Ireland Dream Vacation

How to Choose Your Accommodation 

and

When to Book

How to Choose Your Accommodation

This is a really important decision to make because people like to travel in different ways.  For example,  my idea of roughing it is a clean motel with very hot water.  So right from the beginning I knew I would not be camping in Ireland but, for some, camping is the only way to go.  

There are several types of accommodation available to you in Ireland:  hotels (3 star, 4 star, and 5 star); Bed and breakfasts (3 star, 4 star, and 5 star); Air b&b; VRBO (vacation rental by owner); hostels; self-catering; and, camping.  Each type of accommodation has it's pros and cons.  We opted for a combination of hotels, VRBO, and self-catering.  We've done Air b&b before and had no problems but couldn't find what we wanted when we were looking to book.

Once we had our basic itinerary and knew which sites, towns, cities, etc. we wanted to visit and our approximate dates (very important) we began to search for accommodations.

Sample Search

You want to see ancient archaeological sites so have identified "The Ancient East" as one area where you want to stay.  You want to see Trim Castle, Bru na Bonne, Hill of Tara, Four Knocks, and you want to have an afternoon of falconry.  You think you can do all these musts in three days.  So you need to plan 3-4 nights in this area of Ireland to accomplish your goals.

NOTE:  It's really important not to over schedule yourself.  Less is more.  Better to see one or two areas well and at a more leisurely pace than to end up totally exhausted and not sure what you've seen.

Pull out your map and pick a couple of towns that are central to your sightseeing goals.  With your dates in hand, go to one of the booking sites:  booking.com, trip advisor, Expedia, air b&B, VRBO, and determine your options.  If you want to stay in a hotel or B&B then booking.com, trip advisor, Expedia, and other like sites are a good place to start.  Most of these sites will allow you to book six months to a year ahead.  

However

If you want the best rates for hotels and B&B's, contact them directly.  When you have found a place you like the look of email them.  Ask what the rate would be for the time you want to stay, ask if they have any discounts such as; seniors, early booking, couples escape. We always opt for having breakfast included and that may be a different rate than a room rate.  They usually respond quickly and, if you are booking a year or so ahead, you will get a pretty good rate.  Most hotels will give you a 10% discount for booking directly with them.  For our current trip, some places have gone up 20% and one place went from 50 euros a night to 173 euros a night after we had made our booking.  If you book early (make sure you have been sent a confirming email which includes the room rate and the type of accommodation), be sure to understand the cancellation policy in case your plans change or you have to make any adjustments to your scheduled stay. Then confirm your reservation before you leave for your vacation.  I usually do this a couple of times if I'm a year out.  Just send a friendly note. 

Beds

How many of you sleep in a king bed? a queen bed? a double bed?  I'm betting most of you fall into the king and queen category.  The most common bed in Ireland is a double/full bed which for most North Americans is a little small.  One thing you want to try to ensure for yourself is a good night's rest.  For us, that doesn't usually happen in a double bed.  King and queen beds come at a higher price in Ireland so if you don't want to pay the additional upgrade, opt for a twin room.  Often they will come with a double and a twin and sometimes just two twins.  You'll both sleep better and you won't be scrambling for a different room when you reach the hotel or B&B.  It's important to note the bed size in any of the accommodation categories you might want to use.  Remember the default is a double bed in Ireland.

You've made your first bookings.  Now it's time to move on to the next area you want to see.