Does The Royal Hotel and Merrill Leisure Club have a pool?

Yes, this property has an indoor pool, an outdoor pool and a children's pool. Pool access is from 7:00 AM to 6:30 PM.

Is The Royal Hotel and Merrill Leisure Club pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much is parking at The Royal Hotel and Merrill Leisure Club?

Self-parking is free at this property.

What time is check-in at The Royal Hotel and Merrill Leisure Club?

Check-in start time: 3:00 PM; check-in end time: anytime.

Where is The Royal Hotel and Merrill Leisure Club located?

This family-friendly Bray hotel is located on the riverwalk, within 2 mi (3 km) of Bray Beach and Killruddery House and Gardens. Bray Head is 2 mi (3.3 km) away. Bray Station is 9 minutes by foot.

The Royal Hotel and Merrill Leisure Club Reviews, Deals & Photos 2025

8/10 Good

noreen

26 Feb 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort

Positive and negative

Location is great. I’ve never been asked for photo ID at check-in before…I found it odd …Room and downstairs were lovely, comfortable. There were insects coming out from under the bath. The carpet in hallway needs an upgrade, there were drips coming from the ceiling. I paid the €5 overnight car park fee and went off on a hike with my kids. Half way round Bray Head I thought of renewing the car park ticket , but nothing I could do. When we got back to hotel at 5pm, car was clamped. €125 had to be paid for release fee😠 I feel this is unreasonable as we were staying the 2 nights.

Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2022

10/10 Excellent

James

5 Nov 2021

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities

The staff at the Royal Hotel are so helpful, understanding, kind. The breakfast staff couldn’t do enough for you very friendly.

Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2021

4/10 Poor

Chris

18 Sept 2021

Disliked: Property conditions & facilities

Don’t bother

Very expensive for the quality of a very old & run-down building. Then to pay extra for parking is poor. Very tired hotel & staff generally grumpy

Stayed 1 night in Sep 2021

10/10 Excellent

ALAN

4 Sept 2021

Liked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Great weekend

We had a lovely weekend and really look forward to coming back.

Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2021

8/10 Good

Sharon

24 Aug 2021

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Hotel staff were excellent, couldn’t be more helpful. Hotel was spotless. The only complaint I have is the restaurant, not enough choices on menu, we were left over an hour before food was served and requested drinks while my daughter was having dersert and did not get them. Menu needs to be updated for evening meals.

Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2021

2/10 Terrible

Verified traveller

16 Aug 2021

Liked: Cleanliness

Disliked: Property conditions & facilities

Wouldn’t stay again

The toilet in our room was blocked. The rooms were very dated. The shower/bath was very high and slippy. Staff were rude too

Stayed 1 night in Aug 2021

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

3 Aug 2021

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities

Disliked: Amenities

bar food was excellent

Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2021

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

2 Aug 2021

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities

food was excellent and staff were all very helpful and friendly.

Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2021

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

18 Jul 2021

Disliked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities

Management should focus on costumer service it needs lot of improvement!! Despite the place needs a good refurbishment at least the service could be better . Holding deposits incase any damages happens in the room it’s something never seen in hospitality even in b&b !

Stayed 1 night in Jul 2021

4/10 Poor

Verified traveller

2 Jul 2021

Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2021

4/10 Poor

Stephen

13 Jun 2021

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Poor service dated & dirty.

Poor service in this hotel. On check in we asked for an ice bucket & 2 wine glasses (didn’t think this was a big request). We were told to go to the bar & get it ourselves by reception. We had bags with us as you would expect while checking in & wouldn’t have been able to carry it. They also don’t tell you at check in that the car park for the hotel is not theirs & you need to pay and display to park there. It is explained in an information leaflet they give you with the envelope with your room keys but let’s face it who reads that stuff. This is vital information that would be a nice courtesy to be told about on checking in. Rooms are dated & full of cobwebs. Looked as if the room hadn’t been cleaned since before Covid restrictions. Shower is atrocious. Takes about 10 minutes running before any hot water comes out at all and it sounds like a banshee has been set on fire too. Not only do you have to endure the banshee screeching shower and wait 10 minutes before it’s hot you then have to endure 5 seconds of excruciating hot water followed by 5 seconds of ice cold water on repeat the whole time after that no matter what setting you turn the dial to. If you want comfort, cleanliness & any sort of good customer service is avoid this hotel. Don’t like giving bad reviews but this place deserves nothing better unfortunately.

Stayed 1 night in Jun 2021

4/10 Poor

Adrian

10 Jun 2021

Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities

DIRTY AND POOR.

Started off not knowing where to go as the sign postage were directing us into the leisure centre rather than the main reception. We checked in, and were then unexpectedly notified that we must hand up a 50 euro deposit. Once on arrival we sat our bags down. We had no kettle, and We had no hair dryer, which in the brochure stated we'd have one in the bathroom. As we sat on the bed we felt a bit of dust falling on our laps. So myself and my girlfriend began to check the room. On our way around the room we found a bug crawling around and thick dust and dirt lying on our mirror and bed rest. I found this appalling especially since I am an asthmatic and have been coughing ever since I left this so called hotel. We left Our door hanger on so we could have our room serviced. Only our bins were replaced. We had to book to go to the swimming pool due to social distancing. One we arrived at the swimming pool there were more than people in the pool jumping around. I was very disappointed with my stay in this hotel. I enjoyed my stay in bray but would have preferred to stay in a different hotel. THIS HOTEL SHOULD NOT RECEIVE 3 STARS.

Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2021

4/10 Poor

Ryan

7 Jun 2021

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort

Dislike very Much

Stayed 1 night in Jun 2021

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

31 Aug 2020

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort

Wonderful staff and good food. The rooms were clean but the hotel was a bit tired.

Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2020

6/10 Okay

Shauna

22 Aug 2020

Liked: Cleanliness

Disliked: Staff & service, room comfort

ixed experience

Chelsea in reception was great. Heat in room unbearable so got us a room change but unfortunately no WiFi on move. Bar is lovely and so is the food but service is disorganised chaos. Not enough staff, waiting long time for drinks, orders mixed up. Breakfast good too. 😀

Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2020

4/10 Poor

Verified traveller

9 Aug 2020

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service

Disliked: Property conditions & facilities

The pictures on the booking looked better then in reality. The hotel is old and in need of a good renovation or even a good deep clean. Walls are paper thin.

Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2020

8/10 Good

Julian

3 Aug 2020

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service

Hotel pub ist echt supper ein Besuch wert. Insgesamt war der Aufenthalt gut. Zimmer war gut. Hotel insgesamt etwas abgewirtschaftet. Es hat ein Bad ich hab dieses aber nicht besucht. Die Stadt lohnt sich nicht anzusehen am besten besucht man den Strand dort ist es echt schön.

Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2020

6/10 Okay

mary

21 Jul 2020

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Stayed for one night. Good location . Hotel clean and friendly staff. Food wasn’t great. Has dinner that night lovely starter but main course wasn’t nice. Breakfast wasn’t great. Having to be served at the table is very understandable but the portions were very small. Had to keep asking for everything we wanted. When we asked for more toast after one slice each we were given another half slice each. I left feeling hungry which never happens after a hotel breakfast.

Stayed 1 night in Jul 2020

8/10 Good

Michael

17 Feb 2020

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

8

just nice llittle break

Stayed 1 night in Feb 2020

4/10 Poor

Verified traveller

30 Jan 2020

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Poor experience with late check in and wrong room

Rang in advance to inform of late check in. So far, so good. Arrived after midnight, and night porter rude. Had to take long way out to carpark to pay for parking at nearly 1am as staff wouldn't open door to let me out at carpark end. Had to get change for parking which was thrown onto the counter. Had booked a double room but was given a, twin room. No please, thank you or any pleasantries during check in or any of the interactions. Staff the next morning were fine and breakfast was decent.

Stayed 1 night in Jan 2020

4/10 Poor

Verified traveller

27 Jan 2020

Disliked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Poor service for coeliacs

Stayed 1 night in Jan 2020

2/10 Terrible

Mario

21 Jan 2020

Disliked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

You have to pay for the parking. Heating was not working. They ask you for a deposit, photo ID and your home address although the accommodation was paid in advance. The table in the room was wobbly etc. The room numbers go as 521, 523, 524, and then 522. It took me 20 minutes to find the room

Stayed 1 night in Jan 2020

6/10 Okay

Daniel

10 Jan 2020

Liked: Staff & service

Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities

Grand seaside hotel past its prime

This was a hard review to write. Definitely not the perfect hotel but the staff were on the whole very helpful. We arrived at 5.25pm and the kids were excited to get into the pool after a long drive. Only to discover that the pool times are 10.00 am to 5.30pm. So completely pointless for anyone planning to do things during the day but might want a swim early or later. The pool was the main reason for choosing this hotel so I was very frustrated. Our room was fine but when I looked at the bathroom it was really awful. Mould growing everywhere, door frame falling apart. I went to reception and they moved us straight away but we should not have had to ask. The location is good for the train, about 5 minutes walk away, then straight into Dublin. The bar was large, but not at all busy (first weekend after New Year), the restaurant didn't seem to be open. Parking was fine but it is €5 a day extra, the machine only takes coins and you can't pay the hotel daily rate by the app.

Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2020

10/10 Excellent

Brian

8 Dec 2019

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Excellent

The heating was not working in my room but the hotel staff were excellent and moved me to a room that was fantastic the hotel is in the middle of refurbishment and my stay was very nice staff excellent

Stayed 1 night in Dec 2019

2/10 Terrible

Kieran

26 Nov 2019

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Disliked: Staff & service

There is easier check ins than this place

Parked in car park. Walked to reception Check in as follows: Booked and paid for room online, Needed my ID and my security card to take a deposit. Had to pay €5 for car park But trey didn’t do cash back had to go to bank then get change then put ticket on my van. Eventually I got to my room.

Stayed 1 night in Nov 2019

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