We were considering a driving trip through Ireland using the voucher system for B and B's in July. Any experiences (good or bad) using these vouchers in the summer? Are most B and B's available without prebooking? Thanks!

We were in Ireland in August 2000 & used the voucher system. We were pleased with the selection available & were not disappointed with our selections. Summer is rather busy, so it is a good idea to reserve ahead. We made a list of 4 or 5 B&Bs in each area we were going to stay & called when we arrived in Dublin. While we were not always able to get our first choice, we were able to get a reservation from our list. Good luck & enjoy.

Hello Sherry,<BR><BR> B & B self drives are the most popular way to see Ireland. I am a travel agent and sell tons of these packages every year. Your best bet is to have the tour company book the first night in your arrival city so you don;t have to worry about getting in that night. Then, you should have a few choices and call as early in the day as possible to try to tip the scales for your first choice. Please feel free to email me directly if you have any more questions or if you would like me to help you book the trip!<BR><BR>Lisa

The use of vouchers is very popular and not a bad way to go. However, I can see no advantage in using vouchers and 2 disadvantages:<BR><BR>1) The books you get (there is more than one org. producing these books, with differents sets of B&B's) look like they have a lot of choices. But on busy days, these can be filled up in a given locale. I used vouchers on a trip, and a couple of times, all B&B's using them were filled, but others had rooms available. Not having vouchers gives you more choices, even if places aren't booked up.<BR><BR>2) It turned out that the B&B's charged somewhat less without a voucher than with. If you combine the vouchers with air, the total cost was a bit more with the package. There may be some instances where the air/b&b package is cheaper overall, but that was not the case when I researched. <BR><BR>Whether you get vouchers or not is a diffent question than whetehr you prebook. if you do not get vouchers, you can get the same a B&B book fromt he Irish Tourist Board. <BR><BR>Can anyone point out an ADVANTAGE of using the vouchers?

I never did understand the need for vouchers. Of course travel agents like them because they can package them with other services. But for the traveler they aren't necessary. Vouchers do not guarantee availability and do not save any money. All the same B&Bs in the voucher scheme also are open to non-voucher holders. B&Bs are easy to find on your own, but the local Tourist Information office will find you a place if you have trouble.<BR><BR>Vouchers are not like Entertainment book coupons - they do not provide any savings.

We used vouchers as part of our fly/drive package last spring. True, there was no real advantage in the vouchers, per se. They were probably even a little more expensive than just booking B&Bs independently.<BR><BR>But the total package price -- airfare, vouchers, rental car -- was cheaper than if we had pieced it together on our own. So the slightly more expensive lodging was more than offset by the much, much cheaper airfare. Which just goes to show that it always pays to check all your options.

Why hasn't anybody slammed Lisa for soliciting business on this site? <BR><BR>I guess the Travel Agent Police are taking a break!

I agree with the other writers and not with Lisa. Seems to be a bit of self promotion going on there. Vouchers are NOT the most popular way to see Ireland and usually it is cheaper to book a rental car and B&Bs separately.<BR><BR>Check out the Town and Country website http://www.commerce.ie/towns_and_country/ I have always used them and they have a very good selection. Their book has even more. I think you can order it from them. Also, the Irish Tourist Board is very good.<BR><BR>July is VERY busy, so you might want to pre-book and you may want to consider some of the less tourist heavy areas. I'm going to Donegal and Northern Ireland in May and everything I'm told suggests that it is spectacular. <BR><BR>My favorite guide book is the Michelin Green Guide. (Don't tell Fodors) Has great information, just a little hard to follow because it is alphabetical instead of by area.<BR><BR>Good Luck!!<BR><BR>Bill

I agree with Jane. I used the voucher program and I liked the convenience of not having to go to the ATM each day for cash (many B&B's do not take credit cards), and the whole package, ie flights, car, vouchers were cheaper than doing it on my own. There is now a $399 package that you just can equal on your own, too. It's so cheap that i am thinking of going back.

Just to re-state....I have used the voucher system and gone without and would never use the voucher system again. If you use the town and country book, they tell you if you can use a credit card. With the voucher system you have to make your reservations way in advance, especially in July. Where a voucher system may have four or five properties in an area, town and country will have 15 or 20. When I used vouchers in England, I ended up having to call B&Bs in four different towns before I found a place...and it was still low season! On our way to the place we were stuck with, we passed numerous beautiful B&Bs that no doubt had vacancies. We ended up being not very happy with the place we got.<BR><BR>Every vacation that I have ever taken, when I added up the costs of "deals" with the vouchers and car and airfair, I always found better prices booking separately. With the great airfare I got for this May, I figured that I saved about $700 by booking everything myself. That's worth a trip or two to the ATM.<BR><BR>Bill<BR><BR>

I have another post on this board concerning using vouchers in Dublin. I am currently making our reservations and have not a problem anywhere but Dublin. The City simply is not taking vouchers any longer. I have emailed for 3 days and can not find anyone to honor them.

Please let me know if Dublin is no longer allowing vochers--we are planning a trip in march and our last two nights are in Dublin! Anyone ever been during St. Patricks Day???

Kelly:<BR>Have you checked out the web site for Ireland B&B's?http://www.townandcountry.ie/ You can look up anyplace you will be and email for reservations. I strongly suggest you do that especially if you plan on being there for St Paddy's Day as they get booked fast. Also, It took me four days to find a B&B in Dublin that accepts vouchers. It was difficult to find one there as many no longer accepts them. Feel free to email me if you have any questions that I can answer.

OK--we have about a 50/50 pro-voucher/no voucher.If someone wants to go to Ireland is it best they pin down an exact itinerary? And make res before leaving the US? I know people who have been and like to stay where they please along the way w/o advance reservations. I know others who have no idea what they are going to do once they get there..they let their impulses take them where they want to go. Wouldn't the voucher system work best for them?

Sister, the voucher program does work well for that. You just have to realize their are limitations. During high summer season you might spend time driving around looking for places since the better ones (location, better houses, hostesses etc) will be filled up sooner or do not take vouchers. Also for popular areas you might be way out of town so will increase your driving to/from pubs etc.

Whether or not to use the voucher system probably depends on when you're taking your trip to Ireland. We are paying $399 for a 6 night fly drive B&B package. I don't see how we could beat that on our own. Hope you have a great trip

Where are you finding the $399.00 fly/drive package?

Dot:<BR>Brian Moore International Tours 1-800-982-2299 was offering them thru March then the prices go up. Realize that there are add-on prices to that. Air fare from your home to either Chicago or New York. Travel Ins. Taxes. UPgrade to Automatic car (which you want for Ireland) etc. But it's still a good price.

The $399 package ends March 31, but I booked for $499 in April with Lynott Tours (www.lynotttours.com)

I, too, saved money by buying a package that includes vouchers. I am sure that isn't always the case, but I know we are paying less than if I had put it all together myself (b/c I tried!). Also, I like the fact that we have paid for most of our trip before we go. I hate going on vacation and then coming home to a huge credit card bill! Obviously if I had thought I could save several hundred dollars by booking myself, that would outweigh the benefit of paying in advance.