A great family trip to Ireland
Ireland
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Jun 19 - Jun 28, 2025

We had a great trip! We got to see a lot of different parts of Ireland and enjoy a good range of experiences. The itinerary that was planned for us gave us a good day-by-day framework that also allowed us some flexibility to add in additional activities and be a little spontaneous. The highlights were the interactive experiences - the falconry lesson and the sheepdog demonstration - as well as the opportunities to get away from the tourist crowds. We didn't love every activity that was included in the itinerary or every hotel we stayed in, and we would have done some things differently if we were to do it all over again, but that's just the nature of traveling and it wouldn't necessarily have been any different had we planned the trip ourselves. Overall we had a lovely time and appreciated all the planning and organization that went into the trip.
Hotel Reviews
I would give this hotel zero stars if I could. It's perfectly comfortable from the perspective of the room size, beds, etc. but there is a bar inside the hotel that plays loud music until midnight or later, and you can hear it from every part of the hotel. It's especially bad in the rooms closer to the street but we switched to a room in the back of the hotel for our second night and although the music was quieter, we could still hear it. We were unable to sleep and it affected our ability to enjoy the days we were in Dublin because we were so exhausted. I guess this hotel might be all right for young people who want to stay up partying until 3am, but for a family with a young child it was not suitable at all. The one positive I can say is that the location is great for walking around. The breakfast was good but not amazing.
This hotel was fine but not great. It's pretty shabby and the room was very small. There was no air conditioning so we had to sleep with the window open, which let in street noise. We could walk to central Cork but it wasn't particularly close or convenient to do so. However, the bed was comfortable and the breakfast was cooked to order.
By far the best place we stayed. We loved it so much we didn't want to leave. Wonderful service, amazing breakfast, our room was luxurious, the common rooms of the historic hotel are beautiful, the grounds are stunning. 10/10 would absolutely return if we were ever in Ireland again.
Fantastic location across from Christ Church (walkable to the major sights, while avoiding the loud noise of Temple Bar) and the room was comfortable. Service was friendly and helpful, and the breakfast buffet was one of the best we enjoyed on our trip. The major downside was that there was no air conditioning and we were uncomfortably hot, even with the windows open. However, the hotel was in the process of installing air conditioning so future guests might not have to deal with this problem.
We enjoyed our stay at this hotel for three nights. The family room was spacious and very comfortable for the three of us. The location was very convenient to central Galway as well as to the ferry docks - we walked everywhere. Service was very friendly and helpful. There were only two negatives - the rooms lack air conditioning and can be uncomfortably warm depending on the weather, and the breakfast buffet was not the best with no variation from day to day. Overall though we would recommend staying here when in Galway.
Activity Reviews

We loved this experience! It was wonderful to chat with the guide, learn about falconry, and interact with the birds. We didn't get to see them do all they're capable of because it was raining, but we had a great time nonetheless. We liked that it was a personal experience and not part of a group tour. We would definitely recommend this.

This was fun, even for kids. It was great enjoying a pint of Guinness from the rooftop bar and enjoying the view of Dublin. The one downside is that considering it's a brewery tour, you don't get to see any part of the actual brewing process - it must all be in a separate building or something.

This was really lovely, even in the rain. The dog demonstration was extremely impressive and then we got to watch a sheep being sheared and help feed the babies! Our daughter loved all of it. The location/scenery is also stunning.

We all got very seasick over on the ferry from Galway - this is probably unavoidable, but in the future we think travelers should be advised that the crossing is very rough before signing them up for this tour, because some people might not want to risk it. So many people on the boat were throwing up, it was awful. However, the ferry was on time and we did enjoy sailing past the cliffs of Moher on the way back (which was not as rough).

The Aran Islands are incredible and we ultimately had a good time, but there were a couple things about this tour that we didn't love. We were put into a group tour in which we were crowded into a small bus, it was a pretty impersonal experience. And because of the schedule of the group tour, which didn't start right away when our ferry docked, we wasted a bunch of time on the front end and then had to rush to get back on the ferry at the end - because most of the other people in the group were on a different ferry schedule. I would not recommend that Kimkim put travelers into a group tour like this in the future, it is worth a small extra expense to get a private tour of the island that is more comfortable and allows more time to actually see the sights instead of waiting around.

Thank you so much for your thoughtful and detailed review! It was lovely getting to know you and work with you on this beautiful trip!
I am thrilled that the falconry and sheepdog demonstration shows were the two highlights of your trip, and both a memorable experience for your daughter!
I also really appreciate your feedback on the hotels – it is always helpful to hear this kind of reviews for future trips. I’m glad that you enjoyed the Cahernane House Manor Hotel, it’s one of... Read more