I had read the reviews, but wanted to accomodate my son's desire to stay in a castle. We showed up about 1 1/2 hours later than I forecast in the conversation with Peig from my home in Texas. When she answered the door, she was quick to point out our tardiness and we were scolded like children. "After all," Peig said, "what if I, as owner of the B&B, didn't keep my schedule?" At this point, I was reminded of the reviews I had read before booking. But there is more to share.
Unlike most B&Bs, where breakfast is served between 7:30-10 o'clock, we were told that breakfast would be served @ 8:30. When Robert and I arrived, we were escorted to a table with English speaking visitors so we could "share conversation." More control than we were exposed to elsewhere, but our table mates were wonderful, so no complaint.
I had washed some underwear and socks, so inquired of a maid how to reach the clothesline clearly visible from the window in our room. With her answer, I proceeded to hang my tidy-whities out to dry and we soon left for the day, a day that would be marked by threatening clouds and heavy rain. When I returned to Carigeen, the clothing had disappeared from the clothesline, but I rediscovered all completely dry and folded on the windowsill in my room. "Great," I thought!" The next morning over breakfast, Peig approached me to say that they had taken the clothes down as rain approached and that I could find a laundromat in town if I needed to do up any additional clothing. Her comment struck me as a not-too-subtle suggestion not to use their clothesline again.
This all said, the Carrigeen Castle and Peig Butler will long be remembered for running a disciplined operation to achieve ends that Peig Butler had decided upon in the interests of her guests, her staff, and her home, which is what makes this B&B very unique. Don't let her brusk manner scare you off. The facility is imbeccably clean and well-maintained. The food is excellent and the service ("Will you boys being having coffee or tea this morning?") very professional.
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