My husband and I went to Cregg Castle for our 10th wedding anniversary in August of 2004. We were tremendously impressed with the experience. Cregg Castle offers a wonderful bit of Irish tranquility and hospitality. It also serves as an excellent base from which to explore Galway and the Aran Islands. The hosts are very kind and were very willing to share with us the family history of the castle and funny anecdotes by the fire. It is simply amazing at how Pat and Ann Marie have renovated the Castle over the past 10 years. The photo albums they shared show how run-down the castle was years ago and how they have painstakingly restored the building and grounds. We stayed two nights with them and were lucky to experience a great half-hour concert from Pat and Ann Marie every night as we relaxed by the fire. We enjoyed their music so much that we bought their CD for the trip home and have listened to it many times since. The highlight of our trip was being invited to go with Ann Marie one night to her local pub and listen to her play with some friends for several hours. There were about 4 other guests who came along and it was fun to get to know everyone while drinking some Guinness and listening to some very traditional Irish pub music. The pub was this small, out of the way place where the locals knew each other and joined in the singing. It was an experience that we'll never forget and truly made our trip memorable. What a real treat! We also enjoyed the Cregg Castle grounds and took a lovely walk in the woods with Magoo the dog. We felt like we were one of the family and we would definitely go back. If you want a true Irish experience, we highly recommend Cregg Castle.

I was underwhelmed by Cregg Castle. It really could have been so great, if only the owners put forth a little effort to welcome all their guests. We stayed two nights, with our three children and have to say that of all the places we stayed in Ireland during our two weeks, this was probably our least favorite. Definitely wouldnt bother coming here again. Not to say that it was terrible, but there was always the feeling that it could have been excellent, had the owners only tried. Maybe a little more care in the welcoming of guests, a brief tour of the grounds or house, an explanation of whether there would be live music that night... things of that nature. And speaking of music, on the one night they did play, while they were indeed talented and enjoyable to listen to, after about 12-15 minutes, they were done! I'm glad I didnt go upstairs to get my husband to come down to listen, or it would have been over before we returned! I was left with a feeling of dissatisfaction that the owners just really weren't all that interested in their business. As if they felt that there were enough tourists in the world that they didn't need to rely on repeat visitors. Ah well, a shame really.

We just returned from a three day stay at Cregg Castle. It was the last stop on a ten-day trip. For those who are creative, who love music and animals (they are a highlight of the experience) and who want a true castle experience without the pretense of some other places, this is the place to stay at least for a while. (For the person who wrote the negative review about not being on the Cliffs of Moher, I am glad we did not listen to you- I know which castle you were referring to. Cregg never claimed to be there- the other place did. Suggestion-Be careful before condemning others for personal confusion.)
The atmosphere is relaxed, the hosts played for us and we enjoyed other international guests. Cregg is not the Ritz, but it is wonderful in its own right.

My wife and I stayed at Cregg Castle for three nights in July 2004 as part of our honeymoon. We both travel frequently and have stayed at dozens of accommodations on four continents. Cregg Castle is without a doubt one of the top five places we've stayed at in the world. Ann Marie and Pat were gracious hosts, and their staff were wonderfully attentive to our needs. They all showed a genuine interest in us and our experience in County Galway. Our room was wonderfully quiet (thank you, thick castle walls!), the bed was very comfortable, and the room (we stayed in 5A) was decorated with beautiful old antique furniture. The smell of the warm peat fire in the Great Hall was enchanting, and it was nice to interact with the other guests there in the evening. A few suggestions if you are considering staying at Cregg Castle: (1) make sure you stay for more than one night -- especially if you want to hear Pat and Ann Marie play music in the Great Hall (they played two of the three nights we were there -- Pat had a gig down in Kilkenny one of the nights); (2) make sure you get a slice of the DELICIOUS brown bread they serve at breakfast (the breakfasts are superb); and (3) if you are a fussy tourist who expects the sterile corporate Hilton experience and everything planned out and on time in a depressingly anal way, stay the heck away, and maybe even reconsider coming to Ireland -- a country that is wonderfully spontaneous. Cregg Castle is the epitome of the REAL Ireland, not the fake Disneyland version. (We also have no idea what the negative review before us is talking about -- we walked extensively around the grounds of the castle, and didn't see trailer houses -- only trees, sheep and lovely walking paths. Maybe these folks got lost and stayed in a different place. Also, the website clearly mentions that the Cliffs of Moher are an attraction that you can *drive* to, which we did, using Ann Marie's directions.) Oh, and be prepared to be swept off your feet by the hospitality-dog-in-training Susie -- she is the cutest dog in the Irish Republic! Thank you, Pat, Ann Marie, Magoo and staff -- we hope to visit again.