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.

I really had a relaxing time at the Great Southern, it was wintertime, and it was so warming to see a real open fire in the lobby as you enter the hotel,
the food was very nice, and the rooms had fantastic comfy beds, which we needed after our bumpy tripon the 'Ring of Kerry' it was bumpy but highly recomended,
im going back to the great southern in september! and i can't wait

We as a family have been staying in the Great Southern Killarney for the last 20 years. Both in the Summer and especially at Christmas, which we spend there every year, this hotel leaves only the best of memories.
Having stayed in numerous hotels both modern and traditional this hotel offers old style Irish hospitality in abundance. The staff are second to none. There is a unique Kerry feel to the hotel that is genuine, not stylized or fabricated just genuine warmth, they care about their guests. If you interact with the staff they will set you right not just about Killarney but for all your trip in Kerry, seek out the local staff many who have worked at the hotel for years. The rooms are mixed some modern, some with beautiful Georgian proportion and style and the food and service in the magnificent dining room- one of the most splendid in Ireland, are terrific. The hotel is being sold and if you want to stay in one of the few last great hotels in Ireland, just in case it will be turned into some sterile one size fits all experience, God forbid, I cannot recommend it highly enough. It has a unique atmosphere, an unbeatable location and staff with genuine Kerry charm.

Communicating with staff proved a daunting task. Hotel room looked like a refurbished students dorm. Not enough towels for two. Plenty of better hotels in Killarney for the same money. Only strong point was location.