Joan was a gracious and attentive host, answering all emails in a very timely manner. We really enjoyed her apartment, especially the location - near the main pedestrian area of Galway, yet about a block away which allowed for peaceful sleeping at night.
The apartment was spacious enough for two people, and the bed was fairly comfortable. Some of the other pros:
A washer/dryer is a big benefit, as it allows travelers to pack a little lighter.
Joan left us a nice treat - which was greatly appreciated after a long journey.
The welcome package was really helpful!
A smart TV was nice, we logged in to Netflix in the evening to watch a few shows before going to bed.
Joan had the bathroom stocked with shampoo, conditioner and body wash - no need to pack our own.
Self check in was great, no need to wait for the host to show up. A gated entrance was great for a sense of security.
A couple of other things of note:
The hot water supply was a bit short - my daughter had a cold shower in the morning. Our solution was one of us had to take a shower in the evening vs morning. This seems to be a fairly common occurrence in Europe where hot water tanks tend to be small. Still, it would have been nice for both of us to have a hot shower in the morning.
While the welcome package was helpful, it would have been nice if it included instructions for some of the things within the apartment, such as how to operate the washer and dryer, details on TV operation, and some instruction on closing the blinds on the sky light window (we never did figure that out!).
Overall, I would highly recommend this apartment to Galway travelers. The location could not be beat, the host was wonderful, and our overall stay was wonderful!