If one of your bucket list trips is to tour Ireland, you might want to consider staying in some of the many excellent bed and breakfasts in Ireland.

When Art and I went last year, we had a wonderful trip, driving around the entire Emerald Isle. It did not disappoint. Most of our stays were at bed and breakfasts, and it was absolutely the right choice!

What Is a Bed and Breakfast?

The best way to describe a bed and breakfast in Ireland is, quite literally, booking a room in someone’s home. There may be a few exceptions, but it is often just a room. Sometimes, it feels like a bedroom in someone’s home; in other cases, there’s a more commercial feel. You may have the option of a room with an attached bathroom (an ensuite) or book a room in which you use a common bathroom shared with other guests or perhaps even the family in whose home you are staying.

As you would expect, breakfast is included with the accommodation; we’re talking about a homecooked breakfast. I will say, every breakfast we had provided way too much food, so I doubt you’ll go hungry! Typically the host will give you a time frame for breakfast and ask the day before when you will be there to eat.

How do Bed and Breakfasts and Hotels Differ?

Some of the B&Bs we stayed in seemed much more commercial as if the facilities were purpose-built. In other cases, they felt like homes, right down to the laughter of the family in the kitchen or the dulcet tones of a child practicing the piano.

Amenities at Bed and Breakfasts in Ireland

Although there won’t be a concierge as you might have in a hotel, we found most of our hosts were more than willing to help us with anything we needed, such as restaurant suggestions, directions to places of interest, and such. In some cases, they may also be able to provide you with a bit of historical information about the area.

 There won’t be a pool or a restaurant where you can eat at your leisure. Nor will there be hundreds of people staying at the B&B. The regulations state that a home bed and breakfast in Ireland must have at least two but no more than six guest bedrooms.

Arrival times

With a hotel, you can pretty much check in at any time of day. With B&Bs, you’re expected to check in between 3 PM and 6 PM. If you have special needs for your arrival time, you should make arrangements with the host ahead of time.

Room types

Reading the room description for each B&B will provide the information you need to select the appropriate room. You will find single rooms, rooms with twin beds, rooms with double beds, and even family rooms.

Prices

Like a hotel room, the cost of a bed and breakfast in Ireland will vary depending on when you are visiting, the type of room you choose, and the location. With the ability to book online, the price will be readily available and assist you in deciding where to stay and when to travel.

Services

Most hotels have a bell person or a cart to help you with your luggage. At B&Bs, you have to carry your own; just one more reason to pack light.

Parking

In some cities, you will find that neither hotels nor B&Bs have reserved parking. You will be on your own to find a place to park. Once again, you must read the bed and breakfast description to ensure available parking.

Bed and Breakfast Packages in Ireland

It is easy to find a tour package that includes B&Bs. From my days in the travel industry, I can recommend CIE Tours and Brendan Vacations.

I would imagine other similar tour companies provide packages to Ireland, but these are the two that I have used in the past with great success. Your package can be as basic as only B&B stays, a car and B&B stays, nights in hotels, or you can even include tours with your package.

How to book a Bed and Breakfast in Ireland

I know of two websites that allow you to book B&Bs, B and B Ireland, which we used for our Ireland road trip, and another that I cannot recommend. I don’t recommend the other because something just looked off on the home page, and when I clicked on one of the B&Bs, it took me to a website that had nothing to do with bed and breakfasts in Ireland. It could have been just a bad link, but it doesn’t look like the site is well-maintained. For that reason, I am not even providing the website’s name. Many B&Bs in Ireland also have their websites, so you might find some using a search engine.

Choosing a Bed and Breakfast

The B and B Ireland website lists many B&Bs throughout the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. If you are trying to decide where to stay along your drive, you might want to try using the B&B locator.

Before you decide on a B&B, carefully read the description and recent reviews, which will give you a good idea of what to expect during your stay. Reading the description is especially important if you have special needs.

Ensuite rooms

Just a warning, not all ensuite rooms are the same. We stayed in some B&Bs in which the bathrooms were quite spacious, and others were not much bigger than a closet. But as far as functionality goes, they all met the requirements.

Hosts

We found some of the hosts to be quite engaging. Others were entirely professional and business-like. One correlation we made was the more signs at the entryway (no smoking, no loud talking, etc.), the less friendly the hosts tended to be. In reality, only two of the ten B&Bs we stayed at were like that. Most of the hosts were engaging and caring and willing to share and provide any help they could.

Payment

Some B&Bs accept credit cards, and others do not. Again, check for this information before you book. You may receive vouchers for your stay if you purchase your package through a tour operator. That was the method we chose to use, and it worked pretty well for us. The tour operator will provide specific directions regarding booking your stay and providing the vouchers to the hosts.

When Should You Reserve Your Bed and Breakfast in Ireland?

If traveling during the peak tourist season, I suggest you pre-book your B&Bs. We traveled in the off-season (and travel was still slow due to COVID). None of the B&Bs we stayed in appeared to be fully booked. That said, the B and B Ireland site does recommend that you pre-book your stays in Dublin City and Dublin County ahead of your stay, as they are typically busy year-round.

If you feel lucky, you can call the B&B the night before and make reservations as you travel.

Getting to your Bed and Breakfast

One thing we found was that even though the B&B directory provided the townland, city, county, geo-coordinates, as well as directions, it wasn’t so easy to find them. The geo-coordinates used by the GPS in our vehicle did not match up with those in the directions. But, one thing we stumbled upon after our fourth night was that we could enter the postal code of the B&B into the GPS, and it would take us to the exact location. It was indeed a eureka moment!

Our Exceptional Bed and Breakfast Host

Most of our stays at the B&Bs were for only one night. We did stay two nights at the B&B in Dublin County. But, in County Cork, we stayed at Grey Gables Farmhouse for three nights.

Our host Janet Quin was exceptional. From the warm welcome upon our arrival to providing outstanding breakfasts, she stood head and shoulders above our other hosts. For instance, we asked her if she could direct us to a laundromat, and she offered to do some of our laundry.

Our room was large and so comfortable. The bathroom, although small (but undoubtedly adequate), had the best shower of any of the B&Bs in which we stayed.

A Cheery Start to Each Day

Janet puts her heart and soul into her B&B. Every morning, she would greet us dressed to the nines with a cheery hello and serve the most fantastic breakfasts. The breakfasts were different each of the three days we stayed. One day was French toast, and another was waffles. I think the first was a traditional Irish Breakfast. No matter what she served, there was plenty of it. It was truly a fantastic way to start each morning we stayed there. If you are going to County Cork, I highly recommend staying at Grey Gables Farmhouse.

Staying at Bed and Breakfasts while Touring Ireland

If a self-drive tour of Ireland is on your bucket list, I say go for it! You will not be disappointed. The driving part, although potentially hair-raising, is doable.

Staying at bed and breakfasts in Ireland allows you to experience authentic Irish hospitality. Whether using the Internet or a tour operator, booking B&Bs in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland is easily accomplished.

Ireland is a beautiful place, vibrant and lively. Deciding what to see and do each day will be your most challenging decision. I recommend you make a plan, but stay flexible; you might stumble upon things you don’t expect. Savor every moment of your time on the lovely Emerald Isle.

Have you stayed at a bed and breakfast in Ireland? Did you have any experiences that surpassed your expectations? I’d love to hear about them in the comment section below!