Can we visit Cnoc Suain and walk the grounds and see the cottages?

No, the cottages and grounds are available to our self-catering cottage guests and cultural experience group participants only. Cnoc Suain is not a museum or a park.

My family/husband/wife/partner and I will be visiting the area. Can we book a visit?

Cnoc Suain is open as per the above, and our cultural experiences are privately booked and held events for groups via Tour Operators, Incentive, Special Interest, Academia etc. We do not take bookings from Independent Travellers. The Cnoc Suain Cultural Experiences are not daily, regular experiences where members of the public can join. A lot of time and effort goes into the preparation for each experience.

Do I need a car rental while staying at the cottage?

This will depend on how you plan to spend your time during your stay. If you wish to explore the area then a car is required. We are 4 miles from the nearest bus stop which is not a regular service. There is one local taxi driver and who may not always be available, and city taxis will only bring you to and from Galway city as they do not service local areas. Whether you decide to hire a car or not, all guests must be responsible for and arrange their own transportation.

Some guests who have not hired a car and instead arrived by taxi, have walked to and from Spiddal village which is 5 miles from the cottage - please be aware there is no path or hard shoulder on this road. You will need to have bought your groceries for your stay before you arrive if you don’t have your own car and we recommend doing so in the supermarket in Moycullen village (5 miles from the cottage) as Spiddal village has a limited selection.

We sometimes have guests who have hired bikes in Galway city for the duration of their stay - arriving, departing and exploring the area by bike. Please note you will need a certain level of fitness for this as most of the surrounding area is all hills with some steep inclines. We do not have bikes for hire at Cnoc Suain.

Can we stay for one night in the cottages?

No, we do not offer one night stays. This is partly due to the time and effort that goes into preparing the cottages for guests, but more importantly we believe you need more than a one night stay to experience what Cnoc Suain and the locality and surrounding area has to offer. Whether its complete switch off and relaxation or exploration and adventure, we recommend a minimum three night stay. As many guests who have only stayed two-nights have told us, they wished they had booked a longer stay.

Can my children/toddler/infant stay in the cottage?

No, the minimum age to stay in our cottages is 14 years of age. The terrain is not suitable for children.

Can my very well behaved dog stay in the cottage?

We love dogs but we do not allow any pets to stay due to the vast surrounding landscape, and to protect the wildlife, our own animals and our neighbours livestock. Guide and Service dogs are welcome.

Can we put a mattress/blow-up bed on the floor for extra guests?

No more than two guests permitted in An Nead one-bedroom cottage and no more than three guests permitted in An Sceach Gheal two-bedroom cottage. Blow-up mattresses/beds are not permitted.

Is breakfast included/is there a restaurant on the property?

Our cottage stays are self-catering only. We provide a welcome hamper for guests in each cottage of a sample of locally sourced breakfast foods. There is no restaurant onsite and no meals provided. There is a very good supermarket called ‘Supervalu’ in Moycullen village (10 minute drive from the cottage) which has a wide variety of groceries. Salt, pepper, Balsamic vinegar, organic cold pressed olive oil, coffee (French press/cafetiere), organic breakfast tea, organic herbal teas, brown & white sugar are all provided.

Can we cook/prepare meals? What is provided in the kitchen?

Yes there is a full kitchen in both cottages with all modern conveniences - oven, baking sheet, microwave, fridge/freezer, dishwasher, pots & pans, cooking utensils, delph, cutlery. There is also salt, pepper, organic cold-pressed olive oil, balsamic vinegar, aluminium foil, kitchen roll, bin liners, washing-up liquid, sponge, cloth, tea-towels.

Is the tap water safe to drink?

The tap water is safe to drink, however there is a water filter jug in each cottage.

Do we bring bed linen/towels?

We provide bed linens and towels including tea towels. Toilet rolls, shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, hand soap are also provided.

Can we do laundry?

Yes there is a communal laundry room situated in the ‘Lower Village’ next to the cottages which includes a washing machine, tumble dryer, laundry baskets, air dryers, and eco non-bio laundry powder.

Is there WIFI in the cottages?

There is no WIFI in the cottages as there is no signal in that area of the property. Guest 24-hour access WIFI is available in a communal building on our hill, a one-minute walk from the cottages. Please note there is no cell phone signal in the cottages (due to the thick walls) a coverage in limited on the grounds.