Laundry

When I took this tour, most people used the free day in Dingle to do laundry. I'm a sink-washer so no recommendations on launderettes!

There is (or was a couple of years ago) a laundry in Dingle. We dropped our things off in the morning and picked them up in the afternoon. In all our Ireland travels we never encountered a "do it yourself" style laundromat, though they must exist--surely not everyone has their own machines.

THANK YOU!!!

You can also ask your guide during the meet-up on the first night. They'll know the location of launderettes and generally whether they have do-it-yourself machines or drop off service.

BTW, what I loved on that free day was following Rick's suggestion to walk out to the lighthouse on the bay. I wish I had had the presence of mind to take water and snacks because it was beautiful out there and I could have walked much further! Do take the directions on how to get yourself started on the path with you as to me it was not 100% self evident, lol!

Thanks, it sounds like a wonderful plan

I just got back from this tour and can tell you that every hotel has laundry available. Meaning, there is a bag in the room that you stuff full and drop off at the reception desk, for usually 10 euro. All these were same day services, so it works well on a two day stay.

thank you so much. I've been a little worried about the small luggage rule. Did you make out ok with just a carry on and a back pack?

I haven’t done the tour myself, but both times I went to Europe for 18 days each, I just had the carryon suitcase and a school-sized backpack, and they’ve been perfectly sufficient. If you are planning on doing some shopping at the end of the trip, I can recommend getting one of those tiny fold-up bags to stuff in the corner of your suitcase until you are ready to go home. You can then check the carryon, use your backpack as your “purse,” and have the fold-up as your carryon.

Here’s an example of the bag: https://www.amazon.com/Foldable-Lightweight-Waterproof-Travel-Storage/dp/B07CSPN5VQ/ref=sr_1_32?ie=UTF8&qid=1532023259&sr=8-32&keywords=Fold+up+carry+on+bag

"I've been a little worried about the small luggage rule. Did you make out ok with just a carry on and a back pack?"

I hope you are not sick of me and my posts, lol!

It's really more of a suggestion than a rule on small luggage. You have to be able to handle it yourself and know that the bus often can't get to the front door to the hotel. It's a full size bus so the cargo area is enough for 50-60 people. In Kinsale the bus driver had to park in a grocery store lot and we walked maybe a third mile from there to the hotel up and down hills. One of the people in my group had a huge rolling duffel bag which she could not handle. One of her friends traded with her and pulled it but if she had been on her own it would have been difficult. She was a small woman and the bag was almost big enough that she would have packed herself in it. I'm not sure what she had in there because she was cold and wore a coat most of the time!

I hope it doesn't sound rude that I would not have jumped in to pull her luggage but people need to be able to manage their own belongings. If she had injured herself on the tour or was sick, I'd have gladly helped. Overpacking, no....sorry.

On other RS tours I've had to walk as much as 1/2 a mile from the bus drop to the hotel.

I do love the challenge of light packing but am not a competitive light packer, hahhaa! I have the RS 21" roller bag, having gone to that after using the 22" convertible backpack for several years. I decided I was too old to carry stuff on my back any more and really like the roller bag. My last trip reports had my clothing list and this is more or less the same list I've used for the last 3 trips - This May/June, last Sept/Oct and the previous April/May. I added a LS dri-fit shirt that just weighs a couple of ounces. I've swapped out a Smartwool tee (color was too light and I'm a slob so it shows dirt too quickly!)

To me being able to pack in that small bag means you have to coordinate your clothing and for women especially that means that everything has to go with everything else.

Do you have an idea of what clothes you are going to pack? If you decide you want to post a packing list we are happy to pick it apart like ravens on roadkill, lol!!

I am not tired of your post and I really appreciate the information. I am pretty much trying to follow RS packing list, plus or minus a few items. I am going to try to fit everything in on 21" and a backpack but if I can't I was planning on bringing a 24" (which I would rather not do only cos I would be happier not checking a bag on the way there). I also have a fold away bag that I am bringing similar to the one you suggested.

I followed the RS packing list suggested for men -- and then redid it to fit my needs.

I have taken 10 RS tours so far. Only used the original RS convertible bag (no wheels, but can be a backpack). That's it. Everything fit comfortably. And I never felt I needed anything I didn't pack.

On the Ireland tour, we all had our laundry done in Dingle at a laundry near our B&Bs. They charged €10 at that point in time for washing drying and folding. Nothing special, ironing not an option, and I wouldn't have done anything that might shrink as they wash everything you give them in a single load. Nice to hear that many of the hotels along the way now do a bulk load of laundry for you for a low price. The hotels we stayed at charged by the piece, as most hotels do, and would have ended up very expensive if we had taken that option.

You are in for such a treat. I just returned from the 14 Day tour of Ireland and it was practically perfect in every way! We were told the first night our best laundry opportunities would be Dingle and Portrush. I took advantage of both of these. I asked for c old water wash and delicate or warm only dry and my clothes were returned in great shape. The cost was 20 and 24 euros for one load. In Dingle I believe the B & B did the washing and in Portrush it was sent out. I am very particular in how my clothes are washed and had never let someone else do it for me, but I was very pleased and not having to do it myself was an unexpected bonus.