The Redcastle Hotel, Moville

.../> "We'll be arriving at the Redcastle on 21st November, for an all-inclusive overnight stay. We plan to partake of the fresh sea air and the healing, pummelling waters in the hotel pool and spa. Would you care to join us for dinner in the restaurant at seven thirty?" So, suitably dolled-up, we set off for our dinner date to the Carlton Redcastle Hotel, and C Spa, last evening.

'''Location'''
The hotel nestles on ...
...golf course between it and the main R238 road, somewhere in between Quigley's Point and Moville. This is set against a backdrop of the hills constituting the Inishowen Peninsula in rural Co. Donegal. Finding the hotel on these dark, and inevitably rainy, winter nights can be a little tricky, as the low-walled entrance is heralded by a single, poorly-lit pole with a white diamond on it and, in thin cursive red letters, the name of the hotel. We actually ... more

Context
"We'll be arriving at the Redcastle on 21st November, for an all-inclusive overnight stay. We plan to partake of the fresh sea air and the healing, pummelling waters in the hotel pool and spa. Would you care to join us for dinner in the restaurant at seven thirty?" So, suitably dolled-up, we set off for our dinner date to the Carlton Redcastle Hotel, and C Spa, last evening.

Location
The hotel nestles on the north shore of Lough Foyle, with a 9-hole parkland golf course between it and the main R238 road, somewhere in between Quigley's Point and Moville. This is set against a backdrop of the hills constituting the Inishowen Peninsula in rural Co. Donegal. Finding the hotel on these dark, and inevitably rainy, winter nights can be a little tricky, as the low-walled entrance is heralded by a single, poorly-lit pole with a white diamond on it and, in thin cursive red letters, the name of the hotel. We actually were past the turning by the time we realised what we'd done, and had to exercise a quick three-pointer and double back a few dozen metres, thankfully unimpeded by any other traffic speeding around the blind corner on which the entrance sits.

The approach to the hotel is down a short drive between some eerily-lit trees on the left and the dark expanse of the unlit golf course on the right. There are no speed ramps, but 2 or three "20kmh" signs are nailed to trees to ensure you don't collect an exiting vehicle on any of the blind bends. The hotel car park is reasonably well lit, and we had no trouble parking a few metres away from the brick-pavioured entrance and pale, up-lit facade to the low building.

Reception
The rotating doors were only just operational, one of the 4 leaves had been pushed back, presumably to allow wheelchair access, or similar, to some earlier guests. Or perhaps it was just broken. Inside, an entrance vestibule, with subdued lighting, was bordered by three tall dark wood and glass panelled doors with brushed steel handles and some directional signs pointing to reception, restaurant, bar, spa, pool, etc. The receptionist was busy chatting to a colleague and thought we were trying to check-in, but the purpose of our visit was eventually clarified and a call to the room in which our hosts were residing was made, on our behalf, to announce our arrival.

The reception area had some comfy armchairs and sofas, in plush read leather or similar - comfy enough, and quiet too. Lighting was subdued, tea-lights on the tables and some stronger directional lighting over a display containing leaflets for local attractions and stuff. The hotel has rooms on different levels from here, with stairs in different styles going off in different directions. No immediate sign of a lift, and, as we subsequently found out, even access to the rooms closer to the pool level required the descent of a dozen or so stairs. We did see a wheelchair platform adjacent to these stairs though, so some form of disabled access exists, albeit "layered".

Dining
And so onwards to the focus of our evening, the Water's Edge restaurant. Mood lighting pervaded, with the environs of the restaurant reception desk being so dark even the staff had difficulty finding our name, pre-booked a week before, in the list of the evening's reservations. In any case, after a short wait and the intervention of a second member of staff with perhaps better night-vision, we were escorted to a table adjacent a ceiling-to-floor uncurtained window overlooking an unlit patio, in turn overlooking Lough Foyle. Some bright lights signalling the approach to the airport on the other side of the lough were clearly visible in the distance, as were a row of lights outlining the Magilligan peninsula to the south-east.

The room was spacious, with very low lighting around the edges - it took a while for the eyes to adjust to the light levels, and we were sitting below a ceiling spotlight on our side of the table, yet our hosts had difficulty reading the menu on their side. Ideal for romantic couples perhaps, but not for close inspection of the items on the €39 table-d'hote menu. Even the tea-light here had difficulty throwing any light!

The Food
The selections were ample - about 7 or 8 starters, ranging from "soup of the day with Guinness bread" (Pumpkin and pepper, and what seemed at first like Pumpernickel, but which was really a very dark wheaten bread), through "Beef tomato and buffalow [sic] mozzarella salad" and "Confit of duck" or, for an extra €5, a salad with shelled Atlantic prawns...

Starters selected, there then arrived a saucer each with a mini bruschetta "appetizer", along with our wine and, with some confusion, a large bottle of sparkling water and, eventually, a little jug of lime cordial. Accompanying these were some quite tasty small seeded rolls and butter. Pleasant, if under lit, conversation ensued.

After the debris from the starters (quite tasty) were cleared away, there arrived our main course selections - again, the menu had 2 or three items available only upon addition of a €10 or €15 surcharge, so we left the steak off our choices this evening - lamb shanks in a red onion jus for our hosts, and "corn fed chicken on a bed of risotto" for herself, and, strangely for me, the fisherman's pie. A dish of potato slices in onion and rosemary dressing, and some oven roasted carrots, parsnips, peppers and red onions accompanied these. The lamb shanks were particularly large, if a little salty in their pool of dark jus. The fisherman's pie was hot, creamy and had some small pieces of unseen, ergo unidentifiable, fish in it underneath the cheese-covered baked topping of mashed potato. The corn-fed chicken, whilst appearing small to my eyes, was adequate, and, I was informed, very tasty. We had some trouble attracting the attention of the waiting staff for a second glass of wine for those partaking, and the manager-type we'd seen distracting the receptionist earlier somewhat grudgingly came and took our request for some mint sauce for the lamb along with our plea for "more wine".

Desserts were for the most part mediocre, although we did not try the Cheesecake of The Day, orange and chocolate, so perhaps missed out on the speciality. Apple pie and custard was a miniscule apple flan with crumb over it and a streak of custard covering a part of the plate, adjacent a scoop of cream. The lemon tart was as expected: small, round and tart; also with obligatory scoop of cream and a strawberry. The best deal of the night was the chocolate profiteroles, which were large, 5 in number and smothered in a wonderful chocolate sauce to die for. Coffee was not particularly hot.

Guest Facilities
Anyway, by nine-fifteen we were ready to navigate our way out of the subliminally-lit restaurant area - mind the steps, which were at least lit at riser level, thankfully - and onwards to inspect the room and other facilities. The maze of well-lit corridors, going off in different directions, separated in some places by glass walls, reminded me of the methods used at airports to guide people from departures to the boarding gate, then to guide those arriving from the arrival gate (same place) to the arrivals lounge.

The pool, we were informed, had some features controlled by discreet buttons, although in some cases the buttons were inoperative or stuck in the on-position. Warm in the pool, but almost arctic when you clamber out of the pool and make your way back to the fluffy white bathrobe issued for use in the pool and spa area. Spa treatments ranged from water rituals (!) through to total body wraps in chocolate - untried, but imagined in-depth! The gym seems fairly well-appointed, and all facilities are available free of charge (except for the spa treatments, charged separately) to residents. Children are allowed into the pool in the morning and between 3pm and 6pm.

Room
The room our hosts had was a mini-suite, consisting of an American-size double-bed, in a room with a TV and down-lit, mirrored, walk-in wardrobe. The bathroom/shower was as expected, with complimentary bottles of stuff and smellies. There was a mini sitting room/work area with sofa, single armchair, desk and desk light with various data ports built-in. I suspect the sofa/armchair could also be made into a bed for any children in a family, but we did not investigate this in-depth.

The Morning After
We are informed that breakfast is a more enlightened affair, as the same restaurant, with its many windows, is bathed in soft misty light from the lough - and it's all self-service, with selections of juice, cereals, tea, coffee and various elements of a hot breakfast all readily available.

Cost
All-in, for dinner, bed and breakfast, with access to the standard pool and gym facilities, in a reasonably well-appointed mini-suite close to the pool (thus minimizing the need to traverse crowded reception areas kitted only in white towelling bathrobes!), was €85.00 per person sharing for a Friday night "special". And no, the chocolate body wrap was not included.

(c) pgn0 on Ciao.co.uk, Nov-2008. 

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