Just like in the movies, this adorable cottage right in front of a sunlit bay was everything I had…read moreimagined and then some...surprises. I spent months looking for the real Irish experience. I was just about to give up - it seems the old emerald isle has decided to replace its rustic manors with Motel 6 dumps that cost the earth - when a friend at work sent me the link from tripadvisor. It LOOKED gorgeous - but you never know. I took a chance and booked it straight away online without any probs. The same day, the owner sent me a personal email thanking me for booking and asking was there anything I wanted. Yeah, a lot. I want it all! OK, I just asked if there was anything interesting to see in the area. He sent me back a real helpful email that just got me all excited. So I went. I arrived. Wow! PS I Love this, I thought as I stepped in the door. (Only there wasn't a hunk waiting for me :) ) It was the real deal alright. Old looking for sure ( I think 300 hundred years old) The floorboards creak, there's a fireplace. Tiny cut-frame windows look out to the bay. OK and get this: Just as I was unpacking a flock of sheep were being herded by a v. handsome farmer outside the front door. he gave a salute! Yikes! Well we sank into bed after the long flight. When I woke up next day, I felt like I was home. Laugh if you like, but my roots are in Eire and I felt like the old Shanahans were there in spirit to welcome me back after a couple of hundred years since the first Shanahan took the boat and had an 'Irish Wake' - maybe in a house just like this. All the practical stuff was up to scratch - washer, dryer, kitchen, linen etc. can't complain about anything in the place. Oh, if there was one - the shower wasn't exactly high-pressure - more like it spat at ya! Not to worry, the housekeeper cam e along and told me her brother would come in and adjust it a little. Turns out the farmer guy was her little brother - he popped in made the adjustment, and I made him a cup of tea. I'd like to tell you that I explored the area (went to the Burren, the Aliwee caves and Gaway city) but in truth I just hung around, read, went for long walks, spent the evenings chatting with locals up in the pub and now and again, my farmer friend stopped by - for tea! Loved it. PS I'm coming back

The amount of research I did before booking at the Almara House was ridiculous, but was well worth…read moreit - Matt & Marie are the two nicest hosts you could ever ask for in a B&B. Yes, B&B's here in Galway are a dime a dozen, but there's a reason why this place literally books out. Why? The free tourist information. The location. The breakfast selection. (I'm talking Full Irish breakfast to cereals to pancakes and porridge) And yes, the people. We stayed in room #6 on the second floor. We arrived much earlier than the 2-3pm check-in time, so Matt took our luggage from us and suggested we go into the city centre to explore. That was exactly what we did. Before we left, he wrote on a card which buses we were to take there and back again, and it was very helpful. Not many places I know would even bother to do that much for you. I loved the skeleton key for our room! I felt like I was so far away; well, Ireland is far from New York, so... Our room was perfect - small and cozy with a private bath. The mini fridge was a huge lifesaver for nights we had sandwiches or had a beer in bed (keeping it classy). The shower had wonderful water pressure, and every night we returned to the room, everything was immaculately clean; so wonderful. Yes, this is a bit outside the city centre, but for an unbeatable price, you won't miss being away from tourists and all the hype. Thank you for being a part of our honeymoon!

Marie & Matt were wonderful hosts for the 2 nights my parents and I spent at their home. Marie…read moreoffered many recommendations and helped find a local church for us to attend mass. Her dinner recommendation was spot-on -- completely delicious. We stayed in Room #6 on the top floor, which had skylights and 4 beds (1 double and 2 singles). It was perfect for the 3 of us. The decore is modern and clean. There are guidebooks to leaf through, tea to enjoy and bottled water in the common space. There is guest off-street parking. Access to Galway City by bus is just steps from the front door -- and although Galway is relatively easy to navigate, I do recommend the 2 euro one-way fare, which takes you right into the middle of the city. Breakfast was either at 8am or 9am and orders are taken the night before. Thank you for the DELICIOUS homemade brown bread. It was the best of any place we had it throughout the whole visit to Ireland. For anyone with mobility concerns, there are stairs to all guest rooms.

What a great B&B! This place is at the end of a cul de sac on a road that is mainly all B&Bs…read more The room that we opted for had 2 single beds, which was perfect for friends traveling and was so well priced. We had a private bathroom, which was lovely. They do provide free body wash and shampoo and towels are included. There is a very large closet for storage as well. You do receive your own key to the front door, as well as the keys to your room. The owner is so friendly and was so awesome with suggestions for food, etc. There is a bus stop just at the end of the road, if you did not travel by car and it's only a short ride to the center of town, which is really the way to go, as parking is quite difficult to find, especially on a Sunday, when the garages close very early. I highly recommend this B&B!

This place was actually the first B&B I've ever stayed at and I was definitely a fan! Stayed here…read moreduring the week while I was doing a placement at the Galway Clinic just up the road. The owners, Liam and Yvonne, were absolutely lovely people, accommodating and friendly. While I was not able to do the tourist thing, many of the other guests were apparently in Galway on holiday and it sounded like Liam and Yvonne were giving excellent advice and tips on where to go and how to get around. The place itself is directly across from a bus stop which is serviced by two buses that come and go from the city centre, every 10 minutes or thereabouts, so very accessible especially if you got to Galway via the coach station like I did! Takes you essentially to their door. The rooms vary a bit in size but are all well-lit and of course en-suite. Breakfast was delicious and they were great for looking after the guests without being intrusive. Water in the showers was hot and of great pressure (essential!!!) and Yvonne was great for tidying up during the day which was an unexpected surprise for me! Anyway bed was comfy, breakfast was great, it was a nice experience and I'd recommend it to my family if they asked so there you are!