In January, Mike reached out to Bridie to plan a trip to Ireland in June 2024, for himself, his wife and their two adult sons. They were interested in exploring Ireland, but wanted to include some additional locations and visits to Northern Ireland, Westport and Kilkenny, as well as showing some interest in adding more adventurous activities, such as hiking and biking, to their travel plans. Mike also discussed a variety of accommodation and transportation options with Bridie, in hopes of organizing their perfect itinerary. The family booked their trip soon after and set off for Ireland in the beginning of June.
Name
Mike
How would you rate your trip?
Who was your travel expert?
Bridie
How were your accommodations?
Great – Bushmills Inn is top notch and our favorite accommodation (although we were disappointed this time in the food at the attached Pub). The Leonardo Hotel (formerly the Jury Inn) was conveniently located, rooms standard, but check in was delayed due to communication between cleaning staff and front desk – who were very friendly to us. The Wyatt Hotel was in a great location, offered a great breakfast and the deluxe rooms worth the extra space although the rooms weren’t exceptional. We were lucky to have a nice view. The B&Bs were in great locations, the hosts friendly, room accommodations varied with some better than others, but none were terrible.
Did everything go smoothly with your transportation?
Yes – No issues with Aer Lingus, flight was fairly smooth. Might’ve benefited from booking with partner (AA?) for mileage benefits but otherwise everything worked out well. The chauffer who met us at the airport was on time, very professional and courteous. Car rental reservation was accurate and Hertz was efficient (great drop off at Shannon airport). Hertz gave us a PHEV but no means to charge the battery so relied on gas only (finding a charging station might not have been easy anyway). Diesel probably would’ve had better mileage but not a big deal. Everything went smoothly and the vehicle was able to accommodate all of us.
What tours, attractions, or activities did you particularly enjoy?
The Gobbins cliff walk was well worth the visit. Recommend it. Giants Causeway was a big hit with our adult sons and they found the Bushmills Distillery interesting. Bridgette enjoyed the walking tour in Dublin, which I admit was interesting, but not sure I’d do it again. The Kilmainham Gaol is well worth a visit. Highly recommend. The Guinness Factory is worth a visit but not as interesting as the old factory tour (circa 2000 and earlier). The new exhibit for the Book of Kells was a pleasant surprise (The Experience). It’s a building just a short walk from the library.
Unfortunately, the Skellig Islands tour and Skellig Michaels Landing was cancelled due to weather, but we visited the Cliffs of Kerry which was worth a visit (despite the modest entry fee charged by the farmers). We went to the Cliffs of Moher after that and found it a bit of a let down, despite their beauty. Surprised by the crowds at Cliffs of Moher.
What was your favorite part of the trip?
Hmmm, hard to say but spending time with our sons was key. Loved the pubs and restaurants, coastal waterway of Northern Ireland, Galway, the Kerry region. Everything but the driving!
Would you travel with us again?
Yes!
How can we improve for next time?
Any other questions or comments?
This was our second trip with Crystal Travel and we appreciate Bridie’s knowledge, efforts, and patience. 🙂
