By Diarmaid Doherty
HOTELS, guests houses and bed and breakfasts are looking forward to a busy few days with thousands of visitors descending on the county for rally weekend.
Once again, the demand for accommodation appears to be greatest in and around Letterkenny and most hospitality venues have long been booked out.
Brian Gallagher of the Station House Hotel in Letterkenny said his hotel enjoys repeat business with many guests returning to stay each year.
“When they were with us last year, many of them just booked again for the rally this year,” he explained.
“It’s the biggest weekend in the year for our hotel and it’s a fantastic event for the town.
“Most of our visitors come from the south of the country and from Northern Ireland and it’ll be the same this weekend.”
It’s a similar story at the town’s Mount Errigal Hotel where Terry McEniff said the hotel has long been booked out.
“Traditionally the hotel is always extremely busy on rally weekend and we’re preparing for another hectic few days,” Terry said.
“We’ll have extra staff in place and we’re looking forward to welcoming back many guests who come to us each year.”
The Downings Bay Hotel had just one room available for this coming Sunday night when contacted at the beginning of the week. This year’s rally will see the popular High Glen and Atlantic Drive stages on Sunday, guaranteeing big crowds around the resort. A spokesperson said the hotel is always in big demand on rally weekend – and this year is no different.
“It’s always a very busy time for us,” she said.
“And we would find that many of our guests, when it comes to booking out on the Monday, they’ll book their accommodation again for this time next year.
“We have a golfing group coming this weekend from Dublin, but other than that, it’s all rally visitors that are coming.”
For the first time in a long number of years, the rally will take in stages in and around Donegal Town on Friday.
However, a spokesperson for the Central and Abbey Hotels in Donegal Town said the event hasn’t had a significant impact on their bookings.
“We are busy every weekend as it is,” she said.
“We are well booked up most weekends, especially Saturday nights.
“It will be busy and we are aware that there will be road closures in and around the area on Friday.
“Sea Sessions is taking place in Bundoran this weekend too, so it’s going to be extra busy.”
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