Irish Tourism  Avis 1 016

Planning with the team was easy and very efficient through email exchanges. One check in call completed our itinerary. We experienced a full day and a half delay in Heathrow. Again, Linda took quick care of changing rail tickets and alerting hotel. I would highly recommend Irish Tourism if you want a fantastic experience in Ireland without a tour group.

They were very helpful with not only the tour information but cell phone access information and helped us with outside tours.

Our tour guide was fantastic!
He was able to adjust the tour based upon our preferences. He was funny, accomodating, and was able to do special things based upon his knowledge and relationships with decision makers who enabled us to enter venues often not available to the public. His attention to detail was impressive. He was always on time, had an immaculate van, and was an impressive and safe driver.

Our trip itinerary was coordinated by Nuala Sheedy who listened to our desires and put together a fantastic trip. We selected one of the many itineraries and then customized it to suit our wishes. Nuala was responsive, informative, and fun to work with.

We are happy to recommend Irish Tourism to everyone!

We really enjoyed working with Stephanie and the other staff at Irishtourism.com for our 10-day rail trip through Ireland. They handle all the logistics for you; you are not traveling with a group. Where we had day trips, the local tour guides were friendly and knowledgeable. The drivers they arranged for us were true professionals as well. The lodging was very nice. We had a delay to our flight for departure and the staff was very responsive in adjusting our pick-up time for the airport. Thanks so much for a great visit.

Travel trips.
- Most hotels do not have WiFi or in-room fridges.
- Because you are not with a group, you can add extra nights at any location. We would have done this to give us some down time or to see more local sights had we thought about it in advance.

Our experience from the very beginning, was excellent. The communication during the planning process was prompt and informative. The accommodations during our stay were excellent! The information on each destination option provided was extensive and we felt well informed and prepared!! I have referred this company to many friends already and would do so again without hesitation!!

I recently did a 13 night train tour of Ireland that included Cork, Killarney, Galway, Belfast and Dublin. The weather was cool but sunny most days. We took the option of a mix of hotels rated 3 and 4 star. They were all excellent and equal in quality in our opinion. The package included a full Irish breakfast daily which kept us full until dinner. The hotels were always central to train stations and main areas of the cities. The included bus tours were excellent. The train times were booked but meshed perfectly with breakfast, hotel checkouts and having time in the next city to do a walk about before dinner. The train system was easy to navigate even with train changes, clean, and stress free. Our two weeks went without any surprises.I highly recommend the Irishtourism. They also have an 800 number so that you can chat with agents as needed.

We wand a wonderful trip. Irish Tourism created a very good itinerary that matched all of the places we wanted to see. All of the accommodations they arranged we excellent. The driver who was assigned was wonderful He even suggested things to see the we had not anticipated, in eluding a sheep do remonstration.

I recently took a trip to Ireland with my mother, and our experience with Irish Tourism was exceptional from start to finish. Nuala, who handled our booking, went above and beyond to ensure that every detail was perfect. She was responsive, patient, and incredibly knowledgeable, helping us craft an itinerary that truly allowed us to experience the best of Ireland.

The accommodations were lovely, especially the Trident Hotel in Kinsale, which had stunning views of the water. She connected us with our chauffeur, Donal, and he was wonderful as well, making the journey through the Irish countryside both comfortable and informative. Every part of the trip was well-organized, and we felt cared for at every step.

Nuala’s expertise and attention to detail made this trip unforgettable. I highly recommend Irish Tourism for anyone planning a trip to Ireland, and I can’t thank Nuala enough for all her help.

Very well organised with plenty of information and planning. The suggested itinerary and hotels were very good. In particular the Loch Lein Hotel gives a very warm welcome and very comfortable stay well placed for the Ring of Kerry. Niamh was our point of contact at Irish Tourism and gave a very friendly and efficient service with useful touring notes. Thank you for an enjoyable trip.

The hotel accommodations were nice especially the B & B in Killarney. Each hotel offered a lovely breakfast. There was no incidents with hotel check in . I was impressed on how smoothly everything went, absolutely no problems, even picking up the rental car.

Review of our Ireland Trip with Irish Tourism

We recently had the pleasure of embarking on a fantastic trip to Ireland, organized by Irish Tourism, and we are incredibly thankful for the experience. Overall, it was a well-organized holiday with many highlights, though a few aspects could be improved for future travellers. Here’s a breakdown of our journey:

Car Hire
We were offered a complimentary upgrade from a small compact automatic to a small SUV, 6-speed manual, which turned out to be an excellent choice. The SEAT vehicle was comfortable, easy to drive, and fuel-efficient, holding our luggage without any issues. However, there was a strong push for extra insurance, which was a little off-putting.
- Positives: Free upgrade, excellent vehicle, good service.
- Negative: Unnecessary pressure for additional insurance.

Kilkenny – Lyrath Estate Hotel
The Lyrath Estate Hotel was a wonderful place to stay, with spacious, comfortable rooms and beautiful, well-maintained grounds. The dining experience was exceptional. However, its distance from Kilkenny city made exploring the town difficult. The city centre was crowded, and with no parking available, we missed out on visiting Kilkenny Castle and other attractions.
- Positives: Fantastic accommodation, excellent customer service.
- Negatives: Too far from the city, car park was a long walk from the hotel entrance.

Cork – Imperial Hotel
The Imperial Hotel offered a comfortable stay in the heart of Cork. Its central location made it easy to walk around, though we struggled with the offsite car park. Dropping off and picking up luggage in front of the hotel was challenging due to the busy location. The restaurant offered great food for both dinner and breakfast.
- Positives: Central location, great dining, comfortable room.
- Negatives: Long walk to offsite car park, difficult luggage handling at the entrance.

Killarney – International Hotel
The International Hotel was in a prime location in Killarney's city centre, with enjoyable dining options and a large bathroom featuring a built-in spa. Unfortunately, there was no convenient way to drop off or collect luggage, as the hotel lacks street access for vehicles. Our room’s location was also a challenge, requiring assistance from the staff to navigate the complex corridors and stairs. Despite these inconveniences, we had a wonderful offsite meal at a traditional restaurant nearby, which we highly recommend.
- Positives: Central location, large bathroom with spa, great dining.
- Negatives: No luggage drop-off access, room was difficult to reach, offsite car parking.

Galway – Screebe House
Screebe House was a luxurious stay with excellent food and attentive hosts. However, the 50-minute drive to Galway meant we missed exploring the city entirely. Our day trip to the Aran Islands and the Cliffs of Moher took the entire day, leaving no time for sightseeing in Galway. We also missed breakfast on our first morning due to the late start time at the hotel. In hindsight, we would have preferred staying in both Galway and Screebe House to fully enjoy each location.
- Positives: Excellent accommodation, delicious food, friendly hosts.
- Negatives: Too far from Galway, missed breakfast due to late serving time, and the room was on the third floor with no elevator.

Dublin – The Green Hotel
Our stay at The Green Hotel in Dublin was wonderful. The room was spacious and comfortable, and the breakfast facility was good. The location was perfect for exploring the city, with easy access to Dublin’s attractions. We enjoyed a night out at the Celtic Nights show, a walking tour of Dublin, and a morning at the Guinness Storehouse. Dublin was the perfect way to end our trip.
- Positives: Great location, comfortable room, enjoyable activities.
- Negatives: None to mention for this part of the stay.
We are truly grateful to Irish Tourism for organizing such a memorable holiday. While there were a few minor hiccups, the overall experience was fantastic, and we would happily recommend them to others looking to explore the beauty of Ireland.

Our trip around Ireland was booked with the help and expertise of Irish Tourism. Their packages are flexible and made-to-measure, and with the capable and friendly help of Nuala, we had an amazing experience.

Excellent planning made our tour a wonderful experience! Linda Larkin did a superb job from listening to my wishes and needs to creating an itinerary that met all my requests. Every single day of our trip was perfect!

Ireland tour comments

Overall, the trip you put together was excellent. We loved Ireland.

My comments below highlight some opportunities for improvement.

General comment; there was inadequate attention to detail in the planning.
* There were transportation connections and planned consecutive events that were set too tight to make them.
* Documents were promised by a certain date but I had to email and call multiple times to get them.
* We twice received updated documents to reprint without any explanation why. Only later did we learn it was due to a rail outage in NI. Why no explanation?
* Most importantly, from my point of view, almost no consideration was given to accommodating my disability, despite it being well described in advance.

Specific comments:

1. The rail trip from Dublin to Killarney is fairly long. It added many hours to a travel day that was already very long. We should have spent a few days in Dublin at the start of our trip instead of the end.
2. Finding the train was a challenge. We didn’t have a lot of time to spare, and we were unfamiliar with the station, the signage and platform layout. We had expected our driver to do more in the way of pointing us in the right direction but he just let us out of the car and left.
3. We had trouble finding our train and coach at Houston Station. We eventually found that coaches were lettered, but it was only after we were aboard the train that a ticket collector showed us our coach and seat for both legs of the trip were printed on one ticket. All of this sounds simple, but it lead to us being rushed and feeling stressed.
4. The Great Southern Killarney hotel was exceptionally good. Great choice.
5. The Dingle Peninsula and the Ring of Kerry tours were both great.
6. Our private driver, Brian, from Killarney to Dublin, was excellent. He took great care of us for the 3 days we were with him. He had great ideas and took us places that tourists would often miss. Especially important to us, Brian found ways to help us see the sights without me hurting my feet more than necessary. He’s an excellent chauffeur and a nice gentleman.
7. Ashford castle was spectacular. We loved our time there but because we still had the service of Brian for that time, we had limited time to enjoy it.
8. Newgrange and Knowth were fascinating and well worth seeing. I have one issue:
* There was a great deal of walking required. There was no consideration for my disability. Even from the visitor centre to the bus was long. It was one of the worst days for my feet.
9. The Grand Central Hotel in Belfast was another excellent choice.
10. The Black Cab tour was excellent. We were very impressed with the knowledgeable and friendly driver. Top marks.
11. Taking a temporary bus to a train from Belfast to Dublin was not possible given my disability. The driver I found was excellent; you should take note of his company for future. We appreciate you covering this expense.
12. The Green hotel in Dublin was perfect. Great location, excellent property.
13. The house party was great. Good food, excellent service, fun music. A1!

Second time we used IT, they are great people to work with and always there to answer any questions. Will return.

All went very well! Almost perfect but I didn't realize that the Clifden, Galway meant Galway county and not Galway city. My own ignorance about City names vs County names so we had to juggle our plans to see performances in Galway since it was too far for that BUT we loved Clifden and really enjoyed the whole trip. Excellent Hotels and breakfasts and the touring/driving descriptions sent by Irish Tourism really helped us plan what to do since we rented a car. Well done! Can't wait to go back and see more.

We were referred to "Irish Tourism" by a friend who lives in Ireland and Stephanie was amazing! She helped us every step of the way from start to finish. We told her our desire to drive ourselves around the Wild Atlantic Way to see the entire coast and she made it happen. One of our must haves was King-sized beds in 5 star accommodations and every hotel was top notch with excellent customer service. She gave us a detailed report of many points of interests along our route based on our preferences. We had a wonderful time and highly recommend using them to plan your next trip to Ireland!

Our experience with Irishtourism was exceptional. Nuala Sheedy was very attentive and knowledgeable; she was able to book exactly what we were looking for on our trip to Ireland. We had a wonderful experience.
Thank you, Nuala!

Linda Larkin was our contact at Irish Tourism. We can't say enough good things about her and everyone we dealt with. Everything she planned and booked for us: the wonderful Sean McLoughlin Chauffeur services that drove us from Killarney to Galway, and John Lamb who got us to the Dublin train station were all so lovely. The tours Linda booked for us were exceptional. The hotels were fabulous, perfectly located, and everything was booked as promised. If we had questions, Linda was quick to respond and gave us after hours contacts in case of emergency. In short, the service was very personal and accessible. We had a wonderful and memorable vacation with one glitch in the beginning with our luggage. It got left in London and did not get transferred to Aer Lingus in Dublin like it was supposed to. John Lamb waited a long time for us to get a "lost luggage" notice filled out, which meant we missed our train. He waited for us, helped us get on another train at no extra cost, showed us how to redeem train tickets, got us on the train and helped us understand what seats were available and saw us successfully on our way. In short, Irish Tourism and everyone we came in contact with were wonderful. Even Aer Lingus, which is not associated with Irish Tourism, did Ireland proud. As soon as our luggage made it from Heathrow to Dublin, Aer Lingus made arrangements to get our luggage to us in Cork by the next day.

Thank you again Linda Larkin and everyone associated with Irish Tourism for planning such perfect memories that we will cherish forever.
Pat B 9/4/2024 - 9/14/2024

Working with Nuala was a joy! She accommodated all of our wishes into an amazing trip to Ireland. I would book through Irishtourism again!