Glorious Galway Apartment

Guest: Robin (Santa Barbara)
Date of Stay: 03/13/11 Review Submitted: 06/04/11

My husband and I stayed at this fabulous place while visiting our daughter. It exceeded our expectations in just about every way. We LOVED the interesting (and certainly European floor plan) and it was warm and cozy and in good taste (no dusty rose placemats). Our hostess was a sweetheart....from picking us up at the bus station in the rain to allowing us to stay an extra night. And, LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION! Really great to be out of the busy part of Galway and within walking distance of everything...we felt like locals (and ate and drank like locals, too!). Our hostess gave great activity and restaurant recommendations...all spot on. We fell in love with Ireland and our stellar week in Galway was all part of the experience. Yes, we will go back.

Recommended for:Tourists without a car, sightseeing, girls getaway, families with teenagers.

Can we stay there forever..

Guest: Kristina (CT, USA)
Date of Stay: 12/22/10 Review Submitted: 02/11/11

Our family stayed at the Crescent over the holidays and we can't say enough how much we loved it!! The apartment was perfect for our family (2 adults & 2 kids: ages 11 & 13) and had everything we could possibly need. The location was just perfect- we walked into town everyday. When we arrived at the apartment, we had a beautiful welcome basket waiting for us, they even had a Christmas tree set up for us with a box of decorations to use. The beds were so wonderful, the rooms very spacious, we loved hanging out in the living room with the fireplace going. Was wonderful having 2 bathrooms (great size and location) and the kitchen was huge and well stocked with everything you could need. Did I tell you how much we loved this place!! The owners were simply amazing and really went out of their way to make our stay just perfect.. they were gracious and flexible with our late arrival due to airport closings and flight/snow delays. We had rented a car but you really don't need it around the city because you're so close to everything. We're actually moving to the area soon and our family loved the location so much, we're looking to live in that part of town and are recommending this place to all our friends and family when they come to visit us! Two fun places to check out and eat nearby: Mustard Restaurant in The Bridge Mills, in Galway City on the banks of the River Corrib. Great place- burgers are to die for as is the desserts! The other place is Couch Potatoes off of market street. A simple, casual but fun place that serves huge baked potatoes in every possible way and has wonderful desserts, too (try the lumpy bumpy cake and a slice of bannoffi pie). We highly recommend the Crescent, not only did we love it but our Irish friends couldn't stop raving what a beautiful place it is! Did I mention how much we loved it?

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, tourists without a car, sightseeing, girls getaway, families with young children, families with teenagers.

Loved it!

Guest: Ed (Seal Beach, CA)
Date of Stay: 10/26/10 Review Submitted: 11/06/10

It is with a heavy heart that I sit down to write this note. I have just completed my second stay at this spot, and am hesitant to give my honest observations to you, gentle reader, for selfish and personal reasons. I simply don't want to have to compete with any of you for a reservation there the next time I visit Galway. Certainly, one man's ceiling is another man's floor (I read the review from Tampa above). However, the qualities that they found difficult we found charming. In fact, I'm really not sure how I could disagree with them more... Liz will help you find the flat. I suggest you give her a call prior. Even though I had gotten a chip for Ireland for my GPS, the address is not in the software for some reason. Oh, well, overall GPS was a life-saver in Ireland! And I've navigated it both ways. The apartment is in a lovely residential neighborhood just a 10-minute walk from Quay Street and most everything you'll want to see. People I talked to in town were always amazed at the location, "You're staying in the Crescent? I didn't know anything was available in the Crescent! How did you find it? I slept in the front, street facing bedroom both stays and yes, you can hear the whoosh-swoosh as the cars go by. It never bothered my sleep for an instant. If you are older or physically unable to get about the stairs might be an issue; I'm 58. The staircases themselves are ample and easily navigated. Bottom is office space, and the apartment is the top floor. It is a great space. I've stayed at a lot of VRBO locations; this will not disappoint. I've roasted a chicken and pan sauteed lamb chops in the kitchen; you can prepare almost anything. Washer-dryer and dishwasher in the kitchen. The beds are so comfortable, and the bedrooms have privacy as they aren't next to each other. I slept with the window open and only used one of the comforters. The living room has a working fireplace (open hearth). Get supplies from the great nearby market. We watched the HD TV and printed our boarding passes on the Wi Fi. Take the parking! Worth the money. As I writeI miss the roiling Corrib River. Take a walking tour! Visit the Aran Islands, even in the rain! Liz, with her incredible energy and wit was a great hostess. What a welcome basket! If you are looking for a pasteurized experience, stay at Jurys. If a quirky, wonderful Irish journey is in your future you will do well to stay at this lovely apartment (great value for the money) in the Crescent.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, age 55+, families with young children.

Convenient and clean, but...

Guest: Tampa Traveller (Tampa, FL)
Date of Stay: 05/22/10 Review Submitted: 06/02/10

Four of us spent a week in Galway at this apartment which is well positioned for walking to all Galway City has to offer. There are a few things to consider when staying here: the apartment is on the third floor so all luggage must be carried up narrow stairways; one bedroom is on the front of the apartment and there is much noisy traffic. The two bathrooms are halfway downstairs and can be difficult at night. There was construction all aound us the week we were there which made for even more noise and the parking situation is horrible. The apartment is bright and clean though the living area has seating for only 3 people. The kitchen is large and well-equipped. Fortunately, we were out enjoying the sights of the area most of the time so everything was OK. The apartment was difficult to locate because there is no number on the door or front of the place. The city of Galway is a great place to explore and has several top-notch restaurants and food shops. Of particular note are Cava and Ard Bia and Sherridan's Cheese Shop. Take the ferry to the Aran Islands and do some driving in the countryside particularly Counties Galway, Clare and Mayo. Beautiful.

Owner response:June 4th 2010 Dear Cathy, just a short note to tell you we enjoyed our stay at the Devon Place apartment in Galway. It was a really good base for our excursions. Thank you for all your help and recommendations, including tea at Ashford Castle, which was a highlight of the trip. And thanks especially to Liz for her enthusiastic assistance and swell recommendations. Da Roberta restaurant in Salthill and Cava on Dominick Street were memorable, as well as our walk on the Prom. With best wishes. Yes, and thank you to our guests from Tampa, Florida. Sorry about the stairway, but we work hard to ensure our guests are fully aware of this before they reserve the apartment. - so it was a surprise to read about this. To our future guests - yes, we have just finished a rebuild of our lovely Coach House, which is to the rere at the edge of the carpark. Unfortunately, our builders broke loose (!) and desperately needed some space to deposit some building rubble - upsetting for us too. However, there was plenty of safe parking space left over. It is all back to normal now. And our lovely Hall Door was being repainted that week, as there was very clement weather. The brassware was temporarily removed to facilitate this, but is all back on again. We are so sorry this offended our Tampa guests. The bathrooms are an integral part of the apartment, and we've found that because they are a small flight of stairs away from the Living Room and Kitchen room, that that is a nce thing. Yes, we've taken note of our 3-seater recliner not being enough cosy seating, and have popped in a extra comfortable deep sofa. Thank you, and we always look forward to considering all improvements. Looking after you is our business, :).

Recommended for:Sightseeing.