Travels both intrepid and trepidatious, around the world and around the block

AROUND IRELAND BY B&B

by Kelly Monaghan

If it's been a while since you toured Ireland via the B&B route, you have a pleasant surprise in store -- menus!

The last time I visited Ireland, I could have sworn there was a law in force that mandated, under the severest penalties, that all B&B operators MUST serve a full Irish breakfast to all guests, every day, no exceptions.

Now a full Irish breakfast of eggs, bacon, sausages, and broiled tomato, accompanied by toast, butter, and jam is a wondrous thing. But 14 Irish breakfasts in a row can seem a bit much.

So I was gratified to see that every B&B I stayed at on a recent visit offered a choice of breakfast entrees. No two were alike, but the choice was always more that ample and I never felt stuck with a choice between that cornucopia of cholesterol and a bland alternative. Among the choices offered on the 12-day jaunt were scrambled eggs, poached eggs, omelets, piping hot organic porridge oats, or fresh fruit and yogurt. One establishment even offered smoked kippers! We were happy campers.

Ireland's network of B&Bs is well-established and a model of its kind. Here in the United States, the B&B has become something of a competitive event, with owners competing to have the largest old mansion, with the most over-the-top period decoration and the most lavish amenities. The prices match, of course, putting many if not most American B&Bs in the luxury category.

It's different in Ireland. Traditionally a B&B was a private home with an extra bedroom or two and staying there was much like staying with your Irish relatives. That's changed a bit over the years with most B&Bs looking a little more "professional." Many rooms are now advertised as "en suite," which is Brit-speak for having an adjoining bathroom -- no more trips down the hall to take a shower. And some of the establishments we stayed in were clearly purpose-built to be B&Bs, some of them with relatively upscale amenities.

But the effect is still much the same. You are clearly staying with a family who cares about you and your experience, both of their home and their country. On our trip, our hosts were uniformly delightful and, while quality and the minor details varied somewhat from place to place, the experience was everything I expected it to be.

That experience, I should add, is different from the typical lodging experience in the U.S. These are homes, after all, and Irish homes (and European standards in general) tend to be modest. Bathrooms, to cite the most obvious example, tend to be small, even minuscule. Shower stalls (bathtubs were an exception) will seem tiny to most Americans and the shower appartus in them will take some getting used to.

But whatever the perceived disadvantages may be, the compensating benefit is that you get a glimpse into how people actually live in a different part of the world and that, to my way of thinking, is a large part of why we travel.

Ireland was a pioneer in the voucher system that lets you pay a fixed, discounted, per-day cost for your lodging. Vouchers are exchanged for a night's lodging at the thousands of B&Bs that accept them (not all do). This means that you can pretty much travel as you please, choosing tomorrow's destination at your whim.

There are some exception to this rule, as you might expect. During the height of the summer season, lodging in popular tourist areas will be at a premium. We traveled over the August bank holiday, when many B&Bs in scenic areas were booked solid. I suspect (but can't prove) that some B&Bs in prime locations stop accepting vouchers during these times, betting that they can fill their rooms with full-paying customers.

If you find this the case, by all means take advantage of the booking services offered by the tourist offices that dot the country. Every modest-sized community seems to have one. They will let their experienced fingers do the walking through the B&B guidebooks for you. The four or five Euro fee is well worth the savings of time and aggravation.

Vouchers come in two flavors, Twin/Double and Single. The single vouchers are a bit less expensive and are intended (obviously) for the single traveler. However, we noted on our trip that using a Single voucher invariably placed the single traveler in a less desireable room. So if price isn't an overwhelming issue, singles might want to opt for the Double vouchers. (Home-based travel agents take note!)

Another tip worth passing along: Do one-nighters if you must, but we found it far more relaxing to stay at least two nights in any given B&B. Ireland is compact enough that you can tour in all directions from a central location and see something quite different each day -- and without driving vast distances.

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