Valentia House

We won't be going back. The shelves were covered in dust, there was hair in the shower tray, and the pillows had stains that looked like blood or something worse. We were also told off by the landlady for coming in at midnight on Christmas Eve, even though we were quiet on the stairs and careful not to disturb the other guests. I explained we were visiting family in Arklow town, but she still knocked on our door to say we were too loud. No chance we'd return.

The room was freezing, so I had to bring blankets in from the car. The beds in the twin room were tiny, more like children's beds, and the room itself was cramped and full of junk. There were three scent diffusers, and the bedding had been sprayed with Febreze, which made me cough. The setup felt like a fire hazard, with lots of extension cords daisy-chained together instead of enough sockets. The kettle barely worked because of loose wires. The toilet wouldn't flush properly, and the shower controls were reversed, with hot giving cold and vice versa. The bathroom was so cramped that the sink dug into my sides when I sat on the toilet, with my head practically in the shower. There was no proper door between the bathroom and bedroom, just a wooden shutter, and no bathroom fan. The TV remote was missing a button. This doesn't feel like a B&B anymore when breakfast costs extra. Toast or cereal was €5.50. Never come here.

Our host looked after us so well, she spoiled us, really. She couldn't do enough for her guests. Beautiful accommodation, and we'll be back soon. I'd highly recommend Valentia Lodge.

Deirdre was a lovely host. She showed us around the house, explained how everything worked, and gave us some really good restaurant recommendations.