Northern Ireland driving trip
Ireland | Sep 23 - Sep 30, 2024

P
Patti B.
Canada | Reviewed on Oct 07, 2024

Méadhbh was our travel specialist and she was fantastic. Despite the time change prior to our trip she was quick to respond to all of our questions. Especially after a last minute change in our travel dates. She was very thorough and provided us with so much information. This was only our second time using a tour company to plan our entire trip and we were very pleased with everything she booked. From Trevor who took us on a food tour in Belfast to Johnny who was our Black Cab tour driver and onto the Gobbins Cliff walk with a lovely young lady whose name I forget. We saw a lot in our 8 days in Northern Ireland and Méadhbh was always available to answer questions and help us out.
We really enjoyed Ballycastle and all to do in that area. We only had 1 day in Londonderry but had some great food. And Carlingford is worth the visit. Great pubs and awesome restaurants. Of course Belfast is so full of history, beautiful architecture, and wonderful pubs. An afternoon at Tollymore National Park is highly recommended. Just beautiful.
I would absolutely use Kimkim again for future travels.

Hotel Reviews
The Ebrington
DERRY/LONDONDERRY

The Ebrington is an absolutely beautiful hotel. Having the thermal experience was a great way to end our trip too. Much appreciated.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Walking distance to some great restaurants.
Staff
Everyone was very pleasant.
Cleanliness & Comfort
The Gibson Hotel
Dublin

The Gibson is a lovely hotel downtown. It was a little tricky figuring out the parking. And it’s a bit of a jaunt to check in. But very clean and comfortable.

Authenticity & Character
Location
We didn’t find too many dining options nearby and on a Sunday night there were many closed. It’s also a taxi or bus to many of the touristy areas such as Temple Bar.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Shalom B&B
Carlingford

Our host Jackie is such a kind and friendly lady. She even gave us a choice of rooms which was nice. A family run business and everyone was so friendly. A wonderful hot breakfast was a lovely touch.

Authenticity & Character
Location
10 minute talk to the main town area where there is a big selection of restaurants, pubs and shops.
Staff
Down to earth and friendly and helpful.
Cleanliness & Comfort
The warren Belfast
BELFAST

The Warren is a beautiful old building. It also has no elevator so 4 flights of stairs with luggage might be a challenge for some. The Wifi was not very good at all. It kept kicking us out. And the breakfast was a simple Continental. It was just ok. Parking is included which is great.

Authenticity & Character
A lovely old building. But we were on the 3rd floor with no elevator.
Location
Located near the University so the area caters to students. It was about a kilometre walk to get to downtown.
Staff
It’s a B & B so no one is on sight. We had an issue with our toilet (it’s an old building) so communication with the landlord took a bit.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Glass Island Luxury Boutique Guesthouse
Ballycastle

Glass Island is a beautiful stay. Our host Sharon was so lovely. Very pleasant and helpful. It’s a great location to town and one of the best breakfasts during our trip.

Authenticity & Character
It’s very modern but we felt very welcomed and comfortable.
Location
Walking distance to all of the pubs and restaurants. It is also close to a lot of the tourist attractions we visited.
Staff
Sharon is just a kind and attentive person. Made our stay so enjoyable.
Cleanliness & Comfort
An extremely clean room and bathroom.
Local specialist: Méadhbh Byrne
Méadhbh
Méadhbh Byrne
Local specialist in Ireland | Replied on Oct 29, 2024

Hi Patti,

Thank you so much for your lovely review. I really appreciate all the feedback and I'm glad you had such a lovely time. Thank you again for taking the time and I hope we can welcome you back to Ireland again in the future.

Kind Regards,
Méadhbh