September cottage

Momany · Member

September cottage

CowboyCraic · Guru

Becky,

You are staying n one of my most favorite places, Lawcus Farms. Mark is a delight as a host. The rooms are comfortable and the breakfast delicious. I am hoping to be a guest there in October, if all goes well. With two nights in Kilkenny, take advantage of the Walking tour that is offered by Corey & Liam of Irishfireside.com. There is so much to see around and in Kilkenny. You will be wishing for more time there. You will find that to be true no matter where you are though. It is part of Ireland's magic.

Most of your self catering will not include heating oil & electric in their base fee. those are tacked on when you leave. That is because some well use less and some more. They have meters which are read when you check in and again just before you leave. There is a group of delightfull self-catering cottages just outside of Doolin, The Burren Way Cottages. My favorite is the stonecutter's cottage. It has fabulous views of the Arans, the Burren and the village of Doolin.

Let us know what your interests are and we will be glad to offer up some suggestions.

Slan Beo (Take Care), Bit

Momany · Member

Bit,

Thank you so much for your reply. I just looked at the website of the cottage you suggested and they look wonderful. The Stonecutter's cottage looks perfect and in the right price range. I am looking in the 300-400 Euro range. When I first booked this trip it was just my mother and I and we were going to stay in all B&B's. My sister was able to join us so we are thinking that a cottage for part of the trip would be the most economical way to go. We don't mind shopping in the local markets and see it as something that would be fun to do. We are not planning on booking anything in advance ( I did book the Lawcus Farms and the 3 nights in Dublin) We want to have some flexibility as we travel. Do you think we will have any problems finding cottages or B&B's without booking in advance in September?

As for what we would like to do, my mom really does not want anything scheduled. She is a bit of a free spirit and would like to just go with the flow. I think that I have convinced her that we should have a general idea of how many nights we are going to stay and where. I know for sure that she would like to go to the Waterford Crystle Factory and take the tour and maybe make a purchase or two. We all agree that we really want to see things and go places that are off the beaten path so to speak. Music and a few pints of beer sound fun.

My sister suggested that we take a guided tour of Dublin our first day there so we get can get an overview of places we'd like to return to and see in greater detail. Does anyone have any thoughts on this? Any recommendations?

Thanks again,
Becky

Michele Erdvig · Host

Becky,

Welcome to my forum! I see that Bit has offered you her usual wonderful advice. Take a look at my "Self-catering" page since it will give you some info about renting that you may not be aware of. It is an economical way to see Ireland especially when several people share the cost. You can ask at the individual cottages for an estimate of the extra charges like heating.

You can always fine B&Bs along the way. I think I would reserve the cottage in advance.

When in Dublin get the hop on hop off bus tour.

Michele

CowboyCraic · Guru

Becky,

I am glad that I could be of some help. The Stone Cutter's cottage has always been tops on my list, as it has an old soul. You would be best to at least let the cottage in advance. Self-Catering rentals are from Saturday to Saturday, seven days. That will give you plenty of time in the area. You could take one day and do the Cliffs of Moher Cruise out of Doolin. It is a fabulous way to experience the Cliffs of Moher. You might also like a guided tour of the Burren. Stephen is a native of the BUrren region. He is quite entertaining and knowledgible.

As for Waterford, you will find no bargains at the showroom. Many people go expecting that they will get their crystal cheaper at the Factory and after the tour. However, I have found the best prices in some out of the way places. They were in Faery-led moments when I didn't even know I was looking for Waterford. biggrin

You can usually find your B&Bs as you go in September. You can always stop into the Tourist Info office and ask for their assistance. There will be a small fee for their help but it will save you a lot of aggravation. You are wise to have booked in to Dublin already, as reasonable lodgings can be difficult to find on the spur of the moment.

Definitely the Hop-on/off Bus tour to familiarize yourselves with Dublin. Ride it once for the whole circuit, paying attention to those sights which pique your interest the most. Then simply get off at those stops you wish to visit, enjoy them at your leisure and catch the next hop-on/off tour bus that comes along. The tickets you purchase are good for a full twenty-four hours so you can catch a few sites the next morning, as well.

Slan Beo, Bit

Momany · Member

Thank you so much Michele and Bit for your suggestions and advice. I am going to take your suggestion and book the cottage in advance. From what I've read Bit, you are right the Stone Cutter's cottage is perfect and most likely where we will stay.
We have 3 more nights in Ireland after we leave the cottage. The last night we are staying right near the airport in Dublin. Any suggestion on the hotel, or are they pretty much all the same?

Thanks,
Becky

Momany · Member

All,

I have one more question. Is it better to book directly with the cottage, or through the many websites of companies that list all of the self catering cottages all over the country?

Thanks,

Becky

CowboyCraic · Guru

Becky,

It is best to book through their direct website, which was the link I provided for you. The others are booking agents and there are usually extra fees tacked on. The added benefit in booking direct, is that you can better build a rapport.

Slan Beo, Bit

Momany · Member

After a day of going back and forth with my sister via email, we are now looking for a self catering cottage in Dingle. I wanted to stay at the one Bit suggested but I finally gave in (she's my older sister lol). Do you have any suggestions for a self catering cottage in the Dingle area? My sister has sent me a bunch of websites and they are all mostly right in town. I want to stay out of town, but she wants to stay closer. Any suggestions on something that will work for the both of us?

Again, thank you all for your help.

Becky

CowboyCraic · Guru

Becky,

It is a shame that you won't be able to stay in the Stone Cutter's Cottage. In Dingle, I would have recommended the Blooming Wildflower Cottage's aprtment. However, in looking at their calendar, they are booked for your time frame. You might check with An Capall Dubh. It offers apartments, townhomes and B&B. Although right in the Center of Dingle town, it is situated to feel very private. Another that might suit you both would be Milltown Cottages, which sits just on the edge of Dingle town. The walk along the harbour and the marina is quite wonderful. It is about a ten minute walk if you are taking it at a stroll and about five if you set a brisk pace.

I hope this helps.

Slan Beo, Bit

Michele Erdvig · Host

Becky,

It seems that the ones I would recommend are booked too. I think you need to settle on one soon and make reservations!

Michele