On the Road with Reid 'Round Ireland: Bed, Breakfast, and Beyond (cont'd)

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The shamrock symbol of quality appears on all officially approved B&Bs, including this thatched hut named after the 1934 movie filmed here, "Man of Aran." It's a fanstastic getaway on the isle of Inishmor, famed for its thick wool sweaters, but be sure to request when booking that a rental bike be delivered for you; otherwise it's a five-mile walk (or €5 minibus ride, if you can bum one) back into the main town

Finding "The Right Sort" of B&B
First off, make sure your B&B has a little green-on-white shamrock symbol on it. This means it's been approved by the Bord Failte tourism authority (www.tourismireland.com)—not necessarily a sign it'll be anything special, but at least it passes the tests for a certain level of quality. If you're on a voucher system like we are, you'll get a catalogue of properties where you can use your vouchers.

One good way to find out more about a B&B in these catalogues is to cross reference it with a couple of good guidebooks, which often carry reviews of some of the better ones in each town or region. Also, try simply googling a B&B's name; you might end op with independent reviews, the B&B's own Web site (hopefully with lots of pictures), and the odd on-line journal by a fellow traveler who happened to stay there.

Otherwise, well, if you love the B&B you're in one night and the host seems on the ball, ask for recommendations. At Bank House in Sneem, Noel suggested a good B&B at the next town on our route, and I was glad to hear it was the same place I had already picked out myself—Walsh's, an eggplant-colored townhouse at the intersection of Dingle's two main roads with luxurious modern furnishings and amenities and a down-to-earth proprietor who had honeymooned on a Eurailpass (my kinda guy). Most B&B operators have a small network of favorite colleagues and properties in the neighboring towns that most folks continue on to, so you can fairly reliably work your way across the country that way.

Aside from that, here are the best resources for finding not only B&Bs, but also country homes, self-catering cottages if you want to home-base in a region for a week or so, farmhouses, and even historic or premier properties (you'd be surprised how often a few of those end up being amazingly affordable—or at least a reasonable splurge).

• Town and Country (www.townandcountry.ie) is one of the largest and most reputable B&B networks, and the one Sceptre Ireland and other packagers use (and, hence, the catalogue with which I traveled); covers both the Republic and Northern Ireland.
• Irish Farm Holidays (www.irishfarmholidays.com) limits itself to B&Bs on working farms—a lovely way to get to see the real Ireland, and usually a key to the best homemade breakfasts; for Northern Ireland check out the Northern Ireland Farm and Country Holidays Association (www.nischa.com).
• Hidden Ireland Guide (www.hiddenireland.com) collects together hotels and B&Bs that have some peculiar character to them or are of historic or architectural interest.
• Irish Cottages and Holiday Homes (www.irishcottageholidays.com) is your key to your own home in Ireland—albeit temporarily. If you want a self-catering (ie: you do your own washing and cooking) cottage or vacation home for a week or a month, check here first. Or for the North, contact the Northern Ireland Self-Catering Holidays Association (again at www.nischa.com).
• Ireland Hotels (www.irelandhotels.com) covers hotels in the Republic; the Northern Ireland Hotels Federation (www.nihf.co.uk) the same in the North.
• Premier Guesthouses (www.premierguesthouses.com) is just what it sounds like; stylish, with loads of personality, often pricey.
• Ireland's Blue Book (www.irelandsbluebook.com) covers fairly exclusive country houses, castles, and such, but a few are affordable.

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