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Greetings!

From vast research here and elsewhere, I believe I've come up with my final choices (well, mostly final) for B&Bs for my trip this summer to Ireland. I welcome any thoughts or comments on any of these:

Galway: Petra House
Inishmore: Pier House
Doolin: Doonmacfelim OR Horseshoe House (Sea View is already full!)
Dingle: Emlagh House
Kinsale: Chart House
Cashel: Legends Guesthouse (Rockside was full!)
Kilkenny: Fanad House
Glendalough: Tudor Lodge
Dun Laoghaire: Annesgrove

I can't find an e-mail address for the last (Annesgrove). I'm hoping very much to avoid overseas phone calls as much as possible, so if by some chance someone has an e-mail address for them, I'd be most grateful!

My trip is in September, in case that matters.

THANK YOU!

12perfectdays

Re: phone call overseas- read on either Irelandyes or Irelandexpert that Costo had good prepaid cards to call. Happened to be there and called the # on the back. Seems for 12cents per minute you can call US to Ireland for questions. I do not know about any others and if cheaper rates, I just thinking (for me) Costco convenience. Card was an MCI phone card and was $20.00 (166 minutes to Ire)

also found out, if not all used, bring with you. was told Ireland payphone with card to US is .13cents per minute.

do not know if this helps but...

JOHNOD

The Charthouse in Kinsale is a little bit pricey but lovely. Make sure you walk around the harbour and visit the Spaniard. Don't know the rest.

delaney

We stayed at Petra House June 2003. Great place. The owners are wonderful and the food is fantastic and our room was clean and large. Close to city center. Galway is fantastic. You picked a great place.

vinolover

Just stayed at Legends two weeks ago and loved it. There are new owners (Grazielle and John) who are really wonderful. They are doing some refurbishing, while we were there they were adding a small bar off the lobby. Ask for a room with Rock of Cashel view (I think there are only two, ours was #7), just fabulous, especially at night with the lights on the Rock.

The rooms are not fancy but very comfortable, good bathroom, hair dryer, electric tea kettle, small TV if you can take your eyes off the view.

Breakfast was great. We stayed there two nights, enjoyed our dinner so much the first night we ate there again the second night. Try the salad with Cashel Blue Cheese.

The guesthouse is the closest B&B to the Rock, just walk around the back of the house and across the parking lot. Also a very short walk to the main street of town. While you're there stop in at the Cashel Palace Hotel and have a beer at the Guinness Bar. Bartender Denis has been serving the many famous customers for 35 years and has great stories to tell.

I'll get a review (with photos) posted on Trip Advisor soon.

wojazz3

I always call overseas and talk to the owners. Overseas charges are not what they used to be. The phone service we have has a pretty low per minute cost. The call is never more than a dollar and it's worth it to talk to the owner and know what you are getting.

That said, the only one on your list that I have stayed at is Doonmacfelim which was fine. I wouldn't rank it at the top of the places I have stayed but certainly not at the bottom. As I remember, the rooms were average and the bathroom was pretty small. It is a comfortable place though and there is an interesting story about discovering an ancient relic when the driveway was being formed. It's a very easy walk to O'Connors.

Bill

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Thanks for all the comments so far! I'll be sure to double check that the room I have reserved at Legends has a view of the rock. I believe I asked for that, but it never hurts to double check.

Bill, thanks for the comments on Doonmacfelim. I'm still really wavering on my Doolin accommodations. Wondering if maybe I should even stay somewhere else in the region that night. Suggestions, anyone? The one caveat is that it needs to be accessible by public transportation - or at the most, a short taxi trip. I don't want to spend all my euros on taxis!

Maybe I'll just give Annesgrove a call, if the phone rates aren't too bad. I'll just be sure to have all my information at my fingertips before I start the call!

Keep the comments coming! I love hearing from you all!! And I can't wait to come back and give my own reviews on the places I stay.

chatham

suspire: I'm staying my 1st three nights in Lisdoonvarna at Sheedy's Country House Hotel. Lisdoon. is a few miles from Doolin. I've stayed in the town before and it's more of a town. We plan to drive over to Doolin. I've been in Sheedy's and it looks very comfortable. As I get older, I need a few more comforts. Sheedy's has been written up in GEORGINA CAMPBELL and has one of her castles( high marks). I'll be there the 6th of April, so I'll post after I'm back on the 25th. When I was in Cashel we stayed at Cashel Palace Hotel and it was wonderful to see it the rock at night. Have a great trip. Joan

IrishEyes

Emlagh House (not Lodge) is absolutely beautiful and first-class all the way. They have Bose music systems in the rooms as well as free DVDs you can choose from cabinet in the hall. Very large, clean, comfortable, luxurious rooms. Free Internet access for guests too and even a/c. Try the baked eggs for breakfast. Delish!

I liked Aulber House better than Legends in Cashel. Too bad Rockside is full as it is lovely.

Fanad House is clean, comfortable and about a 10 minute walk into Kilkenny.

Tudor Lodge is very nice with large rooms.

I would recommend Culllinan's or O'Connor's in Doolin.

As 12perfectdays has suggested, check the following page for cheap calls to Ireland: http://www.irelandyes.com/tips.html

12perfectdays

Thank You IrishEyes...I would have been willing to find and post the address but am too new to this to have figured out how to get a link to appear.

Also want to take a second to say that I have enjoyed all of your posts...(big smile!)am just trying to absorb as much as I can before my October trip... Thanks for all the great info!

okay...(fingers crossed)testing link to phone card info...

http://p210.ezboard.com/firelandyest...cID=1469.topic

IrishEyes

12perfectdays, Congrats! Your link worked for me. We were all new at this game once. Before you know it you will be an old hand at it. Thanks for what you said about my comments. Just trying to share what I know and have observed during my trips to Ireland. I hope you have 12 perfect days in Ireland (or more) in October!!

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12pefectdays - My trip is in September, so I'll be sure to post what I learn here for you!

IrishEyes, JOHNOD, delaney, vinolover, wojazz3, chatham, and all others - I too am reading everything I can that you all have posted. Your generosity with your wisdom and insight is so valuable and so much appreciated!