This B&B was a disappointment and not what I had expected from the description. The guest area of the house is in shocking disrepair with broken door knobs, latches tied with dishtowels to keep doors from jamming, light switches that short out when turned on, loose headboards, etc. The bathroom does not afford privacy as the windows have no curtains, and the opaque film stuck on the glass has an uncovered see-through strip on all sides an inch in diameter. This is made worse by the fact that the shower has no curtain and is not separated from the rest of the bathroom, the showerhead sprouting from the ceiling across from the toilet. The room was dusty with cobwebs stretched under the desk and hanging in clumps from the wires. The outside view was obstructed by an old shed with broken wooden chairs and pails of paint. The patio door opens out to a bench with rotting planks and rusting patio furniture.

The photographs of the description of Hemp House & Eco Lodge are quite misleading, and I am surprised by the other reviews. Perhaps there are better rooms – mine was quite bad, and I have photos of what I have described. The surrounding area is indeed beautiful (it’s Kenmare!), and the non-guest areas which the host, Aine, uses for herself such as the kitchen, living room and dining room are in great shape. Unfortunately, Aine is edgy and unreceptive to any negative comments about the B&B, referring to one set of guests as being “sniffy” (must have been the dust, I say), and on several occasions saying “this is an eco-lodge”.

My recommendation: if dirt and dilapidation is your idea of on eco-lodge, then this is the place for you. If not, pick another one. This one is neither comfortable nor pleasant.