Choosing a B&B at the end of the day.

Michele Erdvig · Host

Choosing a B&B at the end of the day.

DiCal · Veteran Member

Hi, Michele, We are leaving in less than 2 weeks for our long-planned first trip to Ireland. Your forum and book have been very helpful in planning our trip and I appreciate all of the discounts we received by mentioning I was a member of your forum! You are well-known and respected. We will even have the opportunity to meet fellow forum member Lucky Traveler at Arthur's Lodge Wood in Kenmare. I was wondering the etiquette for choosing a B&B during our travels. This trip will be our first experience staying at B&B's and we have reservations except for 4 nights at the end of our trip. (We do have our last night booked at the Premier Inn near Dublin Airport). If we decide to stop at a B&B, will there be "Vacancy" signs? Do we just knock on the door and ask if there are rooms available? Is it OK to see the room before we decide? The planning and research has been fun! We are counting down the days! Thanks for your help, Diane

Andi · Senior Member

There will often be a vacancy sign out front, and it is not uncommon to ask to see the room. However, I think it's best to try to book before your arrival, in the morning or the night before. That way you don't get frustrated and tired if you have to look around late in the day. If you get a booklet from the tourist bureau, such as "Town and Country B&B's," they will have good descriptions and often pictures to help you with this. I have often done trips this way, and just for the record, every B&B I've stayed in in Ireland has been fine. Of course, by not booking well ahead you will rarely find "famous" B&B's available.

DiCal · Veteran Member

Andi: Thank you for the good advice. One of the nights we are not booked is a Saturday, so we may try and do that ahead of time. We will definitely stop at the Tourist bureau.

Michele: I appreciate your help, advice and photos. I first found your site over a year ago looking for info on B&B's in Ireland and your "B&B Etiquette" page was a result of a google search. We will definitely convey your "Hello" to Liz and Joe in Kenmare. I will report on our trip once we are back. (I found an APP for my IPad called Maxjournal to use on this trip)

Michele Erdvig · Host

Diane,

We will look forward to your "electronic journal" when you get back. I still do it the old fashioned way and write in a little notebook that I keep in my purse. But I do transfer the info to a laptop as I go also.

Saturdays can be busy in popular spots so it depends on where you are going. Stopping at a B&B by about 3 or 4 and not putting it off till later can snag you a room on the fly too.

Michele

tony2phones · Guru

My standard answer to the winging it question

Book the 1st and last nights. Pin a Michelin 712 map on an empty wall. Decide any must see places and pin them. work out some stepping stones(towns) on a rough route. get a list of 3 guest houses and 1 hotel for these potential places. email the hotels and ask if there are (1) any events or festivals locally on your possible dates. (2) if the hotel is doing any special offers on your possible dates. Talk to your host and ask in the local pub what's worth seeing. Phone ahead at breakfast for the evening accommodation. Only book one night at once, if the place is good or there's things to do and see within a 30mile radius book an extra night.

Planning potential accommodation before you go and having phone numbers saves the frustration of standing the opposite side of the counter whilst the excellent person from the tourist office tries desperately to find you local accommodation from their limited list. Been there done that.

DiCal · Veteran Member

Thanks, Tony, for the great advice. I will have Michele's book with me and it has phone numbers included. I like your suggestion. Of emailing the hotels in the area to ask about local events. I may just go ahead and reserve for the Saturday night stay...somewhere between Dingle and Westport (small village or town within walking distance of pubs and restaurants). The Michelin map was my first purchase over a year ago...it is well-worn! Diane

tony2phones · Guru

There is a lot of ground between Dingle and Westport! How long are you planning to take and do you have a notion of overnight spot(s).

tony2phones · Guru

You cant get more central to Westport than McCarthy's, not been open all that long but fast getting a good reputation. There are a few places down on the quay but the place we use is round out by Clew bay as is the excellent eatery The Sheebeen. Pub grub downstairs, Restaurant upstairs.

http://www.mccarthyslodge.com/

http://croninssheebeen.com/index.html

A good link for Kinvara is the KAM collective web site.

http://kamcollective.com/

If you want the Irish Night tourist fashion then Dunguaire Castle has Banquet's, The Pier Head does good evening meals without making a mess of your wallet.

remind me the dates for these locations?

-- Edited by tony2phones on Monday 9th of April 2012 10:48:36 AM

DiCal · Veteran Member

We decided the drive from Dingle to Wesport was too long of a day so we will stop for our only "ONE NIGHT STAY" somewhere south of Galway. As a result of yesterday's perusal of the map, our plan is to drive over the Connor Pass, take the Shannon Ferry and drive up the coastal road towards the Burren, weather permitting. We will make a day of it. Lisdoonvarna has caught my eye so that may be a possiblity for a stop. I have been reading reviews of the Wild Honey Inn. (I sent them an email last night, but the email came back as undeliverable). The next day, we will head to Westport, via Clifden and the Connemara Sky Road. Tony, I printed one of your suggested routes through the Connemara from a previous post. The responses to this post have helped to clarify our plans. :)

tony2phones · Guru

The Wild Honey is fine but you might want to get a little further and might consider Kinvara

http://www.merrimanhotel.com/

DiCal · Veteran Member

Thanks, the Merriman is a definite possiblity. I like the location. I will inquire about a room and local events. Now for Westport. We want to be within walking distance of pubs and restaurants - no night driving or taxis for us.

DiCal · Veteran Member

McCarthys looks like a possiblity. What is your favorite place to stay at Clew Bay? The KAM site is very helpful.

Not interested in the Banquet. I think once you have been to one it can be checked off the bucket list. But I will note the Pier Head.

Dates for this part of the trip are April 28 to May 1. One night south of Galway, 2 nights Westport area.

tony2phones · Guru

Seapoint House on Clew Bay

http://www.seapointhouse.com/

Saturday night in Kinvara should be a good night, apart from the Literature festival in Galway I don't think there is anything else going on. (Apart from a 50th birthday we are going to over in the UK.)

loosechippings · Veteran Member

Tony,

The Michelin 712 map sounds like a good way of planning, now I have something to use for our 2013 planning.

The more that I'm on this Forum gives me more confidence to plan our own trip, and not make the mistakes I made last trip.

DiCal · Veteran Member

I just had a response from the Merriman Inn. Rooms are available and rate seems fair. The only problem is the music doesn't start until 10 PM! That is way past my bedtime! I have a feeling an afternoon nap may be in order. Enjoy your trip to the UK and the Birthday party. For my 50th, I hiked 50 miles on the Appalachian Trail in Virgina with 12 of my closest friends. It was a trip to remember!

Mike: I have been following this site for over a year and feel very confident about the choices we have made about our travel. The hardest part was realizing that we couldnt do it all! Good luck with your planning.

Michele Erdvig · Host

Mike,

Traveling in Ireland is a learning experience. Since I've been 50 times I know the ropes by now. In fact I know the island of Ireland better than my own hometown! I will also recommend the Ordnance Survey Atlas of Ireland. It is in book form and you turn the pages. However, the Michelin map is one continuous map (but huge!). Also, don't discount the free map from Tourism Ireland. It is a good general overview without being too big and bulky. I use a bunch of maps. Sometimes there is too much detail on the larger ones.

Michele