j2spring
Unregistered User
(2/15/04 6:12 pm)

hotels Dublin north suburbs?

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Hi Michele, My husband and I were in Ireland fall of 2003 and had such a marvelous time that he can't wait to get back. (You may recall it took me 29 years to talk him into flying 8 hours.) When we were in Dublin we stayed in The Merrion and LOVED it. We are considering going to Ireland again this March, but will be paying for all expenses for our college-aged daughter to join us, including an extra room. Hence, the Merrion is a bit pricy this time around. Also, we wish to have a car so we are thinking that staying North of the city nearer to where some relatives live would be better. For our last trip (our first one there together), my husband and I wanted to experience all different kinds of accomodations, so we stayed in a hotel in Dublin, a castle in Mayo, a manor home in Galway, and a bed and breakfast in Bunratty. Loved the hotel and manor home, didn't enjoy the castle or bed and breakfast experience at all. Because of that, I hesitate to try another B&B(had never been in one before), even tho the price may be nice. Therefore, I've been researching hotels north of Dublin, specifically the Clontarf Castle (I think you like that one?). Also the Deer Park Hotel in Howth (have you been in the rooms? - website makes them look dark). Also the Portmarnock Hotel (Rates on web must be a mistake -- seems pricier than the Merrion -- have you been in those rooms?) Thanks for any tips you can give us.j2spring

Michele Erdvig
ezOP
Posts: 2148
(2/17/04 1:20 am)

Re: hotels Dublin north suburbs?

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Hi j2spring,

How lovely that you are planning another trip to Ireland. Keep in mind that judging all B&Bs or castles by one experience is not really a fair assessment. Did you stay at Belleek Castle in Mayo? I looked at it a few years ago and did not find it to be a place I would recommend. Also, you might try some guesthouses.

Can you give any input on what you liked and disliked about the different experiences? It might help to determine exactly what you are looking for.

I have not looked at the Deerpark Hotel or Portmarnock Hotel. However, I can recommend a splendid B&B in Malahide that I inspected last September. It was very elegant and upscale for a B&B. The decor was superb. Clontarf Castle is a place that my clients have enjoyed staying and the feedback is good.

Michele

j2spring
Unregistered User
(2/26/04 6:02 pm)

hotels Dublin north suburbs?

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Hi Michele, Please forgive me for not responding sooner -- had to go out of town unexpectedly. To best answer your questions 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. I hope this answer to your question (re: my question about hotels north of Dublin)is not too long. I thought about putting it on the "I'm Back" section, but then was concerned you'd have to do too much switching back and forth to answer. So again, sorry, if this takes up too much room in the "planning" section.
All that said, can you, indeed, recommend some hotels or other properties in the suburbs north of Dublin where we might enjoy large, quiet,clean rooms (and large, modern bathrooms), parking, the opportunity for social interaction if desired, a good value, and anything else your experienced, analytical travel-planner mind has picked up on re: our likes and dislikes per the above. Thank you so very much, Michele, for your help.You are the best! J2Spring

Michele Erdvig
ezOP
Posts: 2191
(2/26/04 7:49 pm)

Malahide B&B

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Hi j2spring,

Are you sure you weren't in the dungeon at Ashford Castle? It sounds very disappointing indeed. All the times I have visited there the grounds have been well-kept but you obviously had a completely different experience. I do know that when I ask to see a hotel they always show me the suites. I then ask to see a standard room, because, after all, how many times will you get the suite? I like seeing as many different types of rooms as they can show me.

I think that you will be pleased with Beechwood Country House in Malahide: www.northcircle.com/beechwood/index.html They have various configurations of rooms so if you book be sure to indicate exactly what you want. Some have larger bathrooms and/or bedrooms than others.

Unfortunatley there is no way to predict interaction with hosts and/or guests in advance at B&Bs. It is determined by so many different factors such as:

1. What time you eat breakfast and when the other guests do.

2. How many other people are staying at the B&B.

3. Whether the hosts have plans for the evening such as going out or having friends in for dinner.

4. The schedules of the other guests and whether they gather in the common rooms before or after dinner.

I remember staying at a B&B in Killarney one time when tea was served to a whole house-full of guests who just happened to all check in at approximately the same time. The conversation and interaction was just delightful. Yet, the next time I stayed there this didn't happen and it was dull as ditch water. So you can see that circumstances make or break the experience.

Thanks very much for your "trip report". I'm sure everyone will enjoy reading it. Also, it helped me to determine what you are looking for in accommodations. Everyone has different needs in that regard.

And how lovely that your little trick on your husband actually worked and he is going back to Ireland again. We women do have our ways...don't we?

Michele

j2spring
Unregistered User
(3/4/04 1:56 pm)

lodging north of dublin

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Hi Michele, So sorry again for not replying sooner. Do you ever notice how work seems to get in the way of us doing what is really important to us????
Seriously, tho, thanks for the lead on the Beachwood. I tried e-mailing them, but kept getting it back as "undeliverable." Do you have another e-mail address? Also, wish to ask if any other lodgings come to mind, just in case they can not accomodate us.
Michele, do you think it would be a good idea (and is it even possible) to copy and paste the "trip report" part of my question/answer to you over to the "I'm Back" section for the benefit of your readers (and rename it over there)? Thanks again, hope all is well with you and yours. J2Spring

Michele Erdvig
ezOP
Posts: 2235
(3/5/04 1:12 am)

Re: lodging north of dublin

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Hi j2spring,

Good idea to cut and paste your report in the "I'm Back" section I will do it for you after I answer this. Try this email address for Beechwood: bwoodhouse1@eircom.net

You might find that Airport Manor would suit you. It is very modern, close to the airport yet not noisy, quite comfortable, and the showers are really powerful. They serve dinner there now. I haven't tried that but breakfast is very good. www.airportmanor.com

Michele

j2spring
Unregistered User
(3/15/04 6:11 pm)

beechwood house

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Hi Michele, Thanks for the alternate e-mail address for the Beechwood House. That latest one did, indeed, go through (no "undeliverable" messages received this time). I have e-mailed them twice in the past 10 days and have not heard anything back. From your experience with them, did you get the impression that they are only open certain times of the year? From your remarks, it sounds as if it's definitely worth a try, but I am really having trouble communicating with them. Thanks for your help. J2Spring

Michele Erdvig
ezOP
Posts: 2296
(3/16/04 1:02 am)

Re: beechwood house

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Hi j2spring,

According to the Family Homes web site Beechwood is open all year: www.family-homes.ie/entries2004/d27.htm Perhaps you could try callling? The dial-around 10-10-297 has 3 cents a minute to Ireland and a 39 cent connection fee. Cheap enough to find out what's going on.

Michele

Michele Erdvig
ezOP
Posts: 2297
(3/16/04 1:05 am)

Re: beechwood house

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Hi j2spring,

Just saw this email address on Family Homes web site: bwoodphouse1@eircom.net

Michele