Leen’s Bed and Breakfast, Killarney, Ireland

May 8, 2012

A Warm Welcome

Leen’s Bed and Breakfast in Killarney, Ireland was one of the nicest places I stayed during my trip through the British Isles. I arrived there at 9:30 AM by bus from Tralee in order to catch the 10 AM Ring of Kerry tour bus and the proprietors could not have been more accommodating. They gave me a warm welcome and allowed me to check in early so that I could freshen up and leave my main pack before setting out on the tour. I had arranged both the room and the tour bus the day before at the Tralee Tourist Office for a $7 booking fee. My accommodations at Leen’s Bed and Breakfast included a nice room with private bath and a wonderful full Irish Breakfast, all for $54, an excellent value for the price.

Leen's Bed and Breakfast, Killarney, Ireland — Leen’s Bed and Breakfast, Killarney, Ireland

A Great Location

Leen’s Bed and Breakfast is located in a nice, quiet residential area within easy walking distance of most of the major attractions in Killarney. There are four bedrooms available, including single, twin, double and triple accommodations and each room has an en suite bathroom. Each room also has television, wireless internet connectivity and tea and coffee tray. Leen’s can also accommodate groups at a reduced rate and as an added benefit for those traveling by rental car, private parking is available.

Bedroom at Leen's Bed and Breakfast, Killarney, Ireland — Bedroom at Leen’s Bed and Breakfast, Killarney, Ireland

All the Comforts of Home

My bedroom at Leen’s Bed and Breakfast was bright, clean, comfortable and modern and had all the comforts of home. It also had a nice window that looked out on the pleasant, peaceful surrounding neighborhood. The proprietor, Siobhan Leen, prepared a wonderful full Irish breakfast which I thoroughly enjoyed in the cheery breakfast room before heading off to catch the bus to Cork the next morning. Leen’s Bed and Breakfast had all the qualities I look for and more when considering a place to stay. It was clean, comfortable, safe, well located and operated by a friendly, helpful staff in addition to being a good value. I’m quite sure you will enjoy Leen’s Bed and Breakfast as much as I did on your next visit to Killarney, Ireland.

Breakfast Room at Leen's Bed and Breakfast — Breakfast Room at Leen’s Bed and Breakfast

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Winston Guest House, Inverness, Scotland

January 10, 2012

Winston Guest House, Inverness, Scotland

There are plenty of reasons to visit Inverness way up north in the Highlands of Scotland. Considered the capital of the Highlands, the city of Inverness is both picturesque and historic, not to mention full of friendly people. If that isn’t enough, Inverness is just 30 miles from the Cairngorms National Park and a short bus ride to Loch Ness and the splendid Urquhart Castle. No visit to Scotland would be complete without an expedition to Loch Ness for a day of Nessie spotting.

The Winston Guest House is a great place to stay during your visit to Inverness. Located right on the River Ness, it is just a short walk across the Ness Bridge from the main part of town where the train and bus stations are located. The River Ness flows through Inverness on its way from Loch Ness to the North Sea just eight miles away. Guests staying at the Winston Guest House can look across the River Ness for a great view of the Inverness Castle and just a short stroll down the Ness Walk along the river is the beautiful St. Andrew’s Cathedral.

The Winston Guest House is an elegant, beautifully appointed bed and breakfast establishment with 18 en-suite rooms, providing twin, double and family accommodations. Each room is equipped with a color television and tea/coffee hospitality tray. The common areas include a comfortable lounge and television room on the main floor. My room with private bath cost about $74 with breakfast included.

In addition to the excellent location and friendly staff, one of my favorite things about the Winston Guest House is the wonderful Scottish breakfast that is included. This hearty, traditional meal is served in the warm, cozy dining room that gives visitors the real feeling of being in the Scottish Highlands. The décor is certainly in keeping with Scottish tradition right down to the plaid carpeting!

The Winston Guest House met all of my criteria and more as an Awesome Accommodation and a great place to stay, including convenient location, friendly staff, value, excellent food, well-appointed room, and high standards of cleanliness and safety. I can highly recommend the Winston Guest House for your next visit to Inverness, Scotland. And since the first recorded sighting of the Loch Ness Monster was actually in the River Ness, guests can watch for Nessie right outside their windows!

Room with Private Bath, Winston Guest House

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Llys Llewelyn Guest House Next to the Old Town Walls

The Llys Llewelyn Guest House, Conwy, Wales

5 Comments / October 25, 2011

The Llys Llewelyn Guest House…An Awesome Accommodation

As the gateway to Snowdonia National Park, Conwy, Wales is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the British Isles. At certain times of the year finding accommodations there can be difficult without planning ahead and that is exactly the situation I found myself in when I stepped off the train early in the afternoon on a Wednesday in late May. After checking several ‘bed and breakfasts’ near the center of this historic, medieval town and finding them fully booked, someone suggested that I try the Llys Llewelyn Guest House just a few blocks up the hill in an area of Conwy appropriately called Mount Pleasant. It was located right next to the old town walls and afforded a spectacular view of the town, river and castle below.

One of My Favorite Sleeps!

From the moment I spotted the impressive edifice and walked up the front courtyard, I could see why this place was listed as a historic building. Roger Hughes was covering for his father that day and invited me in when I rang the bell. He had a room with private bath available for $48 including a traditional English breakfast. I was soon checking in to a large room that included two beds, a television, and a table with a fully stocked coffee and tea tray. The room was clean, cheery and welcoming and was appointed in what I would call ‘old fashioned’ décor. After unpacking and getting myself organized I was soon out the door and on my way to explore Conwy. I had only to step across the street to find an ancient stone stairway leading to the top of the old town walls where I began my walking tour of this quaint Welsh village.

Like Being in an Old British Movie

After a wonderful day of exploring Conwy and environs, which I described in my previous posting, I returned to the Llys Llewelyn Guest House around 9 PM exhausted and ready to sit down with a cup of tea. Even at this hour it was still light out way up there in the northern latitudes. I plopped myself down in the overstuffed chair by the window looking out at the estuary and the town below and watched the darkness settle in. As the lights in town came on one by one and the castle gradually faded into a mere silhouette in the shadows below I began to feel like I was in an old British movie. I could almost see Robert Donat and Madeleine Carroll coming up the walk (The 39 Steps) and half expected Dame May Whitty to knock on my door (The Lady Vanishes). OK, maybe I’m getting a little carried away, but you had to be there. It really was an entrancing feeling to be a part of this wonderful setting so far from home.

Dining Room at the Llys Llewelyn Guest House

Up Early for Breakfast

Alas, the knock never came on my door and after a good night’s sleep I was up early the next morning to catch the train to York, England. After packing, I went down to a charming dining room to find the owner, Alan Hughes, waiting to take my order. He prepared a delicious breakfast and then asked if I would mind if he pulled up a chair so we could chat. I was glad to have the company and enjoyed hearing him talk about the history of the area and how he came to be the proprietor of the guest house after retiring as a Welsh Olympic ski coach. He explained how he enjoyed meeting his guests who came from all over the world and that having an opportunity to get to know them was reward enough for his efforts as a good host. After breakfast we took a quick tour of the rest of the facility which has a number of large well-furnished bedrooms available, including family, twin and double, most with en-suite facilities. If you’re lucky enough to find yourself in Conwy, Wales I recommend Room #1 at the Llys Llewelyn Guest House, so you can sit in that chair by the window at the end of a busy day of sightseeing and watch the sun go down!

Alan Hughes, Proprietor, in the TV Lounge of the Guest House

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The Bellstone Hotel, Shrewsbury, England

October 9, 2011

The Bellstone Hotel in Shrewsbury, England…An Awesome Accommodation

The first several establishments that I tried after arriving rather late in the day in Shrewsbury, England were either fully booked or too expensive. One proprietor who had no vacancies was kind enough to point me in the direction of the Bellstone Hotel and in no time I was checking into a sparkling clean room with private bath for the equivalent of $98, including a full Shropshire breakfast. I soon found out that the hotel was brand new, having just recently opened and I apparently had the honor of being the first guest to occupy my room.

Located on a fairly quiet street in the center of town, the Bellstone is a stylish hotel with 12 well appointed en-suite rooms and a bar and bistro on the main floor. The staff members were extremely pleasant, friendly and welcoming and immediately made me feel right at home. After getting checked in and settled into my room, I was able to head out for a tour of the medieval town of Shrewsbury, armed with a map and a list of important sights to see provided by the hotel manager.

My room could not have been more comfortable…with a nice bed, desk, television and coffee and tea tray provided by the hotel. The bathroom was spacious and clean and there was a skylight that afforded an interesting view of a nearby clock tower. After my invigorating walk around Shrewsbury it felt good to get back to my room, get my shoes off and take a load off my feet. I gave in to my rapidly developing habit of sitting down with a cup of tea as I contemplated my day in this beautiful little walled medieval city.

Room at the Bellstone Hotel, Shrewsbury, England

After a good night’s sleep I had a wonderful breakfast the next morning. I discovered that breakfast in the British Isles is generally composed of eggs, hash brown potatoes, fried tomatoes and mushrooms, baked beans, ham or bacon (rashers in Ireland!), toast and tea or coffee. By this stage of my trip I had already learned to decline the black pudding, which is actually blood sausage! Breakfast in England is called a ‘full English breakfast’, in Ireland it is a ‘full Irish breakfast’, and in this case, since I was in the county of Shropshire, it was a ‘full Shropshire breakfast’, each one having its own slight variations. In any case, the breakfast at the Bellstone Hotel was delicious and after bidding farewell to my gracious hosts I was soon on my way to catch the train to Conwy, Wales. On your next trip to the British Isles you will not want to miss Shrewsbury, England and the Bellstone Hotel would be a perfect place to stay while you are there!

Shiny New Bathroom at the Bellstone Hotel, Shrewsbury, England

Full Shropshire Breakfast at the Bellstone Hotel, Shrewsbury, England — Full Shropshire Breakfast at the Bellstone Hotel

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Hotel Cinque Terre, Monterosso, Italy

February 19, 2011

Hotel Cinque Terre

On the morning of Wednesday, June 3, 2009 I left Genoa, Italy, hoping to get any early start on the Cinque Terre hike. The train packed with other tourists arrived at Monterosso, the first of the five villages on the Cinque Terre, at 10:30 AM and by 11:30 I had found a hotel, unpacked, prepared my day pack and hit the trail. After checking several overpriced hotels right on the beach, I headed up the street and a short block inland where I found the aptly named Hotel Cinque Terre. They had a very nice room available with private bath and a window looking out to their courtyard for the equivalent of about $98.00, which included breakfast. I consider this a good price for a great hotel at one of the premier destinations of the world! The members of the staff were very accommodating to let me check in at that hour of the morning and went out of their way to clean the room early so that it would be all ready for me. It was a great feeling to know that I could leave my pack in a safe place while I spent the rest of the day hiking the eight mile trail to the other villages and that I would have a nice hot shower and clean bed to return to at the end of the day.

An Awesome Accommodation!

The Hotel Cinque Terre, or Hotel ‘5’ Terre as they sometimes refer to it, has 54 rooms with private baths and a limited amount of car parking available. It is just a short walk to the beautiful, sandy beach of Monterosso on the Mediterranean Sea. The large lobby had the feel of a first class hotel, yet was warm and inviting. The front desk was manned by a friendly, helpful, multilingual staff who helped point me in the direction of the beginning of the trail. The Hotel Cinque Terre was very clean and well maintained and met all the standards I look for in accommodations while I travel, namely sanitation, safety, friendly staff, available breakfast, good location and good value. I must say, the breakfast the next morning was fabulous and I actually had to nudge myself to get back on the train heading for my next destination, Rome.

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Hotel Hermes, Marseille, France

1 Comment / January 31, 2011

Hotel Hermes, Marseille, France

It was by pure luck that I found this outstanding hotel in Marseille! When traveling by train, I usually try the hotels near the station, making it easy to catch the early train the following morning. More times than not, I find something available at a reasonable rate, but not this time. After checking several hotels near the station and not finding any that met my standards for one reason or another, I decided to look farther into town.

Location, Location Location

I took a wrong turn, though, and ended up down by the seaport docks in a ‘not so good’ part of the city and it was about 6 PM by this time! Quickly retracing my steps, I was soon heading down into the heart of Marseille. The first hotel I checked was the Hotel Hermes and they had a nice room with private bath for the equivalent of $70.00 (Fifty Euros). Breakfast was a little extra, but well worth it. The Hotel Hermes is right on the Vieux-Port, the main harbor of Marseille, and had a view across to Notre Dame de la Garde on the hill across the water. The location could not have been better and it was within walking distance of most of the main sights.

An Awesome Accommodation

The staff at the Hotel Hermes was friendly and helpful and I was able to use their computer to get on the internet and check my email at no additional charge. There was a terrace on the rooftop which looked out over the entire area and I ended my day enjoying the breathtaking nighttime view from that vantage point. If you are looking for a nice, reasonably priced hotel in Marseille with an excellent location, I recommend checking out the Hotel Hermes.