8 DAY CASTLES & COASTS EXPERIENCE

All of our tours depart from Point A Hotel, Parnell Street Dublin

Our pick-up times from the Hotel are at 8.30 am.

All of our tours arrive at the  Ashling Hotel, 10 – 13 Parkgate St, Stoneybatter, Dublin 8

Our drop-off times at the Hotel are at 5.00 pm approx.

Or if you book a tour with a train transfer on the last day, to Dublin Heuston, Heuston Station, St John’s Rd W, Dublin

Our arrival times at the train station are 6.00 pm. (You can choose an earlier arrival time by train if you wish)

Please click on link below

DUBLIN AIRPORT TO CITY CENTRE

The tour will depart at 8.30 am at Point A Hotel on Parnell Street, Dublin City Centre, and end at 5.00 pm approx at The Ashling Hotel. 

Hotel/B&Bs near pick-up point:

Point A Hotel, Leonardos Hotel, The Wynns Hotel, Tom, Dick & Harriet’s Acc, The Kingfisher Townhouse, The Charles Stewert B&B, Cassidys Hotel, Parkway B&B, Academy Plaza Hotel, Holiday Inn Express City Centre, The Gate Hotel, Castle Hotel, The Belvedere Hotel, The Maldron Hotel (Parnell Square), Temple House North Great apartments and Halfpenny Bridge Holiday Homes.

Hotel/B&Bs near the drop-off point:

Ashling Hotel, Phoenix Park Hotel, Maldron Hotel Smithfield, McGettigans Townhouse, Generator High-Quality Hostel, Hilton Hotel Kilmainham, The Hendrick Smithfield

Third-party websites such as Booking.com, Trivago, b&bireland.com or Hostelworld (which also has B&Bs) offer very competitive rates that are more often than not, better than any tour operator rates.

Depending on which accommodation package you choose; You will stay in a variety of accommodations all carefully selected to ensure that each place offers a new experience. 

B&B/Guesthouse Accommodation

B&Bs in the Republic of Ireland are rated on a 2-5 scale, and all meet the Fáilte Ireland minimum standards. B&Bs in Northern Ireland are not rated under a star system but are

inspected by the Northern Ireland Tourist Board, and so are of a satisfactory level of comfort and service. Guesthouses on the island of Ireland are rated on a 1-4 scale.

We only use 3 to 4 stars.

You’ll find here 3 types of accommodation that we use.

Townhouse

The choice of townhouse B&Bs runs from detached, and semi-detached to large period houses in a

city, town, or village. Many are in an ideal location for city visits and shopping, they are often close to train and bus services.

Country home

Country homes are those in a rural setting. They offer a wide selection of premises such as Georgian residences, modern bungalows, and traditional Irish homes.

All with modern amenities, facilities, and adequate garden and green surrounds

Historic houses

Historic houses are private houses of significant historical and architectural merit and character.

They are based in towns and rural settings.

Most guest accommodation includes a private bathroom with a bath and/or shower. TV with remote control and tea/coffee facilities.

Hotel classification

Hotels on the island of Ireland are rated on a 1-5 star scale. We only use 3 to 4 star

3 stars

This ranges from small family-run hotels to larger city hotels. Every guest room will have a private bathroom. 3-star restaurants prepare food to high standards in a relaxed atmosphere.

4 stars

This includes contemporary hotels and period houses to the highest standards with all modern comforts. Accommodation is luxurious, with suites available. These hotels also house

restaurants that dish out excellent food and service.

All rooms are private with a private bathroom  – twin room, double room, single room and family rooms

A twin room is a room with 2 single beds, whilst a double room has 1 large bed suited for two people. Both rooms are designed for double occupancy. A single room is a single bed, designed for single occupancy.

We get a pretty wide range of age groups on our tours, anywhere from people in their 30s to 70s. In any case, we reckon it’s more about attitude than age, which is why social dynamics usually work so well. If you love the idea of getting out into the most incredible landscapes on the island of Ireland, with your feet on the ground rather than looking out of a coach window all day, and you enjoy your creature comforts — we know you will love our trips!

You certainly don’t need any technical outdoor experience to enjoy your Irish Experience trip. If you enjoy being out and about in the outdoors and are a generally active person who enjoys hobbies like walking, cycling, golf, tennis, or dancing then you will have no problems at all with the walks and activities on your trip. Remember all walks and activities are optional. 

If your trip has kayaking as an option on it there’s no need for you to have ever been kayaking before. The kayaking is suitable for beginners and you will be in double sea kayaks, which are very stable. A specialist kayak guide will teach you everything you need to know before you head out and will be with you out on the water.

If your trip has biking on it you will need some biking experience to complete the bike ride on your trip. The trails we bike on are undulating gravel tracks that are rated as “easy” trail rides but you’ll need to have done some biking before to comfortably and safely take part in the bike rides. The activities on our trips are very flexible and many of our guests opt to walk instead of bike. The trails we bike on are shared walking/biking trails so you’ll be able to enjoy a walk with your guide if you prefer.

The same goes for horse riding as an option on your trip. Beginner or advanced rider, fast-paced jaunt or relaxing leisure trek, there’s something to suit you. There’s no pressure to go fast. Relax and take in the scenic locations. More experienced riders may be offered the chance to canter or even gallop. All of our horseback riding experiences are fully guided and safety-approved. Our trusted suppliers are local, family-operated businesses. They have the utmost concern for animal welfare.

Either is fine, it’s up to you! We ask that you bring only one large backpack/suitcase (25kg) and a day pack. If you are going to be travelling with a lot more than 25kg, then please let us know.

Laundry facilities can be accessed during the two-night stays in Westport, Killarney, Dingle, and Clifden.

Your guide will advise you on where best to access laundry facilities

All multi-day tours have a €150 deposit.

The final payment of the remainder is due 30 days before the departure date or on the date of booking if within 30 days of the departure date. Failure to pay the remainder within 3 days of this payment notice may result in the booking being canceled.

Please see our terms and conditions for full deposit and payment details

*We take a €150 deposit and this is fully transferrable! We will transfer your deposit to any other trip or trip date as long as we have availability*

Our cancellation policy is:

Following your payment of part or all of the Fees, if you cancel your Tour:
(a) more than 30 days prior to the start date of the Tour, the Deposit is non-refundable (can be deferred to another tour).
A full refund (excl. deposit); and
(b) within 30 days from the start date of the Tour, the Deposit is non-refundable (cannot be deferred to another tour). No refund.
If you cancel on the start date of the Tour or any time thereafter (including by leaving the Tour) or you do not show up for the Tour, you will be liable to pay the Fee in full and no refund will be made to you. We will notify you as soon as possible if we need to suspend or reschedule a Tour.