Adventures by Disney – Emerald Isle – Part 9

Emerald Isle – Day 6 – Ring around the Kenmare – Continued

Storming the Castle

As we pulled up to Dromoland Castle and saw several members of the castle staff standing in formation outside to greet us, it was obvious we were going to be staying in a place that is beyond extraordinary.

There is a lot of history here. They believe the first structures on property were built in the 15th or 16th century including a tower house. Over time there were as many as three different houses on the site occupied by local Gaelic families; the Obriens and the Mclnermys.

The castle is now owned by an American and has been turned into a luxury resort, spa and golf course. President George W. Bush stayed here in 2004 to attend the EU-US summit that was held at the castle.

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A reception was waiting for us when we arrived. Staff was on hand to serve us a beverage and provide an official welcome. We were escorted to the lobby to obtain our room keys, settle in and freshen up before dinner that night.

Chris and I had a short walk to our room and once we got in we discovered the first drawback of castle life.

Luckily we do have plumbing and running water” whew!

But unfortunately – No air-conditioning. And the position of the windows in the room faced a small courtyard that wasn’t getting much air coming in naturally through the open windows. Those of you who know me have already had that “oh boy.. that’s not good” thought flashing through your mind – for those who don’t know me all that well, since I was a kid I seem to have a personal, built in space heater making any 80 degree day simply uncomfortable. A ceiling fan in the middle of winter is not uncommon.

I went to the front desk and asked about the possibility of moving rooms and I was very open to a paid upgrade if one was available. The gal at the front desk was more then accommodating and placed us in a room in one of the newer wings with a nice view of the main building.

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Not all rooms are alike, which is refreshing and unique. We loved the décor here in 229. The sitting area was a nice touch and the bathrooms were spacious featuring a double sink and separate bath and shower.

I also asked about the different room categories there and while there wasn’t too much in terms of availability due to large wedding party checking in, she was kind enough to show me around. The most impressive I was able to see was room 501 in the main tower – and it has got to be a bell services nightmare.

There are no lifts in the tower and the only way to reach it is via a very narrow winding staircase, 3 floors up. It’s quite a hike but once you get there it is very impressive. The only thing it was lacking was an abundance of windows which would have been needed on this very warm day. In that particular room you would get a a taste of how Rapunzel or Princess Fiona may have felt. I hope to go back someday during a little cooler time so I can try staying in the tower! I will be sure to bring a lot of tip money for the poor guy who carries the luggage up those steps.

I was told that usually the weather is not as nice as it has been the past few days, making air conditioning about as useful as an ice maker on a glacier. So if you visit just be prepared to ask for a fan if you are lucky enough to see the clear skies and warm weather we have been blessed with during this trip.

After we settled in, Chris and I walked around the grounds a bit to take in the beauty of the place. The ducks pretty much own the place. They get right of way as the golf carts roll through the grounds.

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Traditional Irish Night

Dinner and a show was on tap for the evening. We met in the lobby and boarded our coach for a 15 minute trip down the highway to the Corn Barn at Bunratty Castle. As we entered we were greeted by the ‘Fear an T’ (Irish for man of the house) and offered a welcome drink of Irish liqueur or Mead – or honey wine a favorite to the area.

The venue is cozy with large tables packed as close to each other as possible. Tip: if you think you might want to get up and move around during dinner, sit on the end. They served a four course meal including salad, choice of Irish stew, a veggie dish or salmon, boiled potatoes and apple pie for dessert.

Between courses and following dinner, Irish dancers and singers take the stage.

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After dinner we went back to the hotel to get some much needed rest to prepare for tomorrow and a visit to the great cliffs of Moher.

Missed an entry? Here’s the link to the entire Emerald Isle Blog to date!

MouseFanTravel President Beci Mahnken is a veteran of 4 Adventures By Disney trips, more then 50 cruises including 18 with Disney and countless Walt Disney World and Disneyland adventures. Read her blog on the London and Paris Adventure by Disney. Here is her blog on the Backstage Magic Adventure!

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