Clayton Hotel Cork City

Housed in a building made of stone and glass, the Clarion Hotel Cork, built in 2005, looks a little impersonal from the outside. However, the interiors are considerably more pleasant, with floor-to-ceiling windows that brighten the lobby and three navy front desks, glossy floors, and armchairs clustered on printed rugs that provide modern touches. The best style feature of the hotel is the Atrium Lounge, a large square area lit by an expansive skylight and accented with modern furnishings in green, orange, and navy blue hues, gray leaf-printed carpet, and gold hanging globes. Other funky elements to the Atrium include a large egg-shaped pod that seats up to four and an area with floors covered in turf grass and multiple flat-screen TVs clustered on the wall. In contrast, the on-site Kudos Restaurant and bar has a streamlined look, with red and green chairs and wooden tables. The property is generally busy and though the main clientele are couples, it also gets plenty of business travelers and vacationing families. 

The Clarion Hotel Cork is located on the banks of River Lee and is within easy walking distance of the city center. There are multiple dining options and shopping on St. Patrick’s Street, a six-minute walk away. It takes nine minutes to reach the English Market on foot. There's a bus stop a two-minute walk from the hotel, and Cork Kent Train Station is 12 minutes away on foot. As for the surrounding area, Blackrock Castle Observatory is a 12-minute car ride, while Blarney Castle is a 16-minute drive away. It takes 16 minutes by car to reach the Fota Wildlife Park and 11 minutes to reach Cork International Airport.

The hotel has 198 rooms in categories ranging from base-level Superior Rooms to Executive Rooms with couches and Family Rooms with sleeper sofa beds for children. Some rooms have balconies with river views, and Suites offer separate living rooms and bedrooms. Furnishings include plush mattresses with white linens and gray-and-red bed runners, gray chairs or couches with red cushions, and basic blond-wood furniture. The look is dated, but the hotel plans to refurbish the rooms at some point in 2016. Standard amenities include free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, Nespresso coffeemakers, air-conditioning, and mini-fridges. Bathrooms are spacious, with shower/tub combos, and those in Suites and Executive Rooms have separate walk-in showers and deep soaking tubs. Toiletries and hairdryers are provided. Some past guests have complained of inconsistent cleaning and problems stabilizing the heating and air-conditioning to a comfortable setting. 

The Clarion Hotel Cork offers a wide array of features for its diverse clientele. The highlight for many is the SanoVitae Health and Fitness Club, which offers a spa with the usual range of beauty treatments and massages plus a sauna and a steam room. It also has a large fitness center with over 50 pieces of fitness equipment that includes cardio machines with TVs, free weights, weight machines, and an aerobics studio with fitness classes (for a fee). The indoor heated pool, children’s pool, and hot tub are also a part of the fitness club. Guests must use swimming caps in the pool, and children are only allowed in the pool area during certain hours.

The on-site Kudos Restaurant and Bar is one of the best-known Asian restaurants in Cork and provides 24-hour room service, but complaints have been made concerning slow service and poor food quality. The Atrium Lounge serves light breakfast and lunch items and there’s an afternoon tea for a pricey fee. A full Irish breakfast is offered each morning, though it's expensive and isn’t included in most room rates.

For business travelers, the hotel has seven meeting and event spaces that come fully equipped with audiovisual equipment. Some have views of River Lee. Though the hotel lacks a business center, they do have a public computer for guest use. The hotel is kid-friendly, with a kids' menu and kids' club activities hosted around the holidays. There’s free Wi-Fi throughout the property, and underground parking is available for a discounted fee.