the staff were very welcoming and smart.Rooms were comfortable and clean. The meals were excellent although service was very slow. Saying this we would stay here again.
Want to give a special shout out to the staff at the Marine particularly Claire and Conor who looked after us the first evening of our stay and were so good and friendly we knew we were staying in the right place for a few days beside the seaside. The hotel has everything needed. Self serve hot/cold breakfasts, good coffee, and though we don't generally like hotel restaurants for dinner the Marine is an exception - the chowder is particularly good and so was the slow cooked beef. That said you could stay around the Marine for your stay but do explore up the hill where the actual town is, it's lovely with lots to see.
Restaurantji Recommends
We paid £175 for 2 adults to stay in a sea view room in August 2023. This review covers the good and the bad but unfortunately more of the latter. Pros: A good view from the room Bed was comfortable Staff were very pleasant Continental breakfast was fine and as expected Cons: We couldn't find reception when we arrived. We actually walked back outside again because we thought we'd entered a cafe rather than a foyer. Another guest overheard our conversation and told us where to go. The room (209) was the smallest double room we've ever stayed in. Looking at the fire escape plan on the door it looks like it might have been eeked out of an adjacent room. In hindsight, we should've asked to be moved but we were in a rush to meet people when we arrived. The room wasn't clean. Dust everywhere on bedside tables, plug sockets, windows, picture frames etc. Some sort of white residue scattered up the door frame and door in the bathroom. The shower door would not close. No hot water for a morning shower at about 8am. Scratches (from a dog?) on the inside of the toilet door. It was very noisy throughout the stay but this was in some ways was to be expected given the room was at the front above the main street so we haven't docked any marks for this. Overall a disappointing stay and definitely not value for money. At checkout we did tell reception about the shower door but the foyer was so busy we decided to just leave rather than start a whole discussion. Ballycastle is lovely. Sadly, next time we visit we won't be staying here.
Great hotel, staff very friendly especially the lady with short blonde hair in the foyer area. The hotel is in a great location right on the seafront. The room was spotless and had everything we needed. We stayed in the Lir Suite which was worth it for the amazing sea view.
So I stayed at The Marine Hotel for 3 nights B&B from 31st July to 3rd Aug with my family. This hotel was recommended to us but we were all left very disappointed. The hotel itself is clean as are the rooms but honestly the bedrooms were very basic. Furniture was fold up tables, the TV in our particular room was only a 14 inch which you could barely see if you are lying in bed and the remote didn't work either. Took over 24 hours to get a fan when requested and when we ran out of toilet roll I waited 3 hours from contacting reception and still nothing so I had to go and hunt it down myself. We were told by various locals not to eat there and they were right after we ate there the first night. The fish was covered in so much batter that it was too burnt/crispy on the outside and raw in the middle and with a £17 price tag just for fish and chips it really wasn't good enough. We didn't eat there again for our evening meals. Breakfast was terrible also with warm milk for cereal and the cooked breakfast was just awful with cheap sausages and bacon that was so rubbery you could have used it as a sling shot! Plus no continental breakfast either which I prefer to a cooked one. To be honest we got a better stay/breakfast/value for money staying at a Holiday Inn recently. The fact that we paid over £500 for the 3 nights B&B per room was appalling when we realised what we actually getting for our money. Some staff were lovely (our room cleaners) while some of the younger staff looked like it was the last place they wanted to be and were very abrupt and rude when you asked them for anything. The hotel is dog friendly and we did bring our small dog and in this case they provided a bed, bowls, water and puppy pads when we first went in but £50 for just the dog I though was also a bit steep especially when I've only ever paid max. of £15 anytime we've stayed in other hotels. All in all very disappointed in the whole experience and won't be staying here again.
Came here on Friday 4th of August for seafood evening, and I couldn’t compliment this place any higher!! Service and food was fantastic!! Emma was fabulous and couldn’t have been anymore accommodating! FOOD…… WOW! It was the best Cod Fillet I have ever tasted!! The Chef’s needs a raise ? this menu was absolutely fantastic….Hats off ? The view from my room exceptional room 210 and the cleanliness was second to none!! If you do not book this hotel, you do not know what you are missing!!
The hotel experience was extremely unpleasant as I was disturbed by other guests loudly shouting at 4 am. Despite reaching out to the reception for assistance, their response was unhelpful. After several discussions, they reluctantly agreed to provide a partial cash refund, but shockingly, they deducted the refund amount directly from my bank account. It's evident that the hotel staff, including the manager, behaved unethically and greedily, with the manager even avoiding our concerns. The manager seems creepy wouldn’t bring kids near that place.