Me and my husband had a beautiful stay at Margaret's and Patrick's Shamrock Cottage in the Black Valley. The cottage was as described, very spacious and clean. Absolutely great value for money and we appreciated the free Wifi as you cannot get a signal in the Valley.
We stayed in the Master bedroom which was comfortable and in the living room you can find some games, books and DVDs for entertainment. There were heater and blankets to keep you warm however I would advise to bring warm slipper and an extra sweater - the cottage is in the mountains so it can get a bit chilly :-) The surrounding is beautiful and wild and the animals on the farm will guarantee for some extra entertainment! There were two friendly dogs, two lovely donkeys, sheep, chicken and one night we even had a horse peacefully walking around the house like a watchdog.
Regarding the drive through the Gap so many have mentioned - yes it can be quite daunting even for me having driven many roads in Ireland - however it is stunningly beautiful and absolutely worth it. However what nobody has mentioned I think is that there a 2nd way out of the valley which brings you straight to Molls Gap. This is a more gentle but also scenic drive along a river. From Molls Gap you can easily go down to Killarney via the National Park or go to Kenmare and visit the beautiful Beara peninsula. Yes it might be a bit longer but just wanted to mention that there is an option. Most times we drove the longer way leaving the house around 11 am and took the road through Dunloe when we returned in the evening as it was more quiet. We did not meet a lot of traffic in general though due to the pandemic and only a few jaunting cars were on the road, more cars, people walking and cycling.
(I even found a 3rd way out of the Valley however I would not recommend it as it is quite rural and not for big cars and too much of a detour depending where you want to go.)
The hosts respected our privacy but they were quick to respond and we always felt they were easy to approach if needed. Covid-19 measures were taken with a hand sanitizer placed at the entrance, wipes and disinfection spray.
We had a wonderful time and hope to be back one day!