Tag Archives: hotel

Unforgettable Stay at an Irish Castle

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Repeat guests Sam, Judy, Colleen and Don enjoyed a night at Dromoland Castle in County Clare at the tail end of their recent tour in Ireland, Sept 13 – 23, 2023. This was Don’s sixth tour with European Focus, Colleen’s seventh, Sam and Judy’s fourth.

Dromoland should be called “Dreamland,” because it’s so… yes. The estate was owned by the O’Brien family, and it was not burned during the Irish Revolution of the early 1900s because the family had good relations with the locals, whom they treated with respect. The estate has an 18-hole golf course, extensive woodlands, wonderful paths for walking, a large lake with free rowboats and a gorgeous, peaceful walled garden. Inside, at least three large fireplaces are kept going all day long, adding to the warm atmosphere punctuated by reds, browns and blues. Lush doesn’t begin to describe Dromoland.

I look forward to bringing many more guests to this special place in the future.

Images from our September 21, 2023 stay at Dromoland Castle

Good Night From Room 13 in Zum Baeren in Meersburg, Germany

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July 9 We love staying in traditional hotels in Germany. These are a disappearing breed, as the younger generation doesn’t seem to be interested in the hard work required to operate an historic inn and restaurant. Brutal hours, responsibility for an historic structure and not exceptional monetary compensation are reasons why these jewels are closing […]

Sleeping in a medieval castle above the Rhein River in Germany

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July 30 There’s no experience quite like spending the night in a castle high on a bluff above one of Europe’s prettiest river valleys. Recent guests of ours had this experience and for some, it was a repeat experience. Susan brought son Nick back for a second European Focus Private Tour and this time, four […]

From the Hotel Baeren in Meersburg

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Guests Bob and Betty wave to the passersby below their room at the Hotel Baeren in Meersburg, on the Bodensee in southern Germany. The Baeren was built in 1605 on foundations dating back to the 1250s. Room 23 is the best, and of course, that’s where Bob and Betty spent two nights in late September.

Weidenhausen Three Times as Old as America

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The hamlet of Weidenhausen celebrates its first mention in an official document (1309) with summerlong events all this year. Last night’s party at the festival tent was probably attended by all 495 residents plus many who came from around Germany for class reunions and at least two Americans. It was a night full of great […]

Hotel Raumland a Great Home Away from Home

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We’ve stayed two wonderful nights at the peaceful Hotel Raumland just outside of Bad Berleburg, in the Siegen-Wittgenstein area of central Germany. The hospitality here has been fantastic. We’ve eaten all of our meals here and each has been more special than the last. Starting with fresh asparagus with a schnitzel on our day of […]