Description: It had been an exhausting day; we arrived at Shannon Airport after an overnight flight and picked up our rental car (after much ado at the rental counter). I took the first turn behind the wheel, which was on the wrong side of the car, which needed to be driven on the wrong side of the road! Nevertheless, we made our first foray onto Irish roads and made it in one piece to the small but scenic town of Killorglin, County Kerry. We couldn’t wait to relax and unpack at our hotel to begin our long-awaiting Irish vacation.
We were immediately impressed by the grounds of the Grove Lodge. It is situated high on a riverbank, with a magnificent view of the Magillicuddy Reeks, the highest mountains in Ireland. The flowers on the patio and grounds were in full bloom. We were warmly greeted by the day manager and her daughter, who quickly made friends with our young girls. We had two rooms, each of which was small and clean but well furnished. Our room had a sliding door onto the patio. It turns out that we were the only guests for the 3 nights we stayed at the lodge. The next day, we met the owner, Delia Foley, a delightful and talkative woman. We were well fed at breakfast and even ventured to try the "black pudding." (I asked what exactly that was, given American pudding was a dessert; the answer was, "Well, it's a... pudding!" Turns out it was akin to black sausage guts - not too tasty!) Much to the girls' delight, the hotel was home to many pets, including a very friendly golden retriever and two kittens named Whiskey and Brandy! The town was about 1 mile away on a narrow, busy road and up a steep hill, so although it was advertised that guests could walk into town, we chose to drive there for dinner or shopping.
We found The Grove Lodge to be the perfect B&B for our family. If you’re looking for a location near both the Ring of Kerry and the Dingle Peninsula, Killorglin and the Grove Lodge are good choices.
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