Ande
Unregistered User
(3/26/04 5:50 pm)

Carrabaun House

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Hi Michele,

I believe you had Carrabaun House in your book at some point. I tried emailing them today (carrabaun@anu.ie) and it bounced back undeliverable. Do you know what's up?

Thanks.
Ande

Michele Erdvig
ezOP
Posts: 2368
(3/26/04 10:30 pm)

Re: Carrabaun House

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Hi Ande,

I really don't know what's up. Perhaps you should try it again tomorrow. Or you could try Cillcoman Lodge: www.cillcomanlodge.com/

Michele

BallyKpat
Unregistered User
(3/29/04 11:33 am)

Carrubun House

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I hate to say this, but we stayed here last March 2003, and while the wife was wonderful and had a great breakfast, the husband was a BEAST!
We didn't have enough hot water for showers, and the husband threw a fit (scary, driving back and forth, brakes squealing etc.), because he wanted to leave and we weren't out on time on a Sunday morning after arriving on Saturday. They wanted us out at 10am.

I would think twice about going here.
BallyKpat

Ande
Unregistered User
(3/29/04 11:58 am)

Carrabaun

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Hi,
Thanks for the info, how unfortunate an experience! I've requested accommodation elsewhere (and it turns out they'll be closed anyways during the time of my visit).
Thanks again.
Ande

Michele Erdvig
ezOP
Posts: 2381
(3/29/04 5:58 pm)

Carrabaun House

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Hi BallyKpat,

Thanks for your feedback on Carrabaun House. I stayed there about 6 or 7 years ago and was to include them in my book. In fact I sent them info about my book and a questionnaire to fill out. However, I got some very negative feedback from a trusted B&B owner in another city. It seems that several people who had stayed at Carrabaun had afterwards stayed at this other B&B in my book. These guests were not pleased with their experiences at Carrabaun. So Carrabaun never made it into my book. That is why I always ask my readers and other B&B owners for feedback. I may have had a perfect experience staying somewhere but I want to know the negatives also.

I have had Cillcoman Lodge in Westport in my book for several years and have had no unfavorable reports. I have stayed there several times, always with good results.

Choosing B&Bs is an imperfect science. I have to go by my experience and those of my readers.

Michele

Edited by: Michele Erdvig at: 3/29/04 6:01 pm


Helen
Unregistered User
(3/30/04 12:24 pm)

Carrabaun House, Westport

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Hi Michelle...We stayed at Carrabaun House last May for only one night, but that was enough. My comments on the BandB were as follows: Not very impressed- home was beautiful, but room was very small with 2 double beds, at the back of the house, looking at a garage (had requested a "view" room five months before and had a confirmation in a e-mail)). Teenage boy greeted us, with offhand request on what we wanted for breakfast, didn't see a menu, and we had to ask him what the menu was. A couple from Baltimore was also there and said they hadn't any heat for the two days that they were there, and were quite unhappy with the general attitude. The only time we saw Angela was briefly at breakfast, and she asked us "Are you in Room #2?", not very friendly. Would not stay there again, as you can surmise by my comments. Out of the 16 BandBs we stayed in ( a trip of 23 days), this and Harbourview BandB in Kenmare were the only ones we were dissatisfied with. You made a good decision in eliminating it from your book...Helen

Allison
Unregistered User
(3/30/04 12:31 pm)

B&Bs

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Helen,
I found your post interesting because I was looking at Harbourview in Kenmare for our likely October trip. Alot of recommended places in the area are out of our budget, so this one looked nice. What did you not like about it? Did you stay anywhere else in Kenmare?
Thanks!
Allison

Helen
Unregistered User
(3/30/04 5:58 pm)

Hi Allison

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Hello Allison...Harbourview BandB was a disappointment in that, when I booked in January of '03 for a double ensuite view room for May of '03, Maureen e-mailed me a confirmation for the room. When we arrived, she showed us the room--a wonderful view room (of Kenmare Bay), but the "ensuite" was across the hall, which we weren't very excited about. An ensuite room , to us, has always meant the bathroom was in the bedroom, not across the hall. We had the only key, but it meant putting on our robes, unlocking our door, locking it again, then unlocking the room across the hall---well, you get the picture. It is so much easier with it in the bedroom. We did take it, our other option at the home was a bedroom at the back of the house; a twin with ensuite bath). I was a little perturbed that we had been "mislead", and did say something. Maureen was not too happy with us. I would only say, that if you do book, (the rate then was 35 Euros), just clarify that you would like the ensuite to be contained in the bedroom. I do recall someone on the board stayed there and liked it, but their room was upstairs. Hope this is of some help. Did keep a folder with all our BandBs and Guesthouses comments written in, so if you have any other questions, let me know. We only stayed there in Kenmare, but did stay at a wonderful Guesthouse in Waterville, on the Ring of Kerry...Helen

Michele Erdvig
ezOP
Posts: 2386
(3/31/04 1:03 am)

Re: Carrabaun House

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Helen, We appreciate your feedback and would be very interested in any other B&B recommendations you would care to share. I believe Bill stayed at Harbour View and had a good experience there. However, it is several miles from Kenmare. Actually, Carrabaun never did make it into my book. It was eliminated before it ever got in.

Allison, I inspected a lovely B&B in Kenmare last year. The hosts were wonderful and the husband was hilarious. He had definitely kissed the Blarney Stone. I am planning on staying there this year. It is Willow Lodge and is right in Kenmare.

Michele

Allison
Unregistered User
(3/31/04 7:50 am)

Willow Lodge

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Hi Michele,

I would be very interested in hearing about Willow Lodge! I think you had mentioned it a few weeks ago and I did a search for it but didn't turn up anything. Mylestone House looks interesting, too.

Thanks, as always!

Allison

Michele Erdvig
ezOP
Posts: 2389
(3/31/04 10:54 pm)

Willow Lodge

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Hi Allison,

Willow Lodge does not have a web site as far as I can determine but they do have email. You can see their T&C listing here: www.townandcountry.ie/pre...sisid=2821

The house was very clean with spacious rooms and wonderful hosts. I'm looking forward to staying there soon.

Mylestone is consistently good and within walking distance of Kenmare.

Michele

P.S. I don't think that I have mentioned Willow Lodge previously on the forum.

wojazz3
Registered User
Posts: 387
(4/2/04 12:45 pm)

Re: Willow Lodge

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I did have a nice stay at Harbour View, but as Michele points out, it could have been a good day. I don't have recollections of the hostess, but I liked the room and the view despite knocking my head on the low gables. I remember the breakfast was nice and the view from the room was good. The only downside I experienced was having breakfast next to a couple from NY who just couldn't stop complaining that their BMW just wasn't up to their needs and how terrible the roads were. They were having a rotten time, which made me happy because it meant they would not come back to clutter up the country in the future.

Bill