Westport, County Mayo Accomodations

Melissa5 · Guru

Westport, County Mayo Accomodations

Michele Erdvig · Host

Melissa,

I have been to Ireland twice this year so I have many more good B&Bs to suggest. That is why your 2005 edition of my book does not have some of the places on my "Lodgings" page. Also, I am getting ready to update my website and it will have new and different recommendations. Ballywarren is outside Cong, not near Westport. Not an option for you.

Now, on to your Westport dilemma. Cillcoman Lodge is near the Quays, perhaps half a mile or so in a very quiet residential neighborhood. It is not difficult to find at all. Just pass the Quay area, look for a sign on the right and follow it up a hill. Once you have been there once it is no problem finding it again, even in the dark. It is not fancy, rather a cozy B&B that is spotlessly clean and very comfortable.

I have looked at a ton of B&Bs in Westport and like Cillcoman Lodge best of all I have inspected. Too many of them are shabby, run down or just not clean. They all look great on their websites, but reality is another matter.

I think you should skip the Old Railway Hotel as it will likely be noisy being right in town, especially on a weekend. It is on the shabby side too. You are right Matt Malloys is in town.

The difference between Knockranny House Hotel and Knockranny Lodge is that one is a first-class hotel and the other is a 4-star guesthouse. They are both nearby each other. I have inspected Knockranny Lodge and it is listed in my "Quick Picks" in my book. It has nice, large rooms, is clean, nicely decorated and in a quiet area. However, since I haven't stayed there yet I don't know if it is "boring". I wouldn't walk from Westport to Knockranny at night. Drive or take a taxi. If you take a look at Knockranny Lodge's website they have a location map that will help you see where it is in reference to Westport.

Ardmore Country House was highly recommended to me by someone I met at Loch Lein Country House Hotel as being a comparable property. I tried to inspect it but got a rather curt and curious reception. The person answering the door told me that the hosts were out of town, the guesthouse was closed, and I should come back another time. Interestingly, the woman who answered the door and told me that was one of the owners. I saw her photo in the Be Our Guest Book. I haven't had the opportunity to go back since. It is located near the Quays.

My conclusion is I think you must either choose quiet and suburban or noisy and right in town. I think I know which will win out!

Michele

Melissa5 · Guru

Michele, you know me well by now! I will choose quiet and suburban. (Nothing like 3 night's of lost sleep to make one forget entirely why they are supposed to be having fun!!!) For me, once an accomodation gives me one night of lost sleep, I am so tense for the other nights, waiting for it to happen, that the sleeping problem gets worse!

On the other hand if I sleep reasonably well the first night I am all settled in and "expect" to sleep every night and I do!

By the way don't know if this is supposed to happen, but when I try to click on the lodgings on your lodgings page, they don't cooperate for me. If I click on a particular lodging, a different one opens up instead! Maybe it is sort of like the woman (apparently owner) who turned you away from inspecting Ardmore House?

The web-site won't let me in! Maybe my computer security is set up weird, I don't know how these things work. My son sets everything up for me.

No way will I book at Ardmore if they turned away Michele Erdvig, whether you were anonymous or not!!!

It is looking like I should stay at Cillcoman Lodge. I will think it over and decide after Thanksgiving (or sooner!) Happy thanksgiving Michele, and everybody in the USA!

Michele, thank you for inspecting all those B&Bs near Westport! Wow, you saved me a whole lot of trouble!

You recommended a recent discovery, I think someplace really cool on Achill island maybe, or Clare island was it, but of course then I'd give up being close to Westport for those pub evenings...

Or I could stay somewhere out in the country in between WEstport and Achill island. Anyplace you recommend in between? But again then I'm giving up the convenience of being close to Westport for those fun evenings in pubs with young adult daughters.

Thanks! Anybody who has stayed in County Mayo or Westport feel free to chime in!

Dude · Guru

Melissa, check out Seapoint House www.seapointhouse.com . It's right on Clew Bay and is very private and quiet. When we were there in '03 the hostess was in hospital having just had their first baby but the husband did a masterful job of making us welcome.

It's a bit out of Westport on some narrow wind-y country roads but we had no trouble getting to town and back.

Michele Erdvig · Host

Melissa,

Ardmore might be absolutely lovely but I just don't know. I can only report my own experiences. I will try there another time but it probably won't be soon enough for you. This is their website: http://www.ardmorecountryhouse.com/

Thanks for letting me know about your problems with the links on my "Lodgings" page. I had a look and I think that the problem is the spacing. If you don't place your cursor just exactly right it picks up the link from the one above it instead. Fortunately, I am currently working on an update for my website and I have just changed the spacing. It should be online this weekend. Let's see if that clears up the trouble.

At this point, I think you have your heart set on Westport so you will have to save staying on Achill Island for another time. Besides, wouldn't it be romantic if just you and your husband stayed at a guesthouse on the beach there? Not only do they welcome you with cream tea but they have a fire in the sitting room each night and they do dinner there. If you go out to Achill on this trip, then you could stop by Bervie for tea as they serve that throughout the day: http://www.bervieachill.com/

Michele

Melissa5 · Guru

Michele, good luck with your web-site update and hopefully that will clear up the problem with the spacing between the links on the lodgings page.

Sigh, yes, I agree, it would be more romantic if JUST hubby and I stayed on a beach on Achill Island someday, on another trip with no daughters along! Doesn't it just kill romance to have offspring of any age complaining "Mom, there's nothing to do here! We're bored!"

That's why I just know being close to Westport is a good place to land with our young adult daughters on this trip. (They are both over 18.) As usual you are full of good advice.

We do plan to drive out to Achill island for a day-trip from Westport so will make note of that recommendation to stop by Bervie for tea. Thanks!

There's also a lodging I think called the Shores which is not quite close enough to dingle town for this trip, that will be another one to consider for a future trip maybe with just hubby and I, if he'll agree to return! That's why I chose Heaton's right near Dingle town for this trip with young adults.

I did also get the reservation for Drumcreehy in Ballyvaughan. In County Clare we will have entertaining evenings by driving to various places...like planning to do the Dunguaire castle medieval banquet. Will we find all ages there? (daughters are over 18.)

Dude, did I thank you for recommending Seapoint House? I will look at that one.

So far I'm leaning towards Cillcoman Lodge, half a mile from the Quays.

Michele Erdvig · Host

Melissa,

I agree that there are always trade-offs when traveling. There is only so much territory that can be covered in the alloted time. It also makes a big difference whether you are traveling as a couple or with others. I think that the choices you have made make sense for your trip. And it sounds like the "kids" may be flying the nest soon, so this will be a special family time to treasure and remember.

The Shores is fantastic and will be something to look forward to on another trip. But it wouldn't suit you on this trip since it is not really near Dingle town. Maybe you & your husband can go back again for a a special anniversary. You can plan a Romance Tour of Ireland.

You really can't go wrong with Cillcoman Lodge. It is a very nice, quiet B&B. Mary always takes extra special care of my readers.

Michele

Mark · Veteran Member

Melissa,

Personally I like the Olde Railway Hotel but maybe I'm weird. It does have a quirky, old, creaky atmosphere but I wouldn't go so far as to call it shabby. My wife and I have stayed there 3 times in the past 7 years and have had good service and a nice, well kept room each time. But bear in mind our main concern was staying right in town center. I admit it was noisy there the last time we stayed because we were on the ground floor facing the street and it there were a few drunks and even a short fight outside our room on the sidewalk that woke us up. So based on the fact that you are concerned about quiet I suggest skipping this hotel as Michele has already told you. Unfortunately I don't have first hand experience of other accomodations in Westport so I can't help you there. I did find an interesting website of a B&B right on the edge of town center. I don't know if anyone has more info on this place but it looks interesting and would give you the ability to step out your door and walk right into the center.

http://www.boulevard-guesthouse.com/

Good luck.

Mark

Melissa5 · Guru

Michele, now you are answering my questions even before I ask them! Wow, I'm impressed!

After perfecting my itinerary with long research and clever advice from you and other experts, and after already booking 2 b&bs, I am having my usual second-thoughts, like, wait, have I included the wrong places, have I left out the right places?!

And here you are, telling me wisely

that this should be a special family time to treasure and remember, and the daughters will be flying the nest soon and so it's right for this trip to be something the whole family can relate to.

And so I like your idea of saving that Romantic Tour of Ireland trip for hubby and I alone someday, and you have given me the brilliant idea of convincing hubby to return to Ireland someday because I NEED it for a valentine's/birthday/anniversary trip!

I was considering substituting County Donegal for County Mayo, but I think Donegal sounds better for a couple's trip,

and Mayo sounds better for young adult daughters because of lively Westport.

I think I'm going to go with Cillcoman Lodge, thanks very much Michele, and thanks to folks like Mark who have been good enough to share the pros and cons of Olde Railway Hotel (I'm sure that someone else reading Mark's comments will realize Olde Railway is perfect for them.)

LETTING GO:
I'm being over-protective with this next question, but considering we will have one car, and hubby and I may want to retire earlier than the daughters, is it safe to leave college-age daughters in towns like Westport and Dingle for a couple hours without us old fogies, and how will they get back safely to our b&bs at night? Taxi? Do we return to town and pick them up? How have others dealt with this? (They won't be out all night, as they understand this is a family trip and we do things together...but it's possible they may enjoy some time to themselves in dingle town and Westport.) Or maybe they will be tired and we will all retire at the same time. (This hasn't been a problem on previous trips. We have stayed on the same schedule. But Ireland has the unique aspect of the pubs and the 18-year-old drinking age (daughters will be 19 and 20 years next summer).

I had similar concerns for San Jose, Costa Rica, but was advised on-line that San Jose wasn't the place to let your daughters loose,

and in fact nobody was too excited about San JOSE and we ended up skipping it entirely and heading for the rainforest! Everyone was happy together.

I should mention these aren't naive daughters...they both live away at college now. But usually they go out with trusted friends including either guy friends or boyfrirends...Is 2 lovely gals without an escort a problem in places like WEstport and Dingle pubs? Thanks for your advice and experience in this regard!

Our b&b in dingle is Heaton's, I think a 15-minute walk from dingle town; in Westport I will probably book Cillcoman, which aparently is a taxi ride from town centre (or a half-mile walk from the Quay, certainly not good in the dark I'm sure.) Perhaps I can prop hubby up in the pub (he gets tired early) and convince him to stay put until we can all leave together for our b&b for the night! Wait, I didn't mean hubby would be drunk, I meant he falls asleep early!

-- Edited by Melissa5 at 05:14, 2005-11-30

Melissa5 · Guru

Mark, thanks very much for your interesting and frank review of the Olde Railway Hotel. I think it sounds great fun (good location) for some folks, but not the place for me, being a light sleeper and NOT a partyer, and I really appreciate your feedback.

You should be proud of being "weird"! Allow me to relate a true story. When my son started high school, a few weeks after gettled settled into school and joining the science olympiad team, he told me, "Mom, I'm weird." I proceeded to tell him of course he wasn't weird, but he stopped me. "No, Mom, you're not listening. I figured out that I'm weird. And about 2% of the other people at my high school are weird like me. 1% of them are even weirder. I finally found someplace where I belong." Anyway he did very well in science, his favorite teacher blew a hole in the ceiling in chemistry class, and my son ended up graduating from Berkeley!

Anyway, Mark, I enjoyed your review of the Olde Railway hotel, and ever since my son told me his story, I have told my kids that normal is boring, and I would be disappointed if they turned out to be normal!!!!

-- Edited by Melissa5 at 05:29, 2005-11-30

Michele Erdvig · Host

Melissa,

I'm either getting psychic or else I'm getting to know you like an old friend!

Westport and Dingle are relatively safe places. However, I suggest you check them out on arrival and see what you think. If your daughters do go off on their own they should agree to stick together all the time and take a taxi back to their lodgings. They should have the barman call a taxi for them and wait till it arrives. If they walk in Dingle after dark they should have a small flashlight so they can see and be seen. If you feel that you will be up worrying about them anyway, then decide on a time to meet at a specific place and pick them up yourself. Your daughters should also agree that they won't drink to excess because we all know that common sense flies out the window when that happens.

Michele

P.S. Glad to hear you have made another decision on lodgings.

-- Edited by Michele Erdvig at 18:26, 2005-12-01

Mark D · Senior Member

In Westport, my wife and I loved the Wyatt Hotel. The rooms were very cozy, and the meals were wonderful.

Located right on the octagon makes it a great central spot. Of course it was within walking distance to Matt Molloys <GRIN>

There website has some great info:

http://wyatthotel.com/

Cheers !
Mark D.

Melissa5 · Guru

Westport pubbing

Melissa5 · Guru

RE: Westport, County Mayo Accomodations

Mark D · Senior Member

Hello,

No I did not hear any pub traffic at all. The Wyatt offered everything we needed, and then some.

Michele Erdvig · Host

Mark,

Thanks very much for your input for Melissa.

Michele

Melissa5 · Guru

Mark D: Thanks for the info on your experience at the Wyatt! Now I need to choose between Cillcoman Lodge, which is about 1/2 mile from the Westport Quay, and nice and quiet; or the Wyatt in town, walking distance to Matt Malloy's...and where you had a quiet room!

Mark, we'll be in Westport on a weekend in July, which surely is one of their busiest times. When were you there...weekday, weekend, which month? Do you have any recommendations for which rooms are the quietest? (In other words if I requested a particular view, is there a quieter one?)

Thanks for your help!

Mark D · Senior Member

Hi Mellisa,

We stayed at the Wyatt in March 2004 midweek. I really feel that you are far enough away from the traffic, but I would ask for a room in the back just in case. I would also recommend not getting a room downstairs. We got "stuck" there at first. My wife wanted a tub, so the staff graciously moved us to a really nice room at the last minute !

As for food we had a wonder "special" meal at the Quay Cottage. It was pricey, but worth every euro !!!!

For lighter far, there is a takeaway Fish and Chips place around the corner from the Octogan. Second only to McDonaughs in Galway !!

JP's Pub which is part of the Wyatt is also great !!

There is a cyber cafe a couple doors down as well.

Cheers !
Mark

Melissa5 · Guru

Hi Mark D, Westport sounds like a lot of fun and thanks for telling me where to get some good food.

I think if I were going to be in Westport mid-week I'd book rooms at the Wyatt. Unfortunately we'll be in Westport on a weekend, and I'm a bit worried about those festive weddings I've been hearing about where the Irish like to celebrate til the wee hours of the morning, and weddings are usually on weekends. I'm even hearing that if there's a big wedding anywhere in Westport, there could still be merry wedding guests returning to your hotel at 4:00 in the morning.

Just looked at my schedule and there's no way I can have us ariving at Westport mid-week...Westport is in the middle of our trip, between arriving in shannon and departing in dublin!

So I guess my choice is to decide if I'm just going to take the chance that there won't be a wedding and stay at the Wyatt; or stay at Cillcoman, which has so few rooms we'll be probably the only guests and isn't right in town with the "possible" weddings.

Probably I sound paranoid about noise and sleeping by now! I'm not paranoid, there really is somebody after me! (Okay, bad joke.

) I just get really sensitive to noise as I'm trying to fall asleep, especially in unfamiliar places. You have assured me that there isn't any traffic noise from the quieter rooms at the Wyatt. But the potential for people noise...sigh...I suppose that anybody staying in Westport town in the summer might be attracted to late-night fun.

I appreciate your answers as usually I end up with a quiet room on vacation after all my research. It is generally true that in a smaller b&b you will find folks who are seeking quiet at night; in a hotel with many rooms, you'll find some partyers returning late to their rooms, and especially if they've been drinking they don't seem to realize how loud they are. Here's an odd thing, I've noticed that guests staying on the first floor are more likely to be noisy than guests staying on the higher floor! I wonder why?

Well I think this post will be also be helpful to others who might be visiting Westport and have different priorities than I do. Thanks everybody for the info and opinions!

Mark D · Senior Member

Hello Mellisa

Sound like you made the right choice. You must be comfortable while on vacation. The Wyatt is close enough, so drop by and visit the hotel and pub. It may interest you in a future trip !!

My wife and I visited Ireland March 2004. We were in Westport the day the smoking ban took effect. Made the pubs much nicer for us nonsmokers

We went as part of a musical tour. I am a big fan of the Celtic/Bluegrass band the Mckrells. www.kmckrell.com I have known Kevin Mckrell, the leader of the band since highschool. He hung out with Matt Malloy himself one afternoon, and we were surprised to be invited to a private party in the back part Matt Molloys !! About 30 of us crammed into the party area, and had one hell of a blast !! Was able to have a pint with Matt, and fullfilled a life long dream of singing "KilKelly" in Matt Molloys ! Kevin took us to many lesser known places. It was a trip of a lifetime !

Cheers !
Mark

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Melissa5 · Guru

Westport music

Mark D · Senior Member

RE: Westport, County Mayo Accomodations

Melissa5 · Guru

Westport music

Mark D · Senior Member

RE: Westport, County Mayo Accomodations

Melissa5 · Guru

Mark, sigh, I think I have melted, and have no bones left in my body. I just listened to Carrick Fergus and it is absolutely entrancing, if I don't get out of this chair there will be nothing left of me but a puddle, and I won't be able to get out and get my errands done!

How do I get a CD of the McKrells? Are they available in stores in the USA or is it better to order from the web-site?

I don't think we need to know "where the Celtic stops and the bluegrass begins".

Michele, did you listen to Carrick Fergus?

I will listen to "Last Place" later tonight.

Mark, if this is what you listen to, you must be a very inspired singer! Thanks for sharing it with me. Good luck with your music.

I thought my hubby would like a bodhran. I was thinking it would be a fine item to purchase in Ireland. Any suggestions as to how to find a good one, what to look for? (Hubby used to play drums in a band when he was single. He doesn't play any more but he listens to music.)

Wonderful talking to you, Mark. Now I will try to sort of spill bonelessly out of my chair and flow down the hall and out the door..

Mark D · Senior Member

Hi Mellisa,

Im glad you liked it.........

If you email me your home mailing address, I will make you a sample cd of a few songs. If you enjoy it. You can buy all their cd's at CDBaby.com

Im sure they would be happy for me to spread the word.

Cheers !
Mark

Michelle,

If you are concerned about copyright infringement. I just bought a few single songs off of Microsoft Music, and will transfer them onto a cd for Mellisa as a gift. Music was bought , not just burned !!!

-- Edited by Mark D at 18:36, 2005-12-05

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Mark D · Senior Member

As for a bodhran, Roundstone is the place. Malachy Kearns is a very famous crafter, and his are known world wide. I bought mine in the little craft shop next to the Wyatt. I also found them almost everywhere !

The are not the cheapest, but they are so beautiful, you can hang them on your wall as decoration.

Cya,

Mark

Melissa5 · Guru

Mark D, having a bodhran hanging on the wall sounds good to me, plus hubby can take it down and play it whenever he gets in the mood. Please educate me here, how is playing a bodhran different than being a drummer in a band with the other type of drums, like the ones used in a rock band?

It sounds like there are many places to buy a bodhran in Ireland. I"m not sure if we'll get to Roundstone...we'll be staying in Ballyvaughan for 3 nights and in Westport for 3 nights, that's as close as we get to Roundstone.

Thanks for all your info and help!

Melissa5 · Guru

In case anyone is interested, I have made a Westport decision!

I have e-mailed Cillcoman House, the family-run b&b which is about a half-mile from Westport Quay. Thanks for putting up with me, and thanks for all your advice, Michele and Ireland Yessers. (Ireland Yessies? Yessites?) Michele, can we be Erdvites?! (Folks on the fodors travel talk are fodorites. Folks on www.slowtrav.com are "Slow Travellers".)

Michele, I know I've said this before, but the more research I do about Ireland (my favorite hobby), the more I marvel about how you really are so wise and experienced about Ireland! I rarely find a travel book which I could truly say this about, if I had done no research at all, and just bought your book and relied on its advice, it would have been more than enough, it would have been ALL I would have needed!!!

OH, but all the fine hours I've had with my research, and all the fun folks I have met chatting about Ireland on-line...

Michele, if you had to choose between missing County Mayo, or missing the Antrim Coast/Giant's Causeway, or missing Dublin, which 1 would you be willing to give up? Oh, unfair question. I am now

.

Mark D · Senior Member

Hello Mellisa,

Nice to se you are staying near the Quay ( Pronounced "Key")

The center of town is within walking distance, a much easier walk home though, as the Quay is located downhill !!! A few of us walked from the Octogan to the Quay Cottage with no trouble at all !