Still Belfast's Christmas No.1

It’s the festive season again and as usual we find ourselves asking where has the year gone?!  Hurricane Abigail has well & truly blown any remains of our questionable Indian summer away...  Now we're getting wrapped up in our hats & scarves enjoying sunny Sunday strolls along the Lagan, under a cascade of crisp multi-coloured falling leaves.  As quick as it was, 2015 has been yet another fantastic year for Northern Ireland. A year in which 'wee' Belfast won a spot on the global edition of the board game Monopoly after being voted in the top 10 most popular destinations. Sure we knew it was only a matter of time, with endless things to do and see, the warmest of welcomes, the craic and of course, the people, we had to be up there! 

Hurtling towards the date when the big man arrives, the Christmas spirit in our beautiful city is infectious at this time of year. Belfast is transformed over-night into a spirit-warming winter wonderland with twinkling lights and the aroma of Glühwein escaping from the festive Christmas market adorning our majestic City Hall.  The market, complete with over 80 wooden chalets, reflects images of the Continental Christmas Markets we only dreamed about visiting in our darkest times. Here you can always find the perfect Christmas gift; hats & gloves, handmade jewellery, wooden toys, satchels, socks, handbags, essential oils, crystals & locally crafted paintings & sculptures and much, much more!

Your senses will be pushed to the limit with delicious gastronomic delights that include crepes from France, Belgian chocolates and an exotic selection of ostrich, wild boar and crocodile burgers for those with a taste for adventure. Plenty of photo opportunities to be had also for families & big children alike with the return of the well-loved snow globe & carousel, a popular hangout each year for those romantics who wish to get down on bended knee somewhere memorable!

Another must see is St Georges Market which is without doubt an institution in itself, built in 1890-1896 it is one of Belfast City’s oldest attractions.  Not only due to the magnificent building itself but the many personalities that work within its walls. Since its £4.5m refurbishment in 1997, this charming Victorian building offers one of the most vibrant and colourful destinations for locals & tourists alike. The atmosphere is cosmopolitan, friendly & relaxed, with foods from around the globe simmering away in the background. If it’s just kicking back for a lazy Sunday Morning coffee, catching up with friends over the ‘to die for’ raspberry & pistachio tart or routing through the numerous craft and antique stalls, St Georges Variety Market is the place for you.

So you can soak up all this wonderful festive spirit in one of the top 10 city break destinations, we have created two winter warming Christmas packages, just for you. Our first is to celebrate Tara Lodge being voted the number one hotel in Belfast on Tripadvisor for the eighth consecutive year!  The Tripadvisor’s Christmas No.1 ‘parcel’ has everything you need to make this hectic time of year a little more relaxing and fun. Perfect to get into the Belfast festive spirit and kick start that ever essential Christmas shopping!  Our second, ‘Baby its Cold Outside’ package is for all those lovebirds looking a cosy, romantic winter getaway.  All of course within a stone’s throw from the bright lights of Belfast City centre, just in-case you fancy a night on the town too.

Tripadvisor’s No.1: Enjoy an overnight stay in a beautiful Deluxe double or twin room, a la carte breakfast. A bottle of sparkling Prosecco awaits you on arrival accompanied with an exclusive £25.00 voucher for Belfast City’s most stylish indoor shopping centre, Victoria Square. Stay cosy for a little longer with a late 2pm check-out and leave your car in our secure car park until 5pm on the day of departure, just in-case there are any last minute stocking fillers to grab.

Baby it's Cold Outside: Enjoy an overnight stay in a luxurious Signature Double with a rose scattered king-size bed. A bottle of sparkling Prosecco awaits you on arrival accompanied with sumptuous chocolate dipped strawberries and a selection of romance gifts. You can stay cosy a little longer with a fabulous a la carte breakfast delivered to your room the following morning.

To book any of our packages or an overnight stay simply click on the following link https://www.taralodge.com/ or contact our reservations team directly on 02890 590900 or info@taralodge.com

Tara Lodge, Belfast - we're best for business

Make sure Tara Lodge is always your number 1 hotel when staying in Belfast on business. Travelling for work isn’t always as glamorous as the movies make it out to be. With 5am starts, queuing at airport security and an endless day of meetings, your day can be more ‘Con Air’ than ‘Up’. Chose to stay at Tara Lodge on your next trip to Belfast and you won’t regret it. Our award winning boutique hotel offers excellent hotel bedrooms and our team consistently deliver exceptional customer service, as evidenced by our many guest reviews.

Our reception team, the Northern Ireland Hotel Federation Reception Team of the Year 2015, will offer you a warm welcome, with friendly professional service and you’ll be checked in to your stylish, Deluxe room in minutes. Our 4 star hotel bedrooms offer all the extras required to make being away from home a little easier – a huge king size pillow top bed, exclusive Orla Keily toiletries, a flatscreen TV with DVD player, a hairdryer, iron and iron board, a laptop safe, a work station with excellent lighting and tea and coffee facilities.

To our regular corporate customers we offer all inclusive, discounted business rates. We also offer an exclusive corporate client booking facility with guaranteed easy booking, billing and account handling. There are no hidden extras at Tara Lodge!

Our complimentary high speed Wifi and local calls will make any work quick and easy. And if you have to work in your room you can order in favourite foods from a selection of local eateries. Our greatlocation means we’re close to all arterial routes and we’re just 10 minutes by car from Belfast City Airport.

If you’re driving we also offer access to our free, secure car park (we are one of the very few Belfast hotels with free car parking) and our fabulous, a la carte breakfast will give your day a great kick start. Above all our established, award winning team will offer you a concierge style service – we know how to get things done and quickly! We are definitely your best choice of all the Belfast hotels. Discover Tara Lodge today. DeluxeSingles (Double Bed with Single Occupancy) from £71.00 per night (breakfast, WiFi and car parking included).

If you are interested in opening an account or enquiring about our discounted business rates at Tara Lodge please contact our Front Office Manager, Pauline McCullough, on 028 9059 0900 or by email to Pauline@taralodge.com.  

Announcing our exclusive Orla Keily Geranium Bath & Body Toiletries

At Tara Lodge, Belfast we are delighted to announce that we are now offering the luxurious Orla Keily Geranium Bath & Body range in all our room types from September 2015. We are the only property in Belfast to offer this exclusive range of toiletries with the distinctive Orla Keily stem print. Already the luxurious, fragrant bathroom items are proving a great success with our guests.

The Orla Keily toiletries collection is a unique unisex fragrance containing a blend of 10 essential oils that will appeal to all our guests ensuring a fabulous cleansing experience. This exclusive range is a great addition to the Tara Lodge brand as we continue to develop our product ensuring we exceed our guest expectations every time. Our boutique hotel bedrooms offer offer ultra-comfortable King Koil hotel beds with sumptuous chocolate & gold soft furnishings and stylish & perfectly designed pale, oak furniture, with all the comforts of home.

Our luxury hotel bathrooms with chrome Touch fittings and a soothing charcoal and white design are complimented by the luxurious Orla Keily Geranium Bath & Body range. With the distinctive Orla Keily stem print design and the beautiful scent including geranium, eucalyptus and clary sage our toiletries are sure to relax and refresh the mind. Indeed the super Grohe power shower is sure to leave you refreshed and rejuvenated. 

Orla Keily, an Irish fashion designer, based in London is famous for her retro patterns which are quirky and sophisticated. Orla Keily has grown into a global brand with a range that includes ready-to-wear, stationary, travel and homeware as well as home fragrance and bath & body.  Orla’s love for all things from the 1950 & 1960’s inspired her to create charming and uplifting prints with the signature ‘stem print’ the most instantly recognisable.

Contact our award winning reception team on 028 9059 0900 or by email to info@taralodge.com to reserve one of our stylish rooms to enjoy our new exclusive Orla Keily range. Go direct and book the best hoteldeal online at www.taralodge.com with rates from just £78.00 for an Annex Double room with a full, freshly cooked breakfast, high speed WiFi and access to our secure car park. We look forward to hosting you at Tara Lodge this autumn. 

AA+ for the Tara Lodge team!

Tara Lodge, Belfast chosen as AA Guest Accommodation of the Year NI 2015

The team at Tara Lodge, Belfast are celebrating today after being chosen as the winners of Guest Accommodation of the Year for Northern Ireland 2015 at the AAB&B Awards. The prestigious award was presented to General Manager Nora Douds and owner Conor O’Donnell at the ceremony in the Landmark Hotel in London on Tuesday 12 May 2015.

Nora Douds and Conor O’Donnell from Tara Lodge receiving the award for Guest Accommodation of the Year Northern Ireland 2015-16 from Giovanna Grossi, AA Hotel Services Group Area Manager and Simon Numphud Head of AA Hotel Services

The AA inspect and rate over 2300 guest accommodation properties throughout the country and the annual B&B awards recognises and rewards the excellent services provided by the UK’s very best B&B establishments. All the winners at the event are nominated by the team of expert AA inspectors. The AA stated ‘this award is the pinnacle of achievement for guest accommodation providers, recognising all aspects of the experience from the hospitality and service to the accommodation’.

Tara Lodge Breakfast Chef Colin Douds, owners Roisin & Conor O’Donnell with General Manager Nora Douds

Located in the Queens Quarter of Belfast, Tara Lodge is ideal for exploring the wonders that Belfast has to offer. Located close to transport links, Tara Lodge is ideal for both the leisure and business traveller. General Manager, Nora Douds has been at Tara Lodge since 1999 and her energy, persistence and resourcefulness ensure guests expectations are exceeded during their stay. The luxurious, boutique bedrooms have a wide range of extras including Nespresso coffee machines, wide screen TVs and DVD players.

 

Stylish Deluxe Double bedroom at Tara Lodge, Belfast

Tara Lodge are no strangers to winning awards but this recognition from the AA is of special significance with recognition on a national level. Opened by Conor O’Donnell in 1998, Tara Lodge has developed from a 19 bedroom B&B into a 34bedroom stylish, boutique style property. Managed by Nora Douds since May 2004 Tara Lodge has featured in the Top 25 UK Hotels in the Tripadvisor Travelers Choice Awards 2011, 2012 & 2013.

The Tara Lodge Team - Jurgita, Ricky, Colin Douds, Colin Bell, Tara, Diana, Edyta, Sharon, Pauline, Sinead, Audrone, Adriana, Ernesta and Nora

More recently the team at Tara Lodge have celebrated being awarded the NIHF HousekeepingTeam of the Year 2015 (Under 90 bedrooms category), having previously taken the title in 2012 & 2013. The Front of House team are anxiously awaiting the announcement of the NIHF Reception Team of the Year at the gala ball awards at La Mon Hotel on Wednesday 20 May 2015. In addition Tara Lodge is a finalist for Belfast hotel of the year at the Belfast Business Awards to be held at Belfast city hall on Wednesday 27 May and is finalist in two categories at the glittering LCN awards on Friday 5 June 2015. Indeed 2015 is shaping up to be an exciting year for the team at Tara Lodge.

 

Malcolm & Karen from Kingsmuir House with Roisin, Conor,Nora & Colin from Tara Lodge, Belfast

Conor O’Donnell said on receiving the award ‘I am delighted and honoured by this award from the AA, a long-time partner and supporter of our work in Tara Lodge. I am vastly proud of the work that Nora Douds, our General Manager and her team have put into the success of Tara Lodge. I am pleased that their diligence, hard work and loyalty have been recognised by the industry. We are delighted to be setting the standard for excellence among the guest accommodation providers in Belfast and the wider region of Northern Ireland.’

Tara Lodge, Belfast – stylish, luxurious, affordable accommodation with excellent service every time

You can make a reservation to experience all that Tara Lodge and the team have to offer at www.taralodge.com. Alternatively contact our reservations team directly on 028 9059 0900 to get the best hotel deal for a stay in our beautiful, luxurious bedrooms. You can enjoy the excellent a la carte breakfast, free high speed WiFi and access to our car park in a fabulous location in Queens Quarter, Belfast. Check Facebook for offers and Twitter for the latest news.