As tourists from the US, our group of eight was very excited about staying in Wicklow outside of the major cities. Karen was very accommodating from the start in responding promptly and making us feel welcome! The house was very clean and there was lots of useful seating and spaces for socializing with friends. The beds were extremely comfortable and well furnished. Wicklow is a friendly town for those who are a little nervous about traveling to another country. With a grocery store, shops, and beautiful gardens within a mile of the property, we had plenty of things to do! The home also had a stunning view from top of the hill.
As for the honest part of the review, we did feel there were some aspects of the home that needed improvement regarding amenities and accuracy of the amenities listed online.
When we arrived, we immediately faced challenges regarding the appliances. We are aware that there is a learning curve for working appliances we are not used to in the US; however, it was a bit more complicated than we imagined. The dryer didn’t work most of the time we were there, which was an inconvenience. It stopped frequently mid cycle despite our best efforts to empty filters and the reservoir. We eventually gave up on using it.
Regarding smaller issues, there was a broken knob that kept one of our group members from shutting their bedroom door for privacy. The fire alarm in the downstairs bathroom also went off twice in one night while nobody was using it.
Make sure to read the fine print regarding the sauna, as you are charged extra for using it. The lightbulb was out inside of it and appeared to have some form of exposed insulation, which was a little unsettling. We skipped using this amenity. The jacuzzi tub jets didn’t work either. Showers for a group our size was also a challenge and the water was barely warm. Karen’s husband came to fix the knob and dryer the second night of our stay. While he was extremely friendly, he left without resolving those issues. All of this to say that while it wasn’t the end of the world, it was inconvenient.
I think the upkeep of this property is lacking a bit, but the people who own it are very friendly. We had a mostly pleasant stay and made so many memories! I look forward to returning to Wicklow in the future.