The Bed and Breakfasts (B&B) of Ireland

Ireland is known for its lush landscapes and welcoming inhabitants. Part of the experience of enjoying the Irish scenery is choosing the right place to stay. An Irish bed and breakfast offers the unique experience of staying in an intimate environment as you travel. Many bed and breakfasts are run by families who are more than happy to share local knowledge with you. It is a level of personal service that few hotels can match.

Ireland is full of sturdy old buildings, and many of them have been repurposed into a bed and breakfast. Most of these buildings were once homes, but some of them served some other purpose. The Cregg Castle Bed and Breakfast is a large house that stands on the grounds of a castle that was built nearly 1,000 years ago. The Belle Tout, The Lighthouse and West Usk Lighthouse are abandoned lighthouses that were recently remade into a bed and breakfast. Bradford Old Windmill is a disused windmill with a mere three rooms to make for a very intimate stay. A post office turned bed and breakfast, Llanigon Post Office is directly at the foot of the snow capped Black Mountains. Ireland’s most unusual bed and breakfast may be Romany Dreams. A refurbished Gypsy wagon serves as the sole lodgings. Many of Ireland’s present bed and breakfasts were once farms and still utilize the fresh produce to serve guests amazing farm to table cuisine.

Most Irish bed and breakfast establishments are privately owned by a family. The family generally also serves as the staff. This creates a very cozy home like atmosphere that can be a welcome change from a corporate hotel chain. Meals are often homemade with ingredients straight from the back garden. A good bed and breakfast will make you feel as if you are a friend of the family.

Ireland is thickly scattered with bed and breakfasts, and they come in a variety of price ranges. The amount you pay for your lodgings will depend on the season, locality and quality of the establishment. A bed and breakfast can be far less expensive than a hotel. There are also those that far outstrip the price of a moderate hotel. Many Irish bed and breakfasts have prices comparable to a hostel. The most expensive places to stay in Ireland are the cities of Galway and Dublin. Country lodgings tend to be a little cheaper.