travfirst

1. Kilkenny Alcantra, Tel. 00 353 56 7761058
http://homepage.eircom.net/~alcantra
Liam and Brigid Holohan
Alcantra is located 1 km from the center (15 min walk). Brigid gave us the map of Kilkenny, recommended the pub for dinner and highlighted all attractions on the map.
She even reduced the room rate slightly when we paid in cash.

2. Kinsale (2 nights) Old Presbytery Guesthouse, Tel +353 21 4772027
http://www.oldpres.com/
Philip and Noreen McEvoy
Our windows were facing the street and it was really noisy on Friday and Saturday nights in early July. We asked our host for quieter room for the second night but B&B was fully booked.
I still give Old Presbytery high marks for the pleasant room, excellent breakfast and best bed on entire trip.

Dinner at Jim Edwards – best bar food we had our trip. I also discovered cider here - had many more at pubs.

Lunch at Fish Fishy Café. The monkfish my hobby ordered was out of this world and got best dish award from us.

3. Kenmare (2 nights) Virginia's Guesthouse Tel: +353 64 41021
www.virginias-guesthouse.com
Neil & Noreen Harrington
I completely agree with Oregontraveller who wrote before ‘Neil and Noreen were the warmest hosts we met on our travels - warm and welcoming’.

Dined at Packie’s 064-41508 first night. The food was absolutely delicious. Reservations recommended. Best oysters we tasted in Ireland (and we ordered them at 7 different places). The duck appetizer was one of my favorites.

4. Dingle Greenmount House, Tel: 00 353 (0) 66 9151414
This was the lowest point of our trip. Based on many recommendations we booked Greenmount House for our night in Dingle. They had only superior room (mini-suite) available and we went for it. After the day of driving part of Ring of Kerry we arrived in Dingle to the news that WE DON’T HAVE THE ROOM we booked. Someone came the day before without reservation and daughter of the owners let them in. I can’t ever describe my disappointment. The owners reserved the room for us in the place I never heard of before (Bambury’s Guest House, 066-9151244/9151786, host Bernie Bambury). Now, Bernie was very kind and helpful hostess, she made out stay enjoyable. There was a generous selection of tea, coffee and cookies in the room; breakfast was wonderful.

Had dinner at Out of the Blue 066 9150811. The salmon salad was excellent; they served second best oysters (just after Packie’s)


5. Kilrush HILLCREST VIEW B&B Tel:+353 (0)65 9051986
www.hillcrestview.com
Ethna & Austin Hynes
We got first floor triple room for two of us.
This B&B earns Best overall experience mark on our trip.
Ethna recommended The Quarterdeck Restaurant(The Harbour Restaurant), Kilrush Creek Lodge www.kilrushcreeklodge.ie, dinner there was fabulous. It’s newly renovated large hotel stile restaurant.

6. Salthill (near Galway) (2 nights) Marless House Phone + 353 91 523931
www.marlesshouse.com
Mary Geraghty
Mary offered us a pot of fresh tea with cookies upon our arrival. Among the other choices on her breakfast menu you can find french toast and scones and large variety of yogurts.

Stopped at Moran's Oyster Cottage Address: The Weir, Kilcolgan, Co. Galway Phone: 091/796-113 on our way from Burren to Galway. Oysters were fresh, but at Packie’s were better, and mussels were just OK, nothing special.

McDonagh's Seafood House 22 Quay St., Spanish Arch, Galway City, Phone: 091/565-001. Absolutely best fish (cod) and chips we tasted. We were not even hungry, but food smelled so good we could not miss it.

Had a fabulous lunch at Leenane, Connemara at The Blackberry Café & Coffee House. The stew we had was absolutely delicious.

Ristorante Da Roberta L’osteria as Salthill. Excellent Italian food. We were planning to order only coffee and deserts (still full from our lunch), but food looked and smelled so good we ordered appetizers too. They serve absolutely outstanding tiramisu.

7. Dublin (2 nights) Glenogra House Tel:+353 1 6683661
www.glenogra.com
Seamus & Cherry McNamee
Lovely room, beautiful dining room, just steps from bus stop and 10-15 min drive from the center. But if Irish hospitality important to you, look somewhere else.

Had another memorable dinner at Roly’s Bistro, 7, Ballsbridge Terrace, Dublin 4 Tel: + 353 1 668 2611 / 668 0623 http://www.rolysbistro.ie/, were lucky to get a table without reservation.

Last dinner at Siam Thai 14/15 St. Andrew Str, Sublin 2, www.siamthai.ie Tel 677 3363
Large portions and OK meal, but nothing else; got charges for the rice E 7.00 for two (first place we were charged for side dishes).

Budman

Thanks for the report. I'm going to put Packie's on my list for next trip. I love good oysters!! We also found Jim Edwards to be excellent.

I was going to stay at Virginia's Guesthouse on my last trip, but because of her advertising on this site, I cancelled. I might give it a try next time.

dmdevl

Thanks for the report! Would you visit Kilkenny again? Was the Marless house close enough to walk to the Galway city center? We are using public transportation so are trying to find lodging close.

SiobhanP

Roly's is always good and consistant. They have a set lunch and Sunday dinner under 20 euro and its the best deal in town in my opinion. The service is somethings they should use as a template to train staff in every rerstaurant in Dublin. We are so jaded lately in Dublin with the decline in service and after a trip to the States my other half is fed up over here .

Siam Thai is just ok and I do not know why people rave about it. The charge for rice is not uncommon in an upmarket Asian restaurant which I think is robbery!

travfirst

dmdevl, I think the Marless house at list 30 min walk from Galway, we used our car to get there. It could be a bit cool for the long walk in November.
I saw your other post. I think Kenmare is better for small town experience. But I don’t know if it has easy access by public transportation.

teacher33

I stayed at Marles House and there was a city bus at the foot of the street (just a few steps down) which took us right into Eyre Square in the center of Galway.

I too thought it was a wonderful B&B--friendly, warem welcome, clean comfortable room and delicious breakfasts.