Hello all. We are taking a driving tour around Ireland this September. Having never been to Ireland, what is your experience on stopping for a hotel room? We will be driving through Kilkenny, Limerick, Galway and Derry. Possibly going up towards Giants Causeway. Will we need to book a room in advance or can we just "wing it"? Is there a website that has a good number of smaller hotels and their descriptions?
How is the actual driving time compared to what is shown on Google Maps?
How is mobile service? Should I expect to hit large areas of "no service"?
Thank you in advance.
John
Posted by
Lincolnshire, UK
2280 posts
Most people now book in advance and days of 'winging it' are long gone. Mid September is still busy. Many popular places will already be booked. You may strike lucky if winging it but could find you spend (waste) a lot of time finding somewhere to sleep. It may not be what you want, or a lot more expensive and may involve a lot of driving to a place you hadn't planned on visiting.
The usual advice is to add 25% to google driving times and then ADD on time for stops, comfort breaks, food etc. Just finding somewhere to park and then walking to where you want to be can add quite a bit of time to the itinerary. Driving in Ireland is slow. Roads are narrow and you my encounter traffic- especially if there is a funeral which is a makor event in Eire - slow moving traffic from a tractor, caravan or campervan which no-one can overtake... You may also just want to stop and admire the scenery...
Posted by
3123 posts
"Is there a website that has a good number of smaller hotels and their descriptions?" I recommend buying the RS guide to Ireland. You'll find mostly small-ish hotels and B&B accommodations listed there. Also, on sites like Booking.com you can filter for the type of hotel/inn you want.
Posted by
Lincolnshire, UK
2280 posts
Also have a look at these two websites...
https://www.discoverireland.ie/accommodation
https://www.ireland.com/en-au/plan-your-trip/accommodation/where-to-stay/
Posted by
Mountains of S. Oregon
741 posts
Booking.com and google Maps both show available places, including prices. When I don't find any places either available or reasonable, I go to the unmarked "dots" on Google Maps to get an email or website for places that typically refuse to use the booking sites. I've resorted to "driving" through towns using Google Streetview, reading the signs on the road, and Googling for an email/website. I resist international calls, but as tourism blooms, that may be required. The internet has ruined spontaneous travel !
We winged it with just two back in '97, but have always traveled as three or four since, and I think we would have ended up sleeping in the car.
I'd suggest a SIM card specifically for Ireland or at least the EU to reduce fees, at least for local bookings, etc. I'm a fan of GiffGaff, which I've used twice in Ireland. Much cheaper than a US carrier's international plan.
Posted by
OP
DTW
343 posts
Thank you all, you have given us some things to think about and explore further. Thank you @jjgurley for the Sim recommendation as that is another thing I am looking into. We will be spending a few days in Germany before arriving in Ireland. Will that sim provider work in mainland Europe? Is there a coverage issue between Ireland and Northern Ireland?