A Simple Six-Day Southwest Swing

Annetta · Member

A Simple Six-Day Southwest Swing

Michele Erdvig · Host

Annetta,

Many thanks for posting your trip report. Sounds like you had a very good time. Cereal for breakfast??? They should have the word "breakfast" removed from their name of bed-and-breakfast. That is miserly. Sounds like you had some good and a couple of "bads". I see you encountered the legendary host of Carrigeen Castle, who some refer to as the warden.

Will you return to Ireland again?

Michele

tony2phones · Guru

Don't be shy "Name and Shame", I would guess it wasn't Strand's End House.

Michele Erdvig · Host

Annetta,

I would be interested in knowing which B&B you stayed at in Caherciveen too.

Michele

Annetta · Member

I certainly hope I will return to Ireland again. This was my third trip---came twice in 1990s. The country's economic boom and subsequent bust is obvious to those of us who saw it before and after. On the plus side, it was great to get around faster and easier using some of the new highways. But I had gone on and on to my friends about the rose gardens at the Adare Manor---- which of course we were not allowed to get near. The woman in the Adare Tourist Info Center put it aptly: "It is now a Five-Star hotel! Those guests don't want tourists by the bus load wandering through like herds of cattle." It was a bit sad to see that some of the natural beauties have been redesigned for tourism. The "safety wall" lining the walk at the Cliffs of Moher is as tall as me. No more open view from a picnic blanket on the grass. To clarify the breakfast disappointment in Cahersiveen. We stayed at the Iveragh Heights B&B where the full Irish breakfast is additional 2.50 euro. Since all the other B&Bs had many items---fruit, scones, yogurts, etc---for those who didn't want the full deal, we thought we'd go that route for our 4th morning. Yes, we made a number of mistakes along the way by making assumptions instead of getting the facts. Travel and learn, right?

Annetta · Member

I'd hate to give some place a bad rating just because of my one experience there. yaknow? Just because the previous B&Bs had a lot of alternatives to the full meat&eggs plate, doesn't mean that all B&Bs do. Perhaps they were having some personal issues. One of the other guests, they were a group of about six, came to our assistance when we asked about getting some heat. It was our coldest night and the toilet seat was frigid! This guest came to our room and attempted to turn on the radiators as she had in her own room. No heat came out. We slept in our clothes and coats. It's funny now but it wasn't at 3:00AM. The woman of the house did seem a bit"not in charge" when we arrived and she wasn't in sight the next morning at breakfast either. Her husband pointed us to the cold cereal on the highboy.

Michele Erdvig · Host

Annetta,

You can still get into Adare Manor. Have lunch at the golf club! If you tell them that you will be let in at the gatehouse. And don't worry, you can afford soup and sandwiches at the golf club. It is not as pricey as the manor. Then you are free to walk all around the gardens, etc. I did know the code for the side gate when I rented a cottage beside the gate a couple of years ago. But I'm sure they have changed it by now.

Next time skip the Cliffs of Moher and meander down the coast to Loop Head instead. It will be more of the experience you want.

I read some online reviews of your Caherciveen B&B and breakfast was negatively mentioned by someone else. I agree that most B&Bs have lots more items to choose from the buffet. You will have to try my hair dryer trick to warm a cold room. Just turn it on and let it rip. Since most B&Bs have small rooms the hair dryer will warm it up in no time. Great for warming your bed too! Just keep an eye on it so you don't burn down the house.

Michele