Superb. Outstanding. Even perfect. The space is just grand, and beyond that, bobby's warm greeting and such attention to details and amenities were where it all began. On Bobby's suggestion, we headed in to town and opted for Lydon's for dinner. The food was fantastic, and after my requisite Guinness, I had a local Connaught Pale Ale, which was really, really excellent. As the dinner hour slowed, we found ourselves at the bar chatting with some staff about Ireland, the US, life in general, history, castles, the Abbey, etc. What a fine bunch of people. We strolled through Cong in the dark of night, taking in the quiet, the river, the peace, and the Abbey in the dark.
We slept deeply in a very comfortable bed, but at sunrise, I just had to get up and have coffee on the balcony. It was so very quiet, and so calm. Bobby headed out to get the car repaired, but stopped to offer a warm good morning and to assure that all went well. Really, there was nothing Bobby and Brenda could have done better. We walked down the road to the Lodge and walked about the grounds a bit, then in to Cong for more wandering around the abbey. An absolutely magical spot, with lovely trails, a magical river, and ancient ruins. We were heading for the Connemarra national Park, and had planned to leave earlier, but Cong was just too breathtaking to leave. We sought food at Butler & Byrne (GREAT Irish pastrami sandwich) and enjoyed yet another lovely conversation with the women there.
Cheers to booby and Brenda. They do it all brilliantly!
Steve & Jen
Vermont, US