Ireland (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Fionn Davenport [613]
Camping & Caravan Parks
Camping and caravan parks aren’t as common in Ireland as they are in Britain or on the continent. Some hostels have camping space for tents and also offer house facilities, which makes them better value than the main camping grounds. At commercial parks the cost is typically somewhere between €12 and €20 (£7 to £10) for a tent and two people. Prices for campsites in this book are for two people unless stated otherwise. Caravan sites cost around €15 to €25 (£11 to £15). Most parks are open only from Easter to the end of September or October.
Guesthouses
Essentially, guesthouses are much like upmarket B&Bs. The difference lies in their size, with guesthouses having between six and 30 bedrooms. Prices vary enormously according to the standard but the minimum you can expect to shell out is €35 (£22) per person (€40 in Dublin), and up to about €100 (£35) in upmarket places. Unlike hotels, the majority of guesthouses are unlicensed, but many have restaurants and good facilities, and can take credit-card payment.
Hostels
The prices quoted in this book for hostel accommodation are for those aged over 18. A dorm bed in high season generally costs €13 to €25 (£8 to £14).
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WEBSITE ACCOMMODATION RESOURCES
www.allgohere.com This website lists accommodation in Northern Ireland suitable for travellers with (and without) a disability.
www.corkkerry.ie A useful resource for accommodation and information throughout the southwest.
www.daft.ie Online classified paper for short- and long-term rentals.
www.discoverireland.ie Fáilte Ireland’s main site, which has a database of various types of accommodation all over the Republic.
www.discovernorthernireland.com Northern Ireland Tourist Board’s (NITB) accommodation booking site.
www.elegant.ie Specialises in self-catering castles, period houses and unique properties.
www.familyhomes.ie Lists (you guessed it) family-run guesthouses and self-catering properties.
www.gulliver.ie Fáilte Ireland and the NITB’s web-based accommodation reservation system.
www.hostelworld.com A useful website for comparing hostels and booking beds.
www.irishlandmark.com Not-for-profit conservation group that rents self-catering properties of historical and cultural significance, such as castles, gate lodges and lighthouses.
www.stayinireland.com Lists guesthouses and self-catering options.
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An Óige and Hostelling International Northern Ireland (HINI) are the two associations that belong to Hostelling International (HI). About half of the hostels have family and smaller rooms. An Óige has 23 hostels scattered around the Republic and HINI has six in the North.
An Óige ( 01-830 4555; www.anoige.ie; 61 Mountjoy St, Dublin; 9.30am-5.30pm Mon-Fri)
HINI ( 9032 4733; www.hini.org.uk; 22-32 Donegall Rd, Belfast; 24hr)
Ireland also has a large number of independent hostels, some excellent, but many high on character and low on facilities. The following associations, with hostels in the Republic and in the North, do their best to offer reliable accommodation:
Independent Holiday Hostels of Ireland (IHH; 01-836 4700; www.hostels-ireland.com; 57 Lower Gardiner St, Dublin 1)
Independent Hostel Owners of Ireland (IHO; 074-973 0130; www.independenthostelsireland; Dooey Hostel, Glencolumbcille, Co Donegal)
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SOMETHING DIFFERENT
An alternative to normal caravanning is to hire a horse-drawn caravan with which to wander the countryside. In high season you can hire one for around €800 a week. Search www.discoverireland.ie for a list of operators, or see www.irishhorsedrawncaravans.com.
Another unhurried and pleasurable way to see the countryside (with slightly less maintenance) is by barge on one of the country’s canal systems. As above, contact Fáilte Ireland for a list of rental companies.
Another option is to hire a boat, which you can live aboard while cruising Ireland’s inland waterways. One company offering boats for hire on the Shannon-Erne Waterway is Emerald Star ( 071-962 0234; www.emeraldstar.ie).
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Hotels
Hotels