Taste of Ireland

CIE is the Best!

We took the Taste of Ireland trip at the end of May 2023. It was spectacular. We especially loved the first hotel, Hotel Ballsbridge in Dublin, where we spent two nights. The room was very nice and very clean. And we loved the view from the pretty window. This hotel was so full of charm and history--we felt so lucky to be staying there. And the breakfasts each morning were the best we had on the trip!! I dream about them still...
One of the things that didn't go according to plan was the "hop on, hop off" bus we had vouchers for. We were never able to use it, because the hotel receptionists told us the nearest stop for it was a 25 minute walk from the hotel. So, we had to pay for the green bus to get around Dublin--it had a stop right in front of the hotel.
One last thing--my mother fell in the bathroom at this hotel upon arriving. The floor was very wet. She recently broke her wrist and has osteoporosis, so this wasn't good. She was too embarrassed to say anything, though, because other guests on the trip saw her fall. I probably should have said something to the front desk, if for anything, to make sure it didn't happen to someone else.

We enjoyed our next hotel as well, the Killarney Towers Hotel, where we stayed another two nights. The room was maybe a bit older and smaller than the first hotel, but again, very clean and nice. The food was ok, but not as good as the first. We absolutely loved the pub that was attached to the hotel!! It was our favorite pub on the whole trip. There was live music, and excellent food and drink, with cozy corners to relax. And very clean for a pub. O'Donoghues was the name. The Killarney Towers Hotel was VERY conveniently located in the heart of the city center. It was so easy to walk around the hub of Killarney and shop, eat, and explore.

Our next hotel was in Limerick. Oh my goodness, the view from our room! Wow!!!!! Right over the river. And the room was HUGE! The beds were HUGE! The room and hotel seemed to be brand new. We only wish we had longer in Limerick to explore. We got back late and only had one night there. We would've loved to explore the town a bit, there just wasn't enough time.

Our last hotel, back in Dublin, was probably our least favorite. It was only for one night, and mainly, it was just a very tiny room and very tiny beds and our window was right outside an insanely loud outside bar. But, it was also very clean, and our final breakfast of the trip was good.

Our favorite part of the trip was Blarney and Bunratty Caste. Wow, what amazing experiences!

There are just a few things I think could be improved.
1.) That we were made more aware that we actually wouldn't be able to see Skellig Michael, even from a distance. We were so excited to see it, but it was not visible off the coast at all, it was too far away. The museum was ok, but it was hard to get excited about it with no chance of seeing it. However, The Moorings restaurant where we had lunch was SO good! And excellent service.
2.) I had no idea we were at the Gap of Dunloe when we went to Moriarity's gift shop. I didn't see the Gap, nor was it mentioned that we were near it. I was so confused later.
3.) As practicing Catholics, it would have been so nice to have just one extra hour to attend a Mass either Saturday evening or anytime Sunday. But we weren't able to find a service close enough in Dublin or Killarney those days that would fit our tour schedule. Just one extra hour on Sunday morning before getting on the bus would've helped us make it to Mass.
4.) Lastly, we loved our tour guide/bus driver--he was really great. I just wish we would've heard a bit more history along our drives. Sometimes there was silence on the bus for long stretches and I wondered where we were and what we were seeing out the windows. I wanted to learn as much as I possibly could about this beautiful country. :)

Wonderful Small Group Tour of Dublin and SW Ireland!

Being chauffeured around this beautiful island with a knowledgeable, insightful guide was a wonderful way to tour!

Our driver/guide Patrick was absolutely fabulous.

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Loved our driver, Pat.

Was pleased we had enough free time to do a bit of exploring. The bus was very comfortable.

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