Ireland Holiday Ripoff Mini-Rant

oceanclub

For once, we've decided to go away in Ireland for a weekend instead of abroad - West Cork to be exact - and I'm being put by both the insane prices being asked and the logistical difficulty of getting there by public transport.

To get from Dublin to a West Cork town takes at least 5 hours by public transport. On top of that, the Bus Eireann time tables are an exercise in over-complication for the sake of it. We used to have a railway there built by the Brits, but we ripped it up in the 60s, of course.

And when I checked B&B prices, the cheapest I can find is €76 a night. By comparison, the last time we stayed in London, we paid €100 for a 4-star hotel.

Feck.

P.

ejmaztec

You have to be patriotic and let the tourism bods skin you alive, because the foreign tourists stopped coming here in their droves years ago, and they have to practice on somebody.

spank_inferno

Is this a case of a "Rip off"?
to be honest more info is needed for us to tell.

From your signature your in dublin.
So to west cork in 5 hours isnt that bad,
If you prefer you can drive / rent your own car for the weekend and do it in
3-4 hours instead.

Is a €76 B&B a rip off?
Probably. But put up a link to the place, there may be reasons.
If a B&B is next door to Blarney castle and its August bank holiday and the place is pristine then yes the price may be justified on simple supply/demand.
If its a shack in the middle of nowhere then its a rip off.

There is value to be had in Ireland
My parents are currently in a 4 night trip from Donegal to Galway, 4 nights in very good hotels for less than €300 all in.

oceanclub

Well, I can't drive, so that rules renting a car out.

Just to be clear, the €76 was the cheapest of _all_ B&Bs for this particular town (Skibbereen) advertised on goireland.com and on tripadvisor.com, for the coming non-holiday weekend. If anyone knows of anything cheaper (that isn't Fawlty Towers-like), I'd love to know! (One B&B did advertise at €70, but when I rang them, suddenly wanted €99).

P.

brettmirl

oceanclub wrote: »

For once, we've decided to go away in Ireland for a weekend instead of abroad - West Cork to be exact - and I'm being put by both the insane prices being asked and the logistical difficulty of getting there by public transport.

To get from Dublin to a West Cork town takes at least 5 hours by public transport. On top of that, the Bus Eireann time tables are an exercise in over-complication for the sake of it. We used to have a railway there built by the Brits, but we ripped it up in the 60s, of course.

It's hardly rocket science!

You get the No. 8 Expressway bus from Busaras to Cork City and then the 237 which runs from cork City to Skibbereen.

Or you could have gotten the train to Cork, walked ten mins to the main bus station in Cork and gotten the bus onto Skibb from there. Irish Rail are offering €10 one way fares on their website at the moment on the Dublin-Cork line.

You can often get cheap Ryanair flights between Dublin/Cork too if you fancy doing that leg of the journey a bit quicker. I punched in some random dates onto the Ryanair website and fares came back as cheap as €8 one way including taxes.

danindublin

You can fly to cork for €3 with Ryanair (inc tax & charges - pay with visa debit)

QUALITY HOTEL &LEISURE CENTRE CLONAKILTY *** charges €69 pppn but I'm sure you could get cheaper

Ireland is not the only country that doesnt have great public transport outside of major cities, try getting anywhere in the states without a car . .. but i agree with your original point of it being too expensive but prices are coming down (but also allow that these places have no winter business and need to make as much as possible during the irish summer)

D

oceanclub

brettmirl wrote: »

It's hardly rocket science!

You get the No. 8 Expressway bus from Busaras to Cork City and then the 237 which runs from cork City to Skibbereen.

According to the Bus Eireann web site, the 237 doesn't run on Sundays; you need to take a 252.

Yes, according to Bus Eireann at Cork when I ring them, it's the 237 I need to take.

Yeah, you're right, it shouldn't be rocket science.

P.

brettmirl

oceanclub wrote: »

According to the Bus Eireann web site, the 237 doesn't run on Sundays; you need to take a 252.

Yes, according to Bus Eireann at Cork when I ring them, it's the 237 I need to take.

Yeah, you're right, it shouldn't be rocket science.

P.

It does run on a Sunday.

http://www.buseireann.ie/pdf/1247824632-237.pdf

The 252 runs to Killarney, but also serves Skibbereen.

whippet

I spent a weekend recently down that direction and found it superb and in no way over priced. B&B I think was about €35pp per night, i'm not 100% sure as it was the missus treating me.

As for taking 5 or so hours by public transport, your from dublin ... dublin airport to the south side can take over an hour by public transport. that is the nature of having to stop for other members of the public.

Last year I rented a cottage in Glengarriff in West cork and again found the place to be reasonable and perfect for a week away at home!!

ScouseMouse

WELCOME TO IRELAND

spank_inferno

I've come around to sympathising with the OP

I looked on DiscoverIreland at Skibbereen and my own town in wicklow and I'm quite dissapointed by the prices.

the average is €75 for a couple to spend the night and a fry the next day.

In what is essentialy someones gaff I didnt think they would be that dear, I figured €20 each max.

The tourist industry is currently moaning their heads off about what a bad year they are having so why not haggle with the B&B owner?
Surely they would rather say €50 in their pocket than an empty room

brettmirl

I've never found ANY deals on that Discover Ireland site. Much better to keep an eye for offers in the newspapers or just contact the hotels/B&Bs direct.

There are some great offers to be had out there at the moment, once you can avoid usual peak times like Bank Holiday weekends.

ejmaztec

spank_inferno wrote: »

I've come around to sympathising with the OP

I looked on DiscoverIreland at Skibbereen and my own town in wicklow and I'm quite dissapointed by the prices.

the average is €75 for a couple to spend the night and a fry the next day.

In what is essentialy someones gaff I didnt think they would be that dear, I figured €20 each max.

The tourist industry is currently moaning their heads off about what a bad year they are having so why not haggle with the B&B owner?
Surely they would rather say €50 in their pocket than an empty room

Unfortunately, some of these people think that their bungalow is akin to a five star Dublin hotel. In fact, with many hotels offering large discounts just to tick over in business, a lot of b&bs have priced themselves even more out of the market.

eth0_

oceanclub wrote: »

the last time we stayed in London, we paid €100 for a 4-star hotel.

.

Yeah, back when the euro was much stronger than sterling maybe - no way you'd get a decent hotel in London for 100 euro now..

mcaul

oceanclub wrote: »

By comparison, the last time we stayed in London, we paid €100 for a 4-star hotel.

P.

For comparison, 4 star hotel in Dublin city centre for saturday 1st august range from €119 - €249

4 star hotel central London for same night ranges from €135 (£115) up to €300 (€259)

the groutch

oceanclub wrote: »

And when I checked B&B prices, the cheapest I can find is €76 a night. By comparison, the last time we stayed in London, we paid €100 for a 4-star hotel.

P.

it's called economies of scale

kcb

oceanclub wrote: »

Well, I can't drive, so that rules renting a car out.

Just to be clear, the €76 was the cheapest of _all_ B&Bs for this particular town (Skibbereen) advertised on goireland.com and on tripadvisor.com, for the coming non-holiday weekend. If anyone knows of anything cheaper (that isn't Fawlty Towers-like), I'd love to know! (One B&B did advertise at €70, but when I rang them, suddenly wanted €99).

P.

That sounds like a lack of investigation to me!

I guarantee you could get a B&B for less than €76. I would not rely on the two websites you mentioned to find me a B&B in Skibb!

Harry.c

Hi All,
me new to here!

I wanted to stay in Kilkenny city and searched the net for a hotel on my own for a saturday night..

One quote I got 235 euro for one night for one person????!!!

other quote I got was 155 for oe night,

Is this a massive rip off or what, ,.

how can they justify thes rip off prices??

colrow

I travel around a bit and last time i used this place and got the clarion hotel at dublin airport for €59 http://www.booking.com

darc

Harry.c wrote: »

Hi All,
me new to here!
I wanted to stay in Kilkenny city and searched the net for a hotel on my own for a saturday night..
One quote I got 235 euro for one night for one person????!!!
other quote I got was 155 for oe night,
Is this a massive rip off or what, ,.
how can they justify thes rip off prices??

They can justify it because most of their rooms are full due to events or whatever or you're not checking all the alternatives.

e.g. single rooms on saturday 8th august can be had from €60 in a 3 start guesthouse up to €235 in 4 star hotel. Though many seem to be booked out.
http://hotels.kilkenny.ie/

Hard Shaw

Don't bother with B&Bs. I got a quality 4 star hotel in Sneem for 3 nights, B&B plus dinner for two on one night. Works out as €80 per night. This places has 91% on Tripadvisor as well. Supervalu deals, you have to be smart with your money.