The Space
Wow! The Wild Atlantic Bus was an incredible experience. The bus itself is very spacious and spotlessly clean. Richard’s partner Helen had kindly prepared homemade brown bread, which was accompanied by butter, milk and eggs. There is ample room for storage of luggage and groceries. Attention to detail in terms of interior décor is outstanding, we were incessantly noticing quirky touches throughout our stay. The wood-burning stove, cushions, and blankets made the living area a very cozy space. Additionally, a good night’s sleep is guaranteed in the large, and comfortable beds in the upper saloon.
The Outdoor Space
Adjacent to the bus is a fabulous garden area with a picnic bench, beautiful plants and flowers, an open fire pit and an idyllic trellis. Unfortunately, we did not get to make use of this area due to persistent torrential rain for the entire duration of our stay, which was very disappointing, as the outdoor space really is spectacular.
Richard has installed an outdoor shower in an open shelter in the garden; upon arrival he encouraged us to utilize this unusual facility, and assured us that we had no neighbours, and that it was an exceptionally private location.
The Location
The bus is situated about a five minute’s drive from Oughterard village, and within walking distance of the shores of Lough Corrib, and a range of scenic walking trails.
Interaction with Host
On first greeting, Richard was very welcoming and friendly. He was helpful and forthcoming with recommendations, and information about the local area. Richard was inquisitive in regards to our itinerary, and the purpose of our travel. He concluded our initial encounter, with the instruction to contact him by text if needed. At this point, we did not anticipate any further interaction with Richard, as the bus was fully equipped with everything we could possibly need.
The following day, Richard’s partner, Helen, checked in with us at the bus, and advised us to text or call to their nearby home should we have any issues. We assured Helen that the bus was meeting our every need, and we were enjoying our stay. Later that evening, Richard made an unwarranted further call to the bus, for no apparent reason, while we were having our evening meal. In the early hours of the following morning, Richard visited us, yet again. This time, he raised an issue with the noise level from the bus. We were surprised by this given that the listing is advertised as an ‘entire house’ and house rules state that noise levels outside the bus should be minimized after midnight. Additionally, Richard stated that we had no neighbours, and his own home was a significant distance away from the bus. We complied with same, however, the fact alone that we were able to hear him approaching, and knocking on the door suggests that this was a fictitious excuse to check in on us again, and completely unnecessary given that he could have simply texted.
Overall, we felt that Richard was out of line in terms of invading our privacy for the duration our stay. This was such that we felt uncomfortable and infringed upon. As a group of three young professionals, who worked in frontline health and social services throughout the pandemic, it was bitterly disappointing that we felt our trip away was compromised by discrimination on the basis of our age. Given the price of the listing, we should have been treated with the same respect that previous guests describe.