Gabriel House was blocked booked by the Government for much of the Covid-19 pandemic and fortunately, as a result, all the staff retained their jobs which is excellent news because I like dealing with them every time I visit.

With its elevated position, Gabriel House is a beautiful, period guesthouse that looks out over Cork’s cathedral spires and the harbour. Guests can pick out freshly laid eggs for breakfast each morning from the house’s own resident hens. There are also two dogs that are waiting to meet you in the back garden.

A traditional Irish breakfast is served daily and made from local ingredients, while freshly home-baked breads, biscuits scones are made daily. The breakfast is included in the price and should not be missed.

In 2006 I stayed at the Metropole in Cork and because of noise on the street [roadworks] I could not sleep and when I complained in the morning they did not have an alternative room so it was suggested that I could switch to Gabriel House.

According to the staff I last stayed here in August 2021 and three years earlier. My last pre-pandemic visit to Cork was 2019 and I stayed in low cost accommodation close to the railway station because I had injured my foot and did not want to deal with the hill up to Summerhill North

In 2018 I may have stayed at the Metropole on McCurtain Street because Garbiel House had introduced a non-refund booking policy which did not suit my travel schedule. Prior to 2018 I had booked a room at Gabriel House every year, except one, from 2007 to 2017.

This year I got a very good price for four nights and as there is now an excellent bus service the hill is not really a problem.

I have already booked a week in May 2023 but may visit again in September of this year, all going well.