Michele Erdvig
ezOP
Posts: 2236
(3/5/04 1:17 am)

j2spring's Trip Report

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I have posted j2spring's trip report here at her request. Enjoy everyone. Michele

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I will give a brief "I'm back from Ireland" sort of review. I had intended to write a detailed review, but my journal still has not been unpacked from one of the boxes (we moved a few months ago.) I will give a detailed account later.
So here goes:

As I mentioned above, my objective was to make my husband's first trip to Ireland so marvelous that I wouldn't have to wait another 30 years to get him back over. It worked. We used AX reward points to purchase airline tickets, so had a bit to splurge with. Wanted to experience Irelands hotels, manor homes, castles, and B&B's. Two were great, two were disappointments.

The two "greats" I will list first (hotel and manor house.)
The Merrion Hotel in Dublin was fabulous. If money was no object, I would stay there anytime I was in Dublin. The room (king, deluxe) was extremely clean, very large, and overlooked the garden. The staff was extremely friendly and very, very well trained. The marble bathroom was huge and had the best shower my husband ever experienced (he came out the first night and said the shower was like a "fire hose"). The breakfasts (which were included in the price and delivered to the room) were extensive and delicious. Lots of restaurants and other public rooms to wonder around in. (Think I saw Liam Neeson enjoying a "cuppa" in the parlor -- if it wasn't him, it was his twin brother.) We were convenient to Pearce St. train station, so didn't have to pick up a car until leaving Dublin. Only negative was that the room was a bit chilly at night and remained so even after maintenance worked on it. However, everything else was so terrific that I managed the problem by wearing two pairs of pajamas and socks to bed.

Ballynahinch Castle in Connemara(not really a castle, but what I'd call a manor house) was also fabulous. The property is built on the banks of a river and our room was overlooking the bend, so we had gorgious views both up and down the river. Lovely grounds, hiking trails, and scenery at the base of Ben Lettery mountain. Huge, huge room with 4-poster and a dressing room between the bedroom and the bathroom. Lots of public areas to roam and visit with staff and other guests.Best food we've ever had ANYWHERE (and we're fussy). Negatives: The furniture in the sitting room area was a little threadbare, the navy blue lamp shades really showed the dust and looked like they'd never been dusted (rest of room clean, tho), and the cleaning lady would go into our room, even when we left the "Do Not Disturb" sign on. Normally, those things would drive me up the wall, but everything else was so fabulous, we didn't even give them a second thought.

Now the two disappointments:

Ashford Castle in County Mayo was probably the biggest disappointment I've ever experienced re: hotels. Why? Well, don't we all read the reviews telling us it's the "creme de la creme" and the property to which all others will be compared and rated? This was the hotel experience I was most looking forward to in Ireland. The positive first: Room with a lovely view of Lake Corrib. Now the negatives: Tiny room (we asked to be put on waitlist for deluxe, could only get standard, but had read that all of Ashford's rooms were large for whatever class you booked); room was to be ready at 2pm, but when we arrived at 3:30 it still wasn't; burned out bulb in the bathroom; tempermental toilet; 5 spiders (the big, icky kind); dirty linen (a real surprise when we turned down the sheets at 11pm); no pen, pencil, or clock; mold on bathroom grout and ceiling; pealing, stained wallpaper; trash scattered around the gorgious grounds (knowing that some people just come to look at the grounds, wouldn't they hire someone to keep an eye on that?); mediocre food; sparse on the employees and some were rather snooty (i.e.,check-in receptionist, none I met were Irish, most from "the continent" or Asia). I could go on, but my experience led me to believe that perhaps Ashford is rated on its past reputation rather than on reality.

Bunratty Lodge was the other disappointment. I hesitate to say that, Michele, because it seems you are friends with the owner and I picked it based on all the rave reviews from you and the other forum regulars. I have nothing negative to say about Mrs. Browne and the B&B was, indeed, clean, but I wanted our last night to be something special and, instead, our experience brings to mind the words "forgetable," and "adequate." "Why?"you mind ask. First of all, it was our first experience with a B&B and others on this site have referred to B&B's allowing for social interaction. We,however, felt socially isolated there. We checked in mid-afternoon and saw the owner for only a few minutes before she disappeared for the rest of the evening, no other guests to be seen. We didn't go to the banquet and the restaurant we were referred to by the B&B owner was basically pretty empty. We continued to feel socially isolated at the B&B because we ate breakfast alone until when nearly finished another guest entered the dining room. As we walked back to our room, we saw two others, exchanged a few words, and that was it. (We like our quiet, are not "party animals," but we are social people who would have enjoyed a bit more interaction.) Also the room was small, as was the bathroom and shower area. I had read that the property served "award-winning" breakfasts yet ours was clean but ordinary (the potatoes appeared to be similar to the "OR-IDA" brand frozen tater tots we have here in the USA). Again, nothing wrong with it, just not what would seem "award-winning." We had reserved our room on Master Card and were very surprised when not until check-out did Mrs. Browne inform us that she was no longer taking credit cards due to problems and would require cash.

Michele, I thank you so much for recommending two things I would never have experienced otherwise: Sal e Pepe's restaurant in Malahide and Ballynahinch Castle. They were fabulous. Thank you so very much, Michele, for your help.You are the best!

J2Spring

Irene Lee
Registered User
Posts: 8
(3/6/04 9:41 pm)
Re
Re: j2spring's Trip Report

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I considered Ashford Castle and decided against spending all that the money for what is basically a hotel room. Now I'm glad. Thanks--I feel better with my decision.

You know, I've been wondering about the whole credit card and cash thing at B&Bs. The first time we went we stayed at manor houses and rented an apartment in Galway. Everyone accepted plastic. But now I have concerns. 2 of the B&Bs that I have book for my July trip advertise that they take credit cards, but after I made the reservations and got the confirmation email I noticed a little blurb at the bottom "cash preferred".

I think I will email them back and clarify that point. I have no problem paying in cash, but I'd like to know to know upfront. You never know when an ATM machine might run out of cash.

Thanks for the info.

j2spring
Unregistered User
(3/7/04 4:15 pm)
 
B&B payment

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Hi Irene, At least you were given notice on your confirmation. As I mentioned above, we were taken by surprise. I had confirmed reservations by e-mail AND phone, and no mention was made that actual payment (rather than just confirmation) was expected in cash. We were literally on our way out the door on the way to the airport when we were told that she had had problems with the credit card company, so wasn't using it anymore. It came as quite a surprise, and I imagine that if one was to stay in B&B's throughout one's entire vacation and encounter this type of policy, it would be very difficult to either carry enough cash or arrange to find an ATM(especially if, like us, you were on a tight schedule on your way to the airport). You are wise to clarify this point with a follow-up e-mail. You would do well also to carry the responsive e-mail with you just in case..... j2spring.

gillespie
Unregistered User
(3/8/04 7:06 am)

spiders

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BIG ICKY SPIDERS?????????????