8 Day Castles & Coast Experience - Small Group Tour

Customer Reviews

• 

  Randall

  · October 18th, 2024
  Fantastic first tour group experience for us. Our tour guide, Lee Jones, was outstanding and was key to our enjoyment of the tour. From playing music selections, to relating the history and anecdotal stories all apropos to our geographic locations, he added a richness to the experience that was unique to our tour bus. We all felt we were lucky to have him as our tour guide. The pace of the tour was just right to give us time at each site and in each town we stayed. When a storm warning derailed our outdoor plans on one day, Lee scheduled alternative activities, which were paid for by the tour operator! I would highly recommend Irish Experience Tours for your trip to Ireland, especially if you can get Lee as your tour guide😊
  Show more
  
  Trip date: September 2024
• CS

  Cynthia

  · September 23rd, 2024
  We thoroughly enjoyed our tour! Austin, our driver/tour guide, was very kind and thoughtful. He went out of his way to ensure that we were well taken care of.
  Trip date: September 2024
• BG

  Betty

  · September 23rd, 2024
  Enjoyed the tour, we saw a lot of Ireland in a week. Some days a bit long on the bus.
  Trip date: September 2024
• HG

  Heather

  · September 10th, 2024
  As a person who read the reviews for this trip before booking, I am compelled to write a review for future trip goers. This was our first trip to Ireland and our first group tour. Overwhelmed by the logistics of planing a road trip through Ireland, we chose the 8 day Castle and Coast tour with Irish Experience Tours. Our guide, Anthony, met us at our departure point and the 13 of us were loaded into a 30ish seat bus. Plenty of space and Anthony made sure we were at a comfortable temperature. Throughout the trip, Anthony provided history, stories, practical details, music, chocolate and beer. No bathroom on the bus (who wants that smell) there were frequent enough stops for breaks - toilets and/or coffee. Often these stops were combined with beautiful scenery and ample photo opportunities. We opted for the B&B lodging wanting an authentic Irish town experience and they were all perfectly fine. The Irish seem to prefer very firm beds and pillows, and do not expect AC. Most places provided fan. They all had hair dryers, but they will not be in the bathroom - check the desk drawer. The provided breakfasts were good and varied. My favorite was starting the day with Baileys Irish Cream porridge. The one disappointment was the Castle hotel option, while a fine hotel it did not feel like a castle experience. Anthony provided many suggestions as we went into each town and even organized a group dinner for the 14 of us one evening. The trip spent nights in Westport, Clifden, Lahinch, Dingle and Killarney. We were given different options for activities in Westport and Dingle. Anthony provided assistance and rides when necessary. There was also an option to go to Inishmore instead of Galway one day.
  Show more
  Trip date: September 2024
• NZ

  Nancy

  · August 14th, 2024
  Our tour guide, Lee, was excellent!!!!
  Trip date: August 2024
• GR

  Gloria

  · August 3rd, 2024
  Overall the Tour was very good. I really liked the small group atmosphere. I've done large group tours and this was way better. The pacing was good; the B&B choices good; the attractions/sites visited good. Ireland is such a beautiful Country and I really like the emphasis on cleanliness, recycling, eco-consciousness. But... I do have some comments re our Tour Guide (Kieran). His demeanor is perfunctory where on the 1 day we had a different Guide (Anthony) we could see that he has more humor/enthusiasm. I don't like bad-mouthing someone, but there it is. Also... 1. Kieran made a point of inviting the group to a certain pub for supper. I actually thought this was to be a kind of Thank You or unexpected Treat from the Tour Company. Not. It was awkward, especially as we've had other tours do a special surprise treat. In future, it should be made clear that while "mandatory" we were to pay for our own drinks/meals. 2. It would have been easy for our Guide to have a printed list of suggested pubs/eateries in each place vice just rattling off a list of unfamiliar names (and expect us to hear and retain.) Just seemed a little too "by the way..." 3. I made a point of mentioning some Irish singers that I already knew and liked (Mary Black, Maura O'Connell). Our Guide did play some music, but there are long stretches of gorgeous scenery that would have been perfect for music--assuming there was buy-in by the group. 4. Admittedly there was some consternation at the Point A Hotel as one couple did not show up. But it would have been very nice to have the Guide have our small group introduce themselves and say something about where they were from, any interesting tidbits they would want to share, etc. Of course, eventually our small group did form friendships but it would have been a warm touch for the Guide to have initiated the relationship building. So... Basically he did his job but there could have been more fun and warmth and enthusiasm.
  Show more
  

  Irish Experience Tours commented on this review

  We are delighted that you had a great trip but in my opinion, your views on Kieran are misleading. Kieran is a mild-mannered man by nature and isn't as bubbly as some of our guides. Kieran is super organised, calm and very attentive to his clients.... Show more
  Trip date: July 2024
• 

  Lizani

  · July 29th, 2024
  The tour was great! The bus was comfortable and the tour wasn't rushed. Kieran was an excellent bus driver and guide with a lot of knowledge. The accommodation was great in each town, close enough to walk everywhere.
  
  Trip date: July 2024
• 

  Gary

  · July 25th, 2024
  Another wonderful trip. Anthony is an excellent guide and knowledgeable about the history of Ireland. We will be booking another trip next summer. Lee was an excellent tour guide. Accommodations were as good as I have ever stayed in. Already ? ng forward to traveling with Castles and Coast group. Thx for great trip. Gary and Suzie.
  Show more
  
  Trip date: July 2024
• RH

  Rebecca

  · July 10th, 2024
  I cannot recommend this tour group. Ireland is beautiful and my tour mates were fantastic, which salvaged this trip for me. Working with this tour company, however, was not a good experience. Due to their scheduling issues, another solo traveler and I were switched from one group to another on the first day without explanation or warning. The first hotel I was dropped at did not have a reservation for me. I had no way to contact the tour guide and the tour company was closed (it was a Sunday). The hotel gave me a room but said I would be charged. (The next day, thankfully, they worked things out because I was not charged.) Later, on that second day and with the new group, we stopped for lunch. I asked the tour guide, Anthony, about the itinerary, and he was so horrible to me that I skipped lunch and took a walk so I could cry alone. Instead of answering my question, he told me to check the itinerary that was emailed to me ( I never received an email), then he told me I didn't know how to use my phone and to give it to him so he could find it. I was alone on the van with him, and he was standing over me and yelling at me. As a solo female traveler, I was very uncomfortable and not sure I was safe. I got off the van asap. I took a walk and cried. From that point on I moved to the back of the van and had as little to do with Anthony as possible for the remainder of the trip. Other solo female travelers on this trip said they had similar bad experiences with Anthony. The females whose husbands were present didn't report being treated badly by him. Due to the tour guide's poor treatment of me and the company's lack of communication, without explanation or apology, I highly recommend booking with a different tour group. I'm sure the company will respond to this with a weak explanation and possibly an apology, but frankly it's too little too late. Whatever their response may be, it won't change what I experienced and it won't change my recommendation that you not book with this company but look elsewhere for a good group tour of Ireland.
  Show more
  Trip date: June 2024
• BB

  Beverly

  · June 21st, 2024
  The tour was wonderful!! I loved the variety of places that we visited, and it gave me a truly Irish Experience! By having a driver and tour guide, I was able to relax and take in all of the beautiful scenery.
  Trip date: June 2024