Wedding Reviews

Thinking of getting married at Great National Hotel Ballina?

Read the reviews from our past brides and grooms who shared their special day with us.

Mr & Mrs Ganley

My partner and I had our wedding at the Great National Hotel Ballina and it was absolutely fantastic. The hotel was decorated beautifully on the day and the food was delicious. We’ve heard nothing but positive things from all of our guests about how kind the staff are and the fab food. We can’t thank Denise and the rest of her team enough for how accommodating and supportive they’ve been. It’ll be a day to remember!

Mr & Mrs Cosgrove

Thank you so much to Denise and all the team, everything was perfect from start to finish, the food and service was amazing and the room looked fabulous, we were so happy with everything and enjoyed our day in the Great National so much

Mr & Mrs Cronin

We had our wedding in the Great National Hotel Ballina, we could not be happier that we chose the Great National as from start to finish they were very professional and made the planning of our wedding so easy. On the day itself we were blown away with the venue, we had a civil ceremony in the Nephin Suite which was beautifully decorated it didn’t feel like a hotel ballroom everyone commented on how stunning the room was, the meal was delicious and the service was fantastic. We cannot recommend the Great National Hotel Ballina enough and we would like to thank them again for making our day so special.

Mr & Mrs Hughes

We had our wedding reception at the Great National Hotel Ballina, everything exceeded our expectations from start to finish. The wedding coordinators Denise and Stephen were very professional and provided excellent advise and help along the way. Every member of the team at the hotel were so helpful and friendly. The food was excellent on the day and we were able to choose from a brilliant menu. The hotel itself is very modern and provided plenty of beautiful areas for the wedding photos. Our family and guests had an amazing day and really enjoyed the great food and service. If your considering the Great National Hotel Ballina as your wedding venue we would highly recommend booking with them. Richella and Darren.

Mr & Mrs Kenny

We recently had our wedding in Great National Hotel Ballina and everything exceeded our expectations from start to finish. Denise, Stephen, David and all of the team were amazing. Denise did a fantastic job of organising everything and reassuring us from the first meeting up to the end of the night. Every detail down to the smallest decoration was displayed and placed exactly how we wanted it. The food, rooms and breakfast were amazing and all of our guests were well looked after. We were bursting with pride over the experience all of our guests received. We would highly recommend The Great National Hotel Ballina to anyone planning a wedding and cannot thank Denise enough for all of her guidance. If you have your wedding here, it will be one of the best decisions you make. It was an absolute pleasure to work with people so excellent at what they do! Thank you all for a fantastic day. Rebecca & Eamon Kenny

Mr & Mrs Murphy

12th August 2022 a day myself, my husband & our two little girls will never forget! What an amazing hotel we have on our door step!! Thank you so much to Denise, Steven & all the staff in the Great National Hotel Ballina for a fantastic night!!! We would highly recommend them for any occasion!! from the minute we booked our wedding back in 2020 Denise has been fantastic! Even when she was on maternity herself she kept in touch with us throughout it all. The food was delicious & the service was brilliant!! 5 star all the way!! thank you all so much again!

Mr & Mrs Bradwell

The day we got married in The Great National Hotel Ballina is a day myself & my husband and our family and friends will never forget.. everything was perfect! Denise and her team went above and beyond to make sure everything was perfect for us. Denise is a pleasure to deal with and made it so easy and relaxed to plan even through covid cancellations and her maternity leave she was more than helpful! We cannot recommend this hotel and it’s lovely staff enough.. from our red carpet welcome to our beautiful meal (that people are still talking about) Definitely 5 stars all the way.. thank you

Mr &Mrs OHora

Me and my husband had our reception in The Great National Hotel Ballina on the 14th of May and from the first day we met with Denise and booked our venue we were well looked after. No matter what we asked of Denise nothing phased her and she was always at hand to help. Some of the bridal party, family and friends stayed from the night before the wedding throughout the weekend and we were made feel so welcome. The reception room was beautiful and the gardens were an added bonus for photos. Our wedding day was memorable for the great food, great music surrounded by friends and family.  So, thank you again to all of the staff and especially Denise, at the Great National Hotel Ballina. I would have no hesitations to recommend this hotel to future bride and grooms.

Mr & Mrs Naughton

What can we say? The moment we walked into the Great National Hotel Ballina for our first appointment with Denise, we knew it was the place. Denise welcomed us with open arms and she was our guardian angel along the way on our wedding journey. All the management and staff are so friendly, professional and nothing was ever too much trouble for them. The food is out of this world! Our wedding guests spoke about the meal all night and said it was the nicest meal they ever had while attending a wedding. We do love a cheeky dinner date in McShanes Bar every so often and it will always be highly recommended by us. Finally we would like to thank Denise, the management and staff for everything they have done for us to make our day so magical. Love Mr. and Mrs. Naughton

Mr & Mrs Corcoran

From the first day we met with Denise and she showed us around the hotel we knew it was the one for us! We were made feel so comfortable and relaxed nothing was too much trouble, Denise and her team were a breath of fresh air to deal with. When the big day arrived in May all the staff went above and beyond, the food was absolutely beautiful, service was top class, we were so well looked after from check- in to check-out, we had a fantastic day and we would highly recommend Great National Hotel Ballina! Eimear & Eddie x

Mr &Mrs Walsh

When we first met with the wedding coordinator at The Great National, Denise Munnelly, one of the first questions she asked us was what was important to us about our wedding reception venue. We replied saying that it was very important to us that our guests received a high quality of service, great food, and good value accommodation. We also wanted our younger guests to be welcomed and catered for. Denise took on board everything we said and everything we asked for was delivered on the day. We eventually got married on July 15^th this year and we could not fault the hotel. We, unfortunately, were one of the many “Covid couples” and found ourselves only six weeks away from our original wedding date in April 2020 when Covid lockdown number one was put in place meaning that we had to reschedule the wedding more than once. Denise and all management team at The Great National were so accommodating and patient with the changes, making the stressful process of replanning the wedding easier. Our guests have since spoke so highly of the friendly and welcoming nature of the staff, the delicious food with prompt service, the tasty cocktails, the beautiful Nephin room where we dined and danced the night away, the good value well-presented accommodation, ample parking, beautiful entrance room where a piano player welcomed guests on arrival, great breakfast and overall faultless experience. One of our guests referred to the hotel as “a hidden diamond” that he had never been to before but will certainly return. Denise organised a kids entertainer for the younger guests as well as a separate kid’s station for their snacks which kept them happy and made them a big part of the day like we had requested. Some of the guests also availed of the swimming pool, sauna and steam room as well as fabulous treatments at the on-site Éidin spa. Another benefit we found of having our reception at The Great National Hotel was its close proximity to the beautiful scenery of Pontoon. We were able to get some beautiful shots beside the lake on our drive to the hotel. The things that stand out to us about the Great National was not only the level of service we received from Denise and all the staff from day one but also the fact that we really felt that we were appreciated in the hotel and that our wedding was not just another number. This belief was reinforced when we heard that one of our guest couples who had also had their wedding reception at the hotel in 2018 were greeted in their hotel room on our wedding day with a bottle of champagne and a note from Denise welcoming them back to the hotel. It is these little touches that I feel make The Great National stand out. We would highly recommend The Great National hotel to any couple planning their wedding day in the future. Denise really listens to you and works extremely hard to make your vision a reality. She is incredible at her job and along with all the other staff – from the chefs to the bar staff, spa therapists, waiters and receptionists, it really is a faultless combination. Mary & John Walsh.

Jodie & Eric

We were married in the Great National in September and it was all so beautiful. Denise was amazing at helping us create the perfect day to remember. All the staff were fantastic and made the day and night a wonderful experience for us and our guests.

Mr & Mrs Mulhern

From the moment we booked the Great National Hotel Ballina back in November 2020 for our wedding, in the middle of the pandemic,  until the day we married in June 2022, there was no stone left unturned to ensure we had the best day possible. Denise, the wedding coordinator, and all the staff went above and beyond on each occasion we visited the hotel to finalise details. Denise was always on the end of the phone. The day of the wedding itself was absolutely fantastic. The staff, the food & drink, service and also the atmosphere was just impeccable. The guests all remarked the wonderful and hard working staff on the day and how clean the hotel itself was. Whatever your budget is, the Great National Hotel Ballina has a package to suit your needs and rest assured it will be a dream come true. We couldnt have choosen a better venue for our wedding. Gráinne & Neale, 4th June 2022

Mr & Mrs Mc Kiver

Mark and I cannot thank Denise Munnelly and all management and staff of the Great National Hotel Ballina Co Mayo enough for everything they have done for us on the run up to and the day of our wedding 19/02/2022. From all the setbacks along the way due to covid nothing was ever to much hassle. Our wedding day could not have been more magical, it was everything we ever wanted and more and it’s all down to Denise, management and all staff at Great National, they deserve recognition for their hard work they put into weddings and high standard of hospitality and service they give you. So, if you are looking for a wedding venue, I would highly recommend checking out this perfect venue as they are truly amazing at what they do.  100/100 have your wedding day @ Great National Hotel Ballina Co Mayo

Philip White & Barbara Healy 

Fantastic hotel, great staff, lovely location, the Great National has it all. My lovely wife and I had our reception there and everything went off so well. We were very well looked after by Denise Munnelly and her staff on the day. Delicious food and a great night had by all. Thanks so much. Philip and Barbara

Mr & Mrs Griffin

Myself and my husband Andrew would like to thank the staff and Denise Munnelly for our beautiful wedding ceremony and beautiful reception which took place on the 31-01-19 everything was done to a very high standard all were so helpful and friendly our wedding went without a hitch in a friendly relaxed atmosphere all who attended were delighted with the way everything was done so lovely and all raved about the food. We had a fantastic day and we couldn’t recommend a better hotel for any wedding or a breakaway. Huge thank’s to Denise so welcoming and friendly and done everything we asked thank you so much.

Karen Holmes – 5 Stars

We had our wedding ceremony and reception in the great national hotel Ballina recently and we can’t say enough about this hotel, the minute we started organising and planning our day Denise was always on hand and quick to respond to us, always there to offer advice, she is out on her own when it comes to weddings. It’s beautifully decorated and fabulous food always, our guests thoroughly enjoyed themselves as did we. It was the best day we could have asked for. Thanks to Denise and all the staff for looking after us so well. Xx

Mr & Mrs Boyle – 5 Stars

Our big day couldn’t be anymore smoother. We can’t be thank you enough for the super services and the support that we have received from Denise and the staffs at the hotel. The place looked stunning, the foods were delicious and the staffs have been very supportive We would highly recommend the venue to everyone. Once again, thanks so much to make our day extra special

Peter & Janka Marko  – 5 Stars

The main reason why we chose The Great National Hotel Ballina for our wedding was their wedding coordinator Denise Munnelly. Her positive energy and ‘can-do’ attitude persuaded us that she will do impossible to make our day special and unforgettable. She is very friendly, professional and extremely helpful. She is an excellent organizer and manages crisis situation with ease and calm. We couldn’t ask for a better coordinator. Everything went really well, the decoration of the civil ceremony room and wedding reception room was outstanding. Dinner was fantastic, we had big portions of food and all the food was delicious. The hotel staff was very friendly and professional and the hotel itself including the rooms was very clean. We liked outside of town location and amount of hotel parking places available for guests. If we would do it again – we would definitely choose this hotel again.

Clodagh & Fergal Loughney

We had our big day on the 25/08/18, & the great national hotel Ballina went above & beyond for us! From the day we booked the wedding Denise was so helpful & attentive to us always quick to respond to any query we had, the food was absolutely gorgeous, we will definitely be recommending the great national hotel Ballina to everyone. Rating: 5.0/5 #WeddingsGNHotelBallina

Sarah Tiernan

We had our wedding reception at the Great National Hotel on 11/08/18. The hotel was beautiful, the food was excellent and the whole day was perfect. Thank you to all the staff, they were friendly, efficient and helpful. A massive thank you to Denise the wedding coordinator, she was so organised and helpful throughout the whole planning process. We couldn’t have asked for any better and would recommend this hotel to anyone looking for a wedding venue. From Mr & Mrs Padden!

Carmel & Alan Duffy

Absolutely excellent – Denise was a dream to deal with – last minute changes and requests were accommodated with pleasure. We would happily do it all again. Our guests are still talking about it – claimed it was one of the best weddings ever! – 5 Stars Wedding’s Online

Mr and Mrs Lavelle

Myself and my husband would like to thank Denise and all the amazing staff of the great national hotel for making our wedding on 18/08/18 so perfect. They all went over and above to make sure that our special day ran smoothly. We had 278 guests and each and every one of them had a fantastic day is raving about it. Denise is such a wonderful person and she helped us so much. I cannot recommend this venue for a wedding enough. Thanks so much for the perfect day xxx Mr and Mrs Lavelle xxxxI’m sure you won’t be strangers and I look forward to catching up with you soon.

Amanda Devers
We got married on the 8th of June and everyone at the Great National was so fantastic and helpful with our big day, everything went smoothly and Denise was so fantastic with everything up to the wedding planning and on the day she made us feel so at ease and relaxed. There was nothing she couldn’t help us with and I can’t recommend her and the hotel enough. Thanks again, guys 🙂

Tara & Cathal

Tara and I recently had our wedding in the hotel on the 5th of May 2018. To say that it was perfect would be an understatement. From start to finish we could not have asked for more. Denise was fantastic to deal with from day one and really made us feel at ease about everything. She left no stone unturned for us and was always available to take a call regarding any concerns or questions we had.
Thanks again for everything.

5 Stars Mr & Mrs Doyle

We had our wedding here at the end of April and to say it was the perfect day would be an understatement. Denise & all the staff at the Great National Hotel were so professional and helpful we didn’t worry about a thing. The food was amazing and the service was excellent. If you are looking for a beautiful venue, delicious food and an efficient friendly wedding coordinator than I would highly recommend the Great National Hotel Ballina.

5 Stars Emma & Noel McHale

From the moment we met with Denise we knew this was the wedding venue for us. Denise was very professional and went above and beyond to ensure we got everything we asked for. The wedding day was amazing & the hotel and staff couldn’t have done more. Our family and friends are still raving about the food. Every aspect of our day was taken care of, down to the finest detail. It was peace of mind to have Denise with us from the first meeting right up until we cut the cake. We would highly recommend this Hotel to all future couples.

Mr & Mrs Sherry – 5 Stars

We had our wedding in this fabulous hotel in April 2018. We cannot thank Denise, Andrew and staff enough for helping make our day so special. No request was too big or small for the staff. The meal was of such a high quality, the function room was amazing, the rooms and breakfast were of such a high standard. But most of all the management and staff were friendly and helpful. It was a magical day all around. Thank you Great National Ballina.

Mr & Mrs Mulherin – 5 Stars!

Brendan and I had our wedding reception in The Great National Hotel Ballina on 17 Mar 18, coordinated by the wonderfully efficient and diligent Denise. From our first meeting with Denise to our wedding day itself, Denise was committed to making sure our wedding day was exactly how we wanted, from the drinks reception details to the lighting and ambience of function room..you feel she wants the best for you and your day and she will do what is needed to make sure the day is perfect..The hotel staff were absolutely FANTASTIC..super friendly and obliging. The food on the day was AMAZING..everyone seemed to enjoy it..hot, tasty and plenty of it..what people need.
Our wedding day was absolutely perfect..we loved every minute of it.

Denise and the Great National Hotel Ballina ensured it was the best day of our lives. We couldn’t recommend the hotel highly enough.

Mr & Mrs Barrett

Had our wedding in the Great National Hotel Ballina this month and couldn’t fault it! Service, food was all fabulous. Denise the wedding planner was so friendly, approachable and made the whole process so easy. She’s also very professional and took all our requests/comments on board. Would definitely recommend the hotel for functions #keepitlocal

Mr & Mrs Mitchell

We had our wedding in the Great National Hotel Ballina on the 25th of August 2017. Everything was perfect and we had the best day of our lives. Denise was a pleasure to deal with and was so helpful from day one (she is a star!). When we explained what kind of a day we wanted she suggested people and ideas that would complement our day. All of which was perfect. Any query we had was replied to so quickly and the help we got with planning our day was just amazing. The food on the day was incredible and so many of our guests told us how much they enjoyed it. We would highly recommend The Great National Hotel Ballina as a wedding venue if only we could do it all again!

Lisa Flannery

Can not say enough about the great national hotel and all their staff especially Denise. From the minute we booked our wedding there we were put at ease and so relaxed about it. On Sat we had our wedding and it was AMAZING the food the room the drinks reception everything we can not fault anything. Would highly, highly recommend this beautiful hotel and Denise who we were dealing with from the beginning. Thanks a million again Denise you are brilliant at your job. Xx

Wedding Review – Fiona Hughes reviewed Great National Hotel Ballina — 5 star

We had our wedding at the Great National hotel on 13/5/17. On our first time meeting Denise and PJ they were extremely helpful. Denise was super in helping organise the day. She was very quick to respond to emails and calls. On the day of the wedding, all the management and staff were friendly and helpful to all our guests. The meal was great and everything was cooked to perfection. The function room was decorated beautifully. We highly recommend Denise and The Great National hotel for a wedding or any function.

Outstanding wedding venue! – 5 Star

It was a joy and an amazing experience to have had our wedding reception so close to our home in the Great National Hotel Ballina on the 17th of March 2017. Our wedding day began many months before with the planning and organizing of the event reception. We visited a few hotels in the area, and by far The Great National rose above the rest of the hotels. From the very start Pj, Denise and Natalie were highly professional, supportive and willing to go that extra mile to help in our vision of our wedding reception. They were always contactable and willing to listen. The Nephin suite is stunning, classy and elegant, fit for a princess! The food was exceptional. Head chef Ian went above and beyond to ensure all dietary requirements were catered for, nothing was ever too much. Both Pj and Denise took full control throughout the meal, everything was timed to absolute perfection. The staff were all professional and could not do enough to help. A few weeks on, guests are still complimenting us on the food, staff and the whole reception. We could not ask any more of this hotel, Its management and staff, it was truly incredible from start to finish. A hotel we would HIGHLY recommend for any occasion, Its a little gem on our doorstep!

‎Wedding Review 6th of March – Samantha Gildea & Niall Maughan

Thank you so much for such a fantastic service from start to finish. We had the most amazing day and could not have chosen a better hotel to host our wedding in. Everything was exceptional the food staff venue the layout of the hotel was beautiful😊. Big thanks to Denise Pj Andrew ye did us proud. I would highly recommend all newly engaged couples to pick this hotel. Thanks so much, guys. See you soon

Wedding Review

Where do I begin, I would highly recommend this hotel for any occasion. The events manager Denise, manager Pj and all the staff looked after our every need. The food in the bar, our wedding meal and breakfast was fabulous. Our guests were all talking about how nice it was and the good size of the meals. The function room has been redecorated and it is warm and inviting. The bedrooms are spacious, clean and well laid out. It is ideally located on the edge of town. A fabulous gem of a hotel, you won’t be disappointed…

Alma Tolan & Michael Dolan

Wedding At Great National Hotel Ballina (Date 15/10/16)” 5 of 5 bubbles Reviewed 4 days ago NEW On Behalf of Myself & Michael Dolan, We would like to thank all the staff & especially Denise Munnelly & Pj Doyle for making our day very special. They give fantastic service to all guests. The Food was excellent and cater for all tastes. If you are planning a wedding, we would highly recommend the Great National Hotel Ballina for your venue. Very good package. Really look after the Bride & Groom from start to finish. They are really accommodating. Really nice Grounds at hotel & Reception Area of the hotel is spectacular. Good photo opportunity for any couple. Room Tip: Very close to Ballina Town Centre. Good selection of rooms. good dining service.

Chris Carroll & Evelyn Duffy

We had our wedding at the great national hotel Ballina in July 2016. We visited many hotels before choosing our venue in and around the Mayo area, whilst there are many fantastic hotels to choose from we feel on reflection we made the best choice as there is nothing we would want or do differently now we have had time to reflect on a wedding day. The food was beautiful and the service from all the waiters and waitresses was superb, you can clearly tell there is a lot of organisation and leadership behind the scenes as the whole meal went like clockwork and as for the quantities…there were seconds and in some cases third servings!! I made use of the swimming pool sauna steam room and Jacuzzi the morning of the wedding…what a way to start the day. The breakfast was also spot on. If you are looking for your wedding venue and want somewhere that will be easy to deal with, excellent value for money and have your guests well looked after then look no further than the Great National Hotel Ballina. All of our guests thoroughly enjoyed the day and couldn’t have spoken more highly about the hotel. Thanks again to everyone!!