Testimonials
Leo en Andrea Opstal August 2018
In de periode van 4 augustus t/m 11 augustus 2018 hebben wij cottage nummer 1 van uw organisatie Donegal Thatched Cottages, Kincasslagh als uitvalbasis voor ons verblijf in County Donegal gehuurd. Dat is ons prima bevallen. Er staan een beperkt aantal cottages (10) in uw park en dat zorgt al voor rust. Daarbij komt dat de ligging van deze cottage zodanig is dat je een prachtig uitzicht hebt over de Atlantische oceaan. Een adembenemend uitzicht. Het omliggende landschap is prachtig. De traditionele cottage zelf ziet er met zijn rieten kap idyllisch uit en je waant je terug in de tijd. Het park is bereikbaar via een smalle weg en is gelegen in een prachtig stuk natuur. Je kunt er heerlijk wandelen en vissen. Conor, de vriendelijke eigenaar/beheerder wijst je graag de plekken aan. Er is geen parkwinkeltje maar, je kunt van alles kopen in de supermarkt van Dungloe, op slechts 15 minuten rijden met de auto. Wij hebben vanuit "onze" cottage uitstapjes gemaakt in de County Donegal, onder andere naar het eiland Tory. Dat op zich was al een avontuur. Conor wij hebben genoten van ons verblijf in uw park Donegal Thatched Cottages. Bedankt. Dit park is een echte aanrader. Tot een volgende keer. Leo en Andrea Opstal>
Vacation of a Lifetime
My sister, brother, sister in law & I went on our once in a lifetime vacation to Ireland. We were incredibly forturnate to find the Donegal Thatched Cottages on Cruit Island. What a fantastic setting! The cottage itself was roomy and had everything we needed. It was decorated very nicely but it felt very homey and comfy. While we were unable to get a seaview cottage, we could hear the ocean and could see the ocean after walking only a few steps. The views were absolutely breathtaking! Every day the ocean looked different and every day was more wonderful than the previous one. Because we had never been to Ireland, we didn't realize how far away everything was. We drove to Slingo, Anadare, Glenveagh National Park, Derry, and Giant's Causeway - each of these trips were longer drives than we had anticipated. For this reason, I would suggest that it isn't centrally located for sightseeing. It had great opportunities for hiking, though and it would be a wonderful to get away by yourself. Even though there are 10 cottages in the "complex" I never felt that there were lots of people around. We went to a nearby pub one evening for dinner and traditional Irish music and had a great time! I must say that the road from the pub to the cottage can be pretty intimidating (narrow & dark!!) - even as the designated (non-drinking) driver! Conor was a wonderful host and I can certainly recommend the Donegal Thatched Cottages to anyone without reservation!!! We had a wonderful time and I hope I can get back there again! ( USA )>
Fantastic Romantic Getaway
Myself and my girlfriend stayed for a long weekend in the beautiful Donegal Thatched Cottages this summer. We stayed in one of the cottages that is set right over the ocean. What a view! Conor was really helpful with his knowledge of the local area and we found the many walks all over Cruit was the highlight of our stay.There are so many all with spectacular sights to see. Paying for the turf was a great idea as we loved sitting round the open turf fire on the rocking chairs, toasting marshmallows and enjoying a glass of wine in the evening. We love golf and managed to play a game at the local golf club. Unfortunately we lost a couple of balls in the water at hole number 6! What a course. We went to a lovely local restaurant called Leo's Tavern (home of Clannad and Enya) and had a lovely bowl of Irish stew. Our stay was really romantic and the charm of the cottages and Cruit Island was exactly what we were looking for. We have booked to go again next year and we can't wait. ( England )>
Most Beautiful Place on Earth !
I've been to these thatched cottages many times and can't recommend them highly enough. Cruit Island is absolutely stunning, and the cottages couldn't be better located- perched on a height overlooking the pounding Atlantic and a perfect sandy beach, its a true retreat from the world. The cliff walks around the island are wonderful, and on the beaches you can collect all kinds of shellfish and wild samphire. Sometimes I go there to have a really quiet time, but often in the summer the whole family has a ball with all kinds of water activities. There's a perfectly safe sandy beach which is great for swimming etc- we just love it. ( Dublin )>
Wonderful Family Stay
Our family (2 parents, 2 grandparents, a 3.5 year old and an 8 month old) had a lovely 5 day stay. The location on Cruit Island is magical: the beaches are beautiful, the rocks are good for adventures and there are lots of trails to explore. It is great for families looking to spend quality time together in a secluded area. Provisions and restaurants are within a 15 minute drive in either direction off the island (hours limited during the off season). Day trips to the surrounding area are easily done (Glen Veagh National Park for example) but we ended up simply exploring the island and having picnics because the scenery was so beautiful. The cottage itself was perfect: clean, functional and welcoming. The floors are either tile or hardwood so we used a blanket or travel cot for the baby to play on. The turf fire was indeed a novelty! The owners are very helpful and went above and beyond to help with our requests. We would stay here again in a heartbeat and we will be recommending these wonderful cottages to all our friends when they travel to Ireland. ( Northern Ireland )>
A wonderful Place of Peace
We stayed the first time in Ireland and it was great. A friend of us recommended us the "Donegal Thatched Cottages", he stayed there every year, since he was a child. We enjoyed our holiday very much. Conor Ward and his wife are very friendly and they were very helpful all the time. The cottages are tastefully furnished and with a lot of atmosphere- you can feel "the spirit of Ireland". We loved the great fire place and the turf fire, the beds are all decorated with nice quilts. The beach is fine sanded and the coast is very beautiful. Our children (10 and 14 years old) loved to climb on the rocks. We have to thank the Ward's a lot- we did forget our passeports at the cottage and we did not noticed it....they go to a lot of trouble to contact us in Dublin and they found a way to bring us our passports!!! ( Germany )>
The Most Perfect Holiday Location ever
We chose one of these cottages to hopefully combine a getaway from it all holiday with some shore fishing. It was a complete success! The cottages are lovely and the location is superb! The fishing was even better than we had dared hope - standing on the pier next to the club house of Cruit Island Golf Club hauling out over 100 fish in 4 days is a memory that will always be with us. Tne surrounding countryside is magnificent and you can get anything you need in Dungloe which is only 15 mins away by car. We truly didn't want to come home and hope to return one day for a much longer stay! ( England )>
Vacances Inoubliables
Très bon accueil du propriétaire dans cet environnement pur et très très sauvage, venant de Toulouse nous avons adoré ! le cottage est rustique à l'intérieur donne la sensation de vivre tel un pêcheur mais quel charme ! Calfeutré au coin d'un petit feu de tourbe nous apprécions après une journée au grand air. Le vent y souffle beaucoup mais le soleil réchauffe assez pour apprécier des pique-niques en plein mois d'août juste en contre bas du cottage. Un petit phoque a pointé le bout de son nez un jour de mer d'huile alors que nous faisions du kayak de mer juste dans la baie derrière le cottage. A pied ou en footing jusqu'au golf est un vrai bonheur ! Nous recommandons ce cottage pour toutes les familles qui adorent le calme et la tranquillité, les plaisirs simples de la vie dans nature et un véritable contact avec la population locale est très touchant et facile. Un véhicule est indispensable et l'aéroport à peine à 15 min du cottage est une bonne une solution pour arriver plus vite car 4 h sont nécessaires de Dublin. Le site de Donegal Thatched cottages est idéal pour se faire une idée avant le départ, Conor Ward le propriétaire a pris le soin d'y indiquer de nombreux détails. Courez c'est excellent et on en rêve encore longtemps d'un tel lieu si plein de charme. ( France )>
A Perfect Honeymoon in a Magical Place
We got very excited about Donegal Thatched Cottages just from the photos on the website and the reality was beyond our very high hopes. All the positive descriptions in other reviews are true. So much in such a small and easy to walk or drive around area - the beautiful Atlantic at your door, Arranmore Island on one side, a mesmerising mountain panorama on the other including the extraordinary Errigal mountain with it's pale grey top usually in a cloud looking like something magical from Lord of the Rings, all of which changed colours as the sun rose and set, crystal clear water and more empty soft sandy beaches that you could ever need with fascinating weathered granite rock formations, mussel beds, rock pools full of life, heathery peatbogs and distinctive windswept grassy sanddunes. It was a struggle to put my camera away and concentrate on my new wife! A feast of the best that the Irish coast has to offer. The weather was great in our late August stay with mostly very sunny days when the beaches looked like a brochure for Thailand and the sunsets over the open sea were hypnotising, or wind and all the variety that makes Ireland what it is - being next to the Atlantic seemed to mean that rainy weather blew through and didn't hang around for long, and who cares when it makes glorious rainbows over your cottage and atmospheric skies and you can cosy up in front of your own peat fire. The cottage had great character and felt like Real Ireland as it should with enough mod cons to be functional and meet our needs while also feeling like a traditional farmhouse, which was crucial to its timeless charm. My grandparents and parents honeymooned in similar settings in Northern Ireland and coming from the outskirts of London was hoping to have a glimpse of what they experienced and got it in bucketfuls. It was a perfect place to relax and unwind after all the stress and fuss of a wedding and we hope to return again and again, dragging as many friends and relatives as we can along with us. I wanted to fill all the beds with people so they could enjoy it too - the cottages could accommodate a good crowd and I can't imagine anywhere more perfect for children to enjoy and explore safely. Donegal is beautiful beyond description and Cruit Island felt like the jewel in its crown for something very special and close to nature. The recently advertised reduction in prices make it a fantastic bargain for what you get to experience and Conor made us very welcome. ( UK )>
Donegal Thatched Cottages
We stayed here from May 30 through June 3. It is difficult to chose a favorite place in Ireland because there are so many. Donegal Thatched Cottages tops the list, however. The setting is fantastic, the accomodations perfect and the owner helpful, gracious and interesting. It is a perfect place to explore County Donegal. The nearby town of Dungloe was a delightful surprise filled with music and friendly people. Details are that the cottage was equipped with everything one could need, impeccably clean and provided an unmatched view of the Atlantic Ocean. This was most probably our last trip to Ireland so it was good to save the best for last. ( USA )>