I am arriving at shannon airport at around midnight and am looking for a hotel near by to stay at. I will be staying in the area for a four day layover, so I would love to hear any ideas about a hotel with decent to good accomadations in a town that has a variety of things for a solo traveler to do Thanks for all the help!!!!

The Great Southern Hotel is right on the grounds of the airport at Shannon and might be a good choice with coming in at midnight. Then you could go a short distance to Ennis as your base for the next few days. A nice size town, good music, shopping, etc., with plenty of day trips within distance--Cliffs of Moher, Dingle, etc. In Ennis, the Old Ground Hotel and Temple Gate have both been given good reviews here on Fodors.

Thanks for this advise...cant wait to more. Im for sure going to look into this!

jeshea,

I just answered another post of yours and I said the Park Inn which was The Great Southern. Now, reading this post, I see you are staying longer than one night. Even tho it will be late, go to Ennis town by taxi or if you are renting a car stay in The Park Inn one night and get your rental car the next morning and travel to one of the lovely places around Shannon. I think of Dingle, Ennis, Lisdoonvarna, Doolin, Killarney, Kenmare, Killaloe and the list could go on and on. Dingle, Kenmare, Killarney are a little farther, about a 4 hr. drive. If you stay in Ennis without a car, you can talk to one of the taxis about taking you for a little tour. I've used Tony Woods for this twice. Oh, yes, Temple Gate Hotel is right in the center of Ennis and you'd never need a car. Also Old Gound is very good and you would not need a car.

Hope this gets you started, Joan

"Ireland predicament??" I assume you're coming from somewhere other than N.America because TransAtlantic flights generally arrive between 05:30 and 08:00.

The Great Southern Hotel (I think the name changed recently) is too expensive for me, so I would either try to find someone to share a taxi to Ennis or Limerick City, or 'crash' on one of the 3-cushion sofas at the airport until th cafeteria opened at 07:00 and Bus Eireann started Service around 08:00.

I second recommendations about Ennis as a centerally located City with lots of diversions (like Cruise's Restaurant & Pub adjacent to the Queens Hotel on Abey Street.

Hi I just returned from a wonderful 2 week trip to Ireland. Our last night was at the Park Inn (8/31/07) and it was not worth the 120E that we spent just to be close to the airport! I wrote a review at Trip Advisor- it's not worth it!

daydreamer19,

I agree with you on The Park Inn. I stayed because of the location for a very early flights or it would be good for a late arriving flight. All in all it's not a really bad hotel, you do pay for the location.

jeshea,

After reading daydreamers report of the Park Inn on trip advisor, I don't think I'd want to stay there again. Just as I will not go back to Shannon Shamrock( once a lovely hotel) in Bunratty or Two Mile Inn in Limerick. I stand by my recommendation of Temple Gate and Old Ground. Of course you can get a bad room most anywhere, I guess.

Agree with Holldoll & Joan that Ennis is a good town that may keep you busy for a few days. As an alternative you might spend your first night nearby the airport and your remaining nights elsewhere. I would recommend Bunratty Castle Hotel, Bunratty Manor Hotel and Radisson Limerick (a few miles farther from Bunratty).

If you want to take sightseeing tours of the area (sounds like you are not renting a car?) you may want to base in Limerick or Galway. Tours are readily available from them.