Ireland no longer value for money – so ‘shove it’
Why the surprise? Through a combination of greed and incompetence, Paddy is quickly pricing himself out of the tourism market. Value for money is extremely rare for a visitor to the Emerald Isle.
On arrival at Dublin airport a céad míle fáilte to rip-off Ireland awaits you. A traditional Irish breakfast will set you back €14.95. Should you want a (small) glass of orange juice to accompany your breakfast, well it will be an additional €3.50.
Any chance of a refill? “Dat ill be anudder tree uro fifty, mister.”
At the current exchange rate of $1.27 this translates to about $28 for breakfast, while waiting for a connection to Shannon.
I can get a full breakfast at my local in San Francisco, including as many juice refills as I wish, for about $10.
Recently I took my mother to a beautiful resort on the west coast of Ireland.
I called one of the two principal hotels there seeking two single rooms. On my first call I was quoted a rate of €119 and told this was for room only.
I chuckled away to myself at the stupidity. Ireland’s tourism industry is in the doldrums and hoteliers think they can get away with this? Shove it. Only three years ago, B&B at this hotel was €59 per night. I called the other hotel (slightly better standard, but a few minutes extra walk from the beach) and was quoted €70 B&B – acceptable, but probably about €10 too expensive, per person. I routinely stay at a Marriott 30 minutes from San Francisco (outdoor pool, 110 degrees fahrenheit in summer) and get a deluxe room including breakfast with discount vouchers for the bar, evening “wine tasting with hors d’œuvre’s” at a cost of $84 per night (none of this single room supplement or per person sharing nonsense that went out everywhere but Ireland years ago).
I spent a considerable part of my visit in Limerick.
While I thoroughly enjoy my mothers company, several evenings I took a taxi to a local hostelry travelling the same distance (two-and-a-half miles), with no variables, on each occasion.
No such thing as the meter being turned on and I was charged between €8 to €14.
I questioned the latter fare with the dispatcher (after the trip) and was told this should only have been €11.
On occasion on the return journey, I was asked what I was charged on the way out. When quoting the€8 trip, I was told “oh, you got a bargain dere”.
During a stay at a Dublin hotel I needed a taxi to Heuston Station. When I got into the car (from my attire, it was probably apparent that I was from out of town), I was asked if I was in a hurry, to which I replied in the negative.
I realised immediately, big mistake. We took a tour of Dublin south of the quays. The trip to the hotel the day before was €9 – the same trip with the ‘tour’: €14.
On the visit to Dublin I had lunch at a city centre bar. If I recall correctly, a cold meat salad cost €13.95 (acceptable – a few slices of turkey and ham with some lettuce and coleslaw).
What I do remember clearly is that if I wanted a side of chips, it would cost an additional €5 and a baked potato would cost the same.
I could go on with further examples of being ripped off, but you get my drift.
Ireland is no longer a value-for-money destination and this will not change until Paddy soaks his greasy paws in bleach. In the absence of family and good friends in Ireland, I wouldn’t bother visiting. In recent years I have taken to advising Americans whom I encounter with Irish travel plans to “tighten your belts, ‘cos they’d steal the skin off your ar.. ehh, bottom over there”.
Wake up people or you are going to kill the goose that has laid golden eggs for years.
Charles D Malone
Powell Street 509
San Francisco
California 94102
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