Luxurious Retreat on the Wild Atlantic Way

Just returned from 8 days at Vaughan Cottage & I could not imagine a more perfect vacation home. We are 4 couples from the US celebrating friendship & 2 anniversaries. There was a living room & a huge kitchen where we could all be together, and comfortable bedrooms where we had privacy. Each with it's bathroom!

This home was spotlessly clean & beautifully decorated. The kitchen had everything we needed from pots & pans to wine glasses, we used the toaster & coffee maker every morning. There were cows with calves in the pasture next door that we enjoyed watching from the kitchen while eating breakfast.

Ballyvaughan is a great location in the Burren - easy to visit Doolin, Cliffs of Mohr, Galway, Limerick and even Dublin. Monk's restaurant in town had fantastic seafood & a beautiful view of Galway bay.

Rachel, the homeowner, was very attentive and helpful. She provided many tips & suggestions based on things that her own family enjoyed. She even helped us plan Easter Sunday Mass followed by traditional Irish coffee!

This was a vacation that we will never forget! Already planning to come back!

Our family truly enjoyed our stay in Vaughan Cottage. First of all, the home was just lovely and the setting was spectacular. The house itself was very well appointed for guests and completely ready to go when we arrived. We appreciated the level of comfort in the house from the beds to the living room furniture. Bedrooms were spacious and well furnished; bathrooms were huge and featured large tubs and showers. We also appreciated that everything in the house worked! There were spaces where we could all be together, and spaces where we could have privacy. We also loved the outdoor space at the cottage, and used it often. We held soccer games and Irish dance reels. Seemingly little things meant so much during our stay. For example, the owner provided beach towels. Coming from the US, most of us had not packed these.

The location of the house turned out to be perfect for us. The owner provided detailed information on the location and specific suggestions for local activities. We used many of them and found we could easily walk to the Art College and Newtown Castle across the road, get to a beautiful beach, and easily find our way to the pubs in Doolin. We could hike on The Burren for free and we could hire a guided walk with a local person just down the road, and we could get to historic sites within minutes. We could go places together and we could divide up into smaller groups and go on a variety of adventures.

The owner of the property was wonderful to work with. She responded within hours to every inquiry and was so helpful in making all our arrangements. She provided us with the name and contact information of a person who could bring in evening meals for us, and that worked out so well. When we arrived she contacted us to ensure that everything was in order and to let us know that if anything needed attending to, she would be able to arrange it.

Home provides plenty of space and is fully equipped for in home dining as well as close to some great restaurants. We were all very comfortable, and no one felt cramped or crowded. Very well located for visiting the many sights of the area.

We stayed at Vaughan Cottage for my entire four month sabbatical. We loved it. It is a welcoming house large, but homey. It is central to all things Co. Claire. About an hour to the airport in Shannon, 20 minutes to the Cliffs of Moher, a skip to the coast, and Coole Park etc. We stayed during the winter and were comfy and warm all season, one of the harshest in recent memory. We used the fireplace almost daily.

I would recommend Vaughan Cottage to anyone visiting Ireland. There is room for several families or, just one (we did not use the second floor). Rachel is a wonderful landlord. She was very attentive. She is flexible, friendly and, most importantly, fair.

Ballyvaughan is a wonderful town to live in with the Chocolate Factory and the Ice Cream Parlor for treats and wonderful restaurants like Monks, and Tea Houses. The best part of the area are the outdoor options for hiking, ocean, biking etc. After four months, I can honestly say that Vaughan Cottage was, for my family, a home away from home.

The Vaughan Cottage was a dream come true. Rachel was so very accommodating, even helping us book a New Year's Eve dinner at one of the most popular spots in Ballyvaughan. The house was perfect; a home away from home with all the amenities. Close to lots of scenic destinations, especially the Burren and Cliffs of Moher. Definitely recommend this home!