Doolin House

I ended up here at the last minute when I needed a room in town for one night and had no other options. The room was okay and relatively clean, but it’s a basic, dated place with a shower and no breakfast or frills. I booked based on the Google reviews and rating, which I believe are out of date. Other reviews seem to suggest the ownership changed, though I don’t know for sure. Just know what to expect, because the older reviews didn’t match my experience.

The room was clean, but the stay felt neglectful and misleading, and the place seemed poorly maintained. Don’t trust the photos: they’re seven years old, from when it looked, and I imagine operated, more like a B&B. The maroon sign is gone, and if it’s still a B&B, that would mean “Bed and Bare-minimum.” We’d cycled from Dublin Port across Ireland on two bikes with panniers. I’d told the owner we’d arrive between 5 and 6pm, but the host wasn’t there when we arrived. I found him mowing at the back of the property, which made the interaction feel awkward, as though I were imposing rather than a guest. He showed us to a room at the back and pointed to some tatty decking by the bins as a place to leave our bikes. Stepping off the tarmac and through a tape-flecked patio door, I saw a double bed. Because things already felt awkward, I didn’t immediately ask whether it could be made into a twin. There was no eye contact or conversation about a TV remote, a plug for the bath, or even a bath mat. The bathroom door wouldn’t close or lock properly, the Wi-Fi didn’t reach our room, and we couldn’t get any heat from the radiator. A few minutes later I found the owner raking grass in the side field. I tried to explain that my 17 year old son was ill and we really needed two beds. I asked about a camp bed or blankets for the floor, but he didn’t listen. Instead, he insisted I should have booked a triple room for the two of us, which cost 1/3 more. It felt like he was suggesting I’d deliberately paid less and wanted more, even though I’d paid for a room for two people. I checked with Booking.com and had requested that the room be adapted to a twin three weeks earlier. The owner had accepted that request. Then an elderly couple arrived in the room next door, and things got worse. A tongue and groove wooden door was all that separated the rooms. Their loud TV and even louder conversation went on until 10pm and started again before 7am. At least I learned more about Irish news and Emmerdale. I would have moved us out in a heartbeat, but Doolin was fully booked in the middle of August and I had no choice.

Anne and Michael were warm, welcoming, and very kind. Our en-suite room was clean and spacious, with fast Wi-Fi, and there was free parking. It’s conveniently within walking distance of two pubs. The full Irish breakfast was great too. We had a lovely stay!

The rooms were spacious and impeccably clean, and the location is good, just a stone’s throw from the local pub. The hosts were very friendly, helpful, and knew the area well. Breakfast was a proper feed that kept me going all day.