Help with first day lodging suggestions
 

I am planning to arrive in Shannon on Sunday morning July 24th and renting a car out of the airport. Our flight is an overnight flight and I think its best to stay fairly close to the airport as I dont think I will feel like doing alot of driving right after. I am trying to figure out an area which I think will be the best to stay the first night that can still offer me options so I can go out an explore that first evening. I have been reading alot about Bunratty Lodge but didnt know if that was a wise choice for the first night. I know that its only about 15 minutes outside Shannon and was not sure if there was enough to do in the area. In reading alot of posts it seems that alot of people are spending that last night at Bunratty before departing the country. Need help any suggestions on where I should stay that first night. Also, did anyone purchase B and B vouchers ahead of time. If so did most places take them? Thanks for your help.

See http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34640395

Best wishes,

Rex

Ennis is a nice, smaller,Irish town. Can't remember--maybe 30-40 minutes from airport. But it's a typical town, pubs, shops. Very easy to get around in. Good town to walk about in. We stayed at the Old Ground Hotel, which was great, but there's lots of B&Bs there too. I don't have any B&B suggestions, but I'm sure others will.

ttt...

You can catch BusEireann to Limerick or Ennis, get a good night's sleep and delay the driving trauma for a day.

The George Hotel in Limerick has live music in the basement (Skibberean) on Sunday nights as does Cruise's Restaurant & Pub in Ennis.

We stopped at Rose Cottage in Ennis: they allowed us to have our room (main floor away from the Pub) at 09:30. Mass at Saints Peter & Paul Cathedral (same as Phila) was at 11:00 AM.

Ennis is 30-to-40 minutes from Shannon.

Bunratty has the castle and folk park as well as the Blarney Woolen Mills store, so there are plenty of options for a first or last day in Ireland (consider a medieval banquet at Bunratty or Knappogue Castles or the Traditional Night at Bunratty). I wouldn't spend more than a day in Bunratty (unless you use it as a base for a Cliffs/Burren daytrip).

I'd choose Ennis over Limerick. It's a very cozy town with lots of music, shops and restaurants.