Clayton Hotel

Ballybrit,
Co. Galway
Clayton Hotel Galway enquiries
www.clayton.ie

• Superb dining
• Stylish contemporary design
• Friendly traditional atmosphere

We just knew our latest visit to the stylish Clayton Hotel in Galway was going to be great. We had stayed there once before and also we knew the chef from international culinary competitions. This was a winning combination, a modern chic hotel and a renowned award winning chef set in one of Ireland’s most vibrant cities. We had all-comfort contemporary design, really super food, and added to that we also met the friendliest people there.

ACCOMMODATION AT CLAYTON

While the hotel is situated just outside the city centre, it is easy enough to find from the main Dublin and Limerick roads and is close to Galway airport. The building is impressively designed, with elegantly appointed rooms and lots of glass and light. We loved the bright reception area and our bedroom on the fourth floor had a huge balcony from where we could see over to Galway Bay.

Our king size bed was fabulously comfortable, our bathroom huge with under-floor heating, a rainforest shower and extra-large bath. We had a separate living area, and the most unusual feature was a revolving flat-screen television with a mirror on the other side that divided the bedroom from the living area. That was something we had not seen before!

DINING AT TRIBES RESTAURANT AT THE CLAYTON

The food at this hotel has to be the highlight! Galway city and county is home to many great restaurants and is one of Ireland’s best places to eat. Tribes Restaurant is up there with the best. Head Chef Johnny Kelly is a fellow of the World Master Chefs Association and winner of numerous international gold medals. I have seen him in action over the years managing the Irish Culinary team abroad and bringing home gold and silver medals at both Senior and Junior levels. The menus he has crafted at Tribes Restaurant reflect this great talent. Think the most succulent Grilled Black Sole you have ever tasted, Roast Sesame Seed Loin of Monkfish, Baked Fillet of Organic Salmon, Fresh Killary Prawns and Scallops, Pan-friend fillet of Seabass – the western city of Galway is renowned for the quality of its seafood, and that is well reflected on the menu. Other choices included Steak, Corn Fed Chicken, Veal, Lamb and several vegetarian dishes. We opted for a Char Grilled Fillet Steak and a Black Sole on the bone. For starters we went totally ‘fishy’ with a warm Thai seafood cake on a chilli noodle salad, and a fresh Prawn Salad. All of this was smoothly accompanied with bottle of Sancere and some still water. We enjoyed home-made breads, and an excellent amuse-bouche of a large scallop on a little bed of ratatouille. Finishing up with a warm chocolate pudding and vanilla ice-cream, this was superb dining. While food is centre stage of any dining experience, the service and ambiance contribute to making it a special occasion. Our service got the balance just right between friendly and professional, and the timing was spot-on.

So when exactly is a hotel restaurant not just a hotel restaurant? We are often asked this, and the answer is when it is a stand-alone restaurant in its own right. Tribes Restaurant at Clayton Hotel is just that.

We did take a look into the bar before dinner, and it was buzzing with plenty of food being served. For families and more casual dining, it appeared to be very popular with local people. We had a great breakfast the next morning, with the same prompt, professional service and a bountiful buffet that contained more choices than you could possibly imagine!

A quick visit to the leisure centre before leaving left us feeling we had at least worked off some of those calories, but we had spent the day before on a serious shopping expedition, so we had been busy!

The Clayton is a clever hotel, it gets the important things right. Owner John Glynn has been in the Irish hospitality business for many years, he knows what today’s guest is looking for in a good hotel experience, and he makes sure that they get it. This is a hotel that delivers on all fronts, and we will certainly look forward to our next visit.