Christmas Cottages in Ireland

Reviews

What our customers say about their holidays

• Del - Verified booking

  Oh boy, I had a bit of a rough start with this cottage (more on that later) but did eventually warm up to it.

  I'll start with the positives: + quiet/peaceful location away from traffic + views of animals and wildlife (very common to see hares in the garden!) + the bedrooms are spacious yet cosy, and retain their heat overnight + the main living room is cosy, the furniture is comfortable, and there is a decent view of the Caha Mountains from the dining table + the kitchen has a good selection of quality appliances including a tumble dryer! + the FM signal is strong (surprising in such a secluded location) and there is a radio (it's an old Sony from the 1990s but has decent bass); I enjoyed 2FM so much that I stopped using Spotify! + solid mobile coverage (at least for 3 network; TescoMobile was poor by contrast) such that the lack of Wi-Fi wasn't a problem: 3 provided 1080p streaming with no glitches (I purchased the SIM from 3 store in Killarney - 20 euros for unlimited data) Now to the negatives: - the second lounge/living room is the most musty-smelling of all the rooms, especially when cold, and the laminate flooring seems out of place compared to the other rooms. In short, it's easily the least cosy room in the cottage. It would be improved enormously if the floor was carpeted, and that huge blank wall is just begging for a large TV - the TV in the main living room is small (B&B-sized) and fixed to the wall in a corner - its placement is daft, especially when there is wall-space above the fireplace for it - lack of sockets (because old cottage), especially in the living room where there is only 1 single socket - and that is being used by the TV! Although there are multiple sockets in the kitchen, all of them are occupied by appliances - musty smell when rooms are cold (because old cottage) - the dirt-road to the cottage is fairly steep with a gate at the bottom (because the cottage is on farmland) - cyclists may find this particularly awkward Given the age of the cottage and its location on farmland, such compromises are normal and should be expected if you wish to stay here. It seems the owners are aware of this and have priced it accordingly. Now to the rough start: when I arrived at Gortagown Cottage, there was no electricity. Without electricity, there was no heating, and only a limited supply of water (there is a water pump in the cottage; the taps delivered water at low-pressure, before running dry a few hours later), and my e-bike was low on juice since I had just cycled 63km from Ballinskelligs - this meant cycling the next day to purchase bottles of water would be dicy unless I could charge in Sneem. As I had only ever started an open fire once before, I burned my hands several times trying to get the peat to burn, but without much success. All told, the electricity was off for 19 hours, making for an uncomfortable and frustrating experience that night and most of the following day (the cottage was cold and musty without heating, and I could not sleep at all in the cold bedroom. If I sound like a wimp, just bear in mind that I have a crippling chronic illness). The owner's only contribution to me was one bottle of water that he filled at home, and an offer of a lift to Sneem (I'm not counting the jokes he made about the situation when he returned from playing golf the following afternoon). Sure, he was no doubt busy that morning behind the scenes, getting on the case of ESB and trying to restore the supply, but given my chronic illness, I expected more than this minimal level of service. When it became clear that the problem was more serious than a tripped breaker, a good host would have returned with a 'welcome basket' of food items that could be made with the gas hob (I only had microwaveable food with me since I don't want to fuss with cooking when on holiday), and a powerbank for charging my phone. A great host would have offered alternative accommodation for that night (e.g. B&B or hotel nearby). If I was left without electricity for 19 hours in England, I would have received £125 in compensation; on this trip I received nothing... Accuracy of listing: ***** (5/5) [photos updated recently] Cleanliness: ***** Comfort: *** Facilities: ***** Helpfulness of owner: ** [comments made by Agnes concerning the owner are accurate] Value for money: *****

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• Agnes - Verified booking

  Dear Sir / Madam, We had a great holiday in County Kerry during the week of August 17 to August 23 2019.

  The area is beautiful, so is the area at the cottage. The cottage is very remote, but that was no problem for us. The description how we could find the house was accurate. The facilities as they were described were also present. What really disappointed us was how dirty the house and the decor was. In addition, the entire house smelled musty. On arrival we found the empty house with doors that were not closed. The owner hardly showed any interest due to his indifferent / easy-going attitude. We were forced to request certain things from him. The toilet / shower and the bathroom cannot be seen on the site. Given its state, I understand that no photos of this are shown. Outside the garden set consisted of a table and three chairs, two of which were broken. We add a few photos as an illustration. For a few of us it was too dirty to shower downstairs. The equipment such as the washing machine was very dirty. The soap dish was completely full with soap residue and black scale. There was a rug in front of the fireplace. In our opinion, a fire hazard. The coffee maker was not functioning properly. Each time the water did not run well, so that half of the coffee powder was hit. We first cleaned a few things and aired the house well. The cottage is very dated and sloppy finished. We are not satisfied with how we found the house and therefore find that Hogansirishcottages.com as a mediator falls short in displaying a correct impression of the house. We will no longer use this house in the future. Sincerely, Agnes de Beer-Wissink PS. We will still send the photos.

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• Vicki - Verified booking

  Everything was perfect for what we needed .

  . the cottage provided all and made our stay very special and our memory of Irish life .. it gave us a feeling like we lived in Ireland and with the real Irish people not just tourism as that is what we wanted to feel like as this cottage gives you the true feeling of Irish life . Enclosed inland a bit with a nice little fireplace was very charming ..the extra room downstairs adds to the rustic feel of Ireland … Located in the ring of Kerry we could choose which direction we wanted to visit the surrounding towns .. Charlie the host was so helpful with ideas and welcomed us with a warm lit fire .. such a big blessing for us. The cottage was an answered prayer for our holy well pilgrimage time there .. As Australians our ancestries once lived here in Ireland. So this cottage was a great place to imagine what it was kind of like … If you’re looking for something rustic , simple with an Irish feel this is the place to go visit ..we loved it and recommend it for the Irish sweetness and uniqueness it offers . We won’t forget this one ..

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• Retha - Verified booking

  I had a relatively long stay in this venerable cottage, and I was extremely happy the entire time.

  The location is beautiful with views of the distant Caha Mountains on the Beara Peninsula. The setting is rural and pastoral, peaceful, secure, and private. It is an excellent location for exploring the three peninsulas of County Kerry (Iveragh, Dingle, and Berea) and the Killarney National Park. The owners could not have been kinder, more responsive, more helpful, or more invested in my comfort and satisfaction. They were the best landlords I've ever encountered. This is not a luxurious facility, but if you are looking for an authentic cottage experience and a comfortable and affordable stay in the glorious County Kerry, this would be a good place for you.

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• Anthony - Verified booking

  This is a lovely cottage.

  It has been totally refurbished internally but externally it retains the typical rural cottage look. There is a large garden area which our dog loved: unfortunately, as we were there in mid December and during storm Barra, it was too cold, wet and windy for the humans to enjoy being outside. Situated in the heart of the Burren, it is a perfect base for exploring the fascinating history and landscape. Travel times to Galway and Limerick are not too long and the coast is easily reached - Lahinch is less than 30 minutes travel. I recommend it to anyone looking for a peaceful and rural stay without sacrificing good household amenities.

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