2015 Testimonials

Nancy Doss, IL, Custom Chauffeur Driven, Ireland, October 2015

I just wanted to let you know how much we truly enjoyed our recent vacation we booked through you. We had a private chauffeur driven tour that was absolutely fabulous. Our driver, John Fleming, was excellent. He took us all around your beautiful country stopping wherever we liked and wherever he thought we would be interested in. He took us to many local places so that we could experience your food and customs. He was very informative. It was truly a wonderful trip.

Nancy Doss, IL

Darlene Galloway, FL, Custom Self Drive, Ireland, October 2015

I had a fabulous vacation. My 50th birthday celebration exceeded my expectations. The Fairview Guest House was quaint and comfortable. My two nights stay at Dromoland Castle was marvelous. Dromoland’s staff members were very attentive and they made me feel like a princess. Ashford Castle was spectacular! I regret only booking a one night stay. I was not impressed with Clontarf Castle Hotel, but they were located in close proximity to the airport. The rental car was comfortable but we were unable to use the GPS and had to rely on our cell phone maps for directions. Dee Doyle was very patient and helpful in providing this great travel experience. I would definitely use your company to book future travel to your beautiful country. I will also highly recommend Sheenco Travel to others.

Darlene Galloway, FL

Adrian Blanchard, NL, Custom Self Drive, Ireland, October 2015

We had an amazing time! Everything worked out perfect and the itinerary you guys planned was fantastic. Really enjoyed Ireland and hopefully we will return one day. Highlight of the trip was staying at the lodge in the Ashford castle grounds. Absolutely stunning place and I actually proposed to my girlfriend in front of the castle. Thank you so much for all your help and I will definitely recommend Sheenco Travel to anybody I know planning on going to Ireland.

Adrian Blanchard, NL

Donna Wissinger, FL, Custom Self Drive, Scotland & Ireland, October 2015

We had a fabulous time on our tour, thank you! It was the perfect mix of history, golf, adventure, and culture. Highlights occurred daily! We loved Edinburgh–Apex International worked perfectly–great view, perfect location, and lovely breakfasts. We got going immediately upon arrival and loved Edinburgh Castle, Arthur’s Seat (Angie might have divulged her plan of a ring!–perfect choice of place and the ring is fabulous–it was a great moment of living). We enjoyed the Witchery first night. We also happened upon the Surgery Museum and spent much of Wed 30th morning there. Whisky Experience was fun–we met a young couple with whom we much enjoyed tales of travel and music, Amber was lovely and perfect close to evening. Hertz worked out well and I somehow navigated Edinburgh traffic and got us to St Andrews via Dunfermline, Perth, and Dundee! Self driving was perfect for us–per your suggestion, we brought a Garmin. It would have been a disaster without it. Thank you for that invaluable suggestion. Golf at The Castle Course was unbelievable–thank you! Could not have imagined it as sublime as it was. We enjoyed the Fairmont, and Torrance Course was nice as well. It was perfect to schedule Castle first as Torrance was nice, easier followup both in difficulty and physical exertion. The Grange was exceptional–food beautifully prepared and presented. I hate to say we called and cancelled the Tavern; we were tired and driving at night was more than I wanted to do. I am sorry we missed it. We stopped at the Golf Museum in St Andrews on Saturday 3rd and enjoyed it–we also saw some of the players in Dunhill Tournament around at Fairmont–some were playing on 18th hole day we visited St Andrews–we just peeked. The drive to Stirling was lovely and one highlight was meeting a family that evening in the Stirling bar. A few of them had lived in Stirling, they now live in England. They were altogether to spread the ashes of their mother/grandmother near the castle. We visited with them for a long time; they pulled up my website on iPhones and played segments! They asked me to play so I played my penny whistle for them at breakfast–great fun. People are always the highlights; the Scots were more than helpful as we were not shy about asking for directions or tips and everyone of them was generously forthcoming. Stirling Castle is fabulous—docents in costume and so much interactive for children. Have I mentioned that everyone told us that we had the best weather they had had since May? Perfect for us. All worked out well getting back to Apex–nice welcome from the staff. Hertz in Dublin was great–convinced me to take nicer van–oh the vans were perfect size for all of our stuff–thank you! Van was standard shift–I took a chance and loved it. Angie was a great navigator and we managed well–some off track moments but generally smooth. Portmarnock was perfect—we took the bus into town and loved Bank on College Green. We enjoyed the course very much and loved the Brazenhead experience! It surpassed expectations–so full of information and insights. We bussed in and then took a cab as time was short–he then came and took us back to Portmarnock–a nice luxury. Drive to Ballyseede was lovely–we loved the Castle and staff, a special treat. We did stop at Rock of Cashel—free that day and we arrived one minute before tour! Perfect! Darcy’s was lovely as well–great food and great value. We ate at Ballyseede next night which was lovely too after a fabulous day playing Waterville and driving parts of the Ring of Kerry. So amazingly incredible. We could not believe the beauty and dramatic views. Everyone was lovely—traffic was light and easy. Cliffs of Moher were stunning–we had our first rain just as we got back into the car. Drive to Galway was lovely along the dramatic Atlantic. I think we ate in the bar after a walk around town. We stopped at Trim on our way to Clontarff—wow. The guided tour again exceeded expectations–we learned some things we had not previously on the castle tours. I am thinking we ate in the bar again at Clontarf and received lesson about rugby. Go Ireland! Thank you for a memorable tour!

Donna Wissinger, FL

Rick Yanchar, WI, Custom Chauffeur Driven, Scotland & Ireland, September 2015

We are happy to report back to you that our trip was a terrific time for all involved. The hotels were quite nice, as were the breakfasts which came with them. The drivers were all prompt and pleasant. Our first driver, who was Karen, said it was her first time working for your company. She was nice enough to give us a brief drive around the old section of Edinburgh before dropping us off at the Holyrood Hotel. She refused our offer of a tip! Our driver for the day of touring, Charlie, might have been a bit frustrated that we spent a bit of time at Stirling Castle, as we did not have time to get over to Glascow, but we chose instead to try to get to Delhousie castle which we did by about 4:30. More about that in a bit. Our driver to the airport, Allen, was 15 minutes early for the 5:00 am pickup which was quite reassuring. The suggested itineraries were quite nice, and we probably picked out the typical touristy things to do. One thing we decided to skip was the side trip to Blarney castle. We chose to tour the Jameson distillery instead, which was fun. Having done that, we decided to not tour any Scottish distillers. The castle stay was far too short! We realized that it would have been better to not have it be the last night (when we had to catch an early flight). We realize that it gets booked up more for weekends, so it may not have been easy. It was quite pleasant dealing with you and your staff throughout the process of setting up the trip and coming up with the final itinerary. My sister and brother in law had not done a trip like this before and they enjoyed themselves immensely. Regards to you and your team, and should we wish to do this again, we will search you out!

Rick Yanchar, WI

Michelle Flynn, TX, Custom Self Drive, Ireland, September 2015

We had an amazingly wonderful trip to Ireland, and REALLY appreciated all of your fantastic recommendations for both accommodations and itinerary. The dining recommendations that Nicola provided were also delightful. We really enjoyed all of the hotels & castles, but our favorite was Ashford Castle (of course!!). It was simply amazing in every way. We also really enjoyed each one of the others as well. They all had nicely decorated rooms, as well as nice restaurants that were convenient for breakfast and for dinner when we were too tired to venture out. The locations were also really great for touring the surrounding areas. We commented almost daily that your selections were really “spot on” with what we had hoped for, so thank you soooooo much for helping make our trip to Ireland a very special one. We will be back at some point, and we will definitely get back in touch with you when we do!! Sheenco Travel made a HUGE impact on the quality of our time in Ireland. What a wonderful country . . . and by the way, the weather you ordered up for us was absolutely PERFECT!! It only rained once during our entire two week trip, and that was just after we checked into our last hotel the night before we left Ireland!! The rest of the time it was as perfect as perfect can be!!

Michelle Flynn, TX

Rich & Donna Brunelle, MA, Escorted Castle Tour, Ireland, September 2015

I just wanted to personally let you know, that I don’t think that our recent trip to Ireland could have been ANY better!!! O.K., maybe a little more sunshine, but neither of us have any control over that. The accommodations at the castles were great, the food was great, and our guide / driver Mark was GREAT!!! Mark really knew a lot about Ireland and its history, as well as a lot of things that we saw along the countryside. It was nice that we were a small group, because we really got to know the others that we were with. I took over 600 pictures… I just couldn’t stop!!! It was a busy week+, but we were never bored. So a big THANK YOU to Sheenco Travel for all of the hard work and planning that you did. Thanks again and HAVE A GREAT DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Donna Brunelle, MA

Demi Tsialis, NY, Custom Chauffeur Driven, Scotland, September 2015

I wanted to take this opportunity to THANK YOU for making my Scotland dream a reality. I thought the trip to Ireland last year couldn’t be beat, but I was wrong. A gentleman was waiting for me upon my arrival to take me to my hotel. (A lovely ride) The hotel in Edinburgh was centrally located and was able to enjoy walking around the city and exploring as soon as I checked in. A day later my tour guide, Loyd Smith, was waiting for me to drive through the Highlands and absorb the beauty Scotland has to offer. I was in awe. There are no words to describe how beautiful the sites were, the castles, the hiking – ALL OF IT!!! Loyd was terrific – he was eager to show me the sites and shared the history as well. We figured out what fit my style and went exploring!! (and walking – did a lot of it) – I wanted to breathe the fresh air. The Nevis Bank Inn was quiet and quaint and located a good enough distance to where we needed to be. On my last night I stayed at a picturesque castle with the kindest staff. Everyone in Scotland is kind and genuine and made me feel welcome. Since I’ve been back – I can’t stop talking about the trip. Again – I can’t thank you and your team enough. Can’t wait for the next adventure……

Demi Tsialis, NY

Richard Reisman, CA, Custom Chauffeur Driven, Ireland, September 2015

We returned home last night from our wonderful two week tour of Ireland that you organized. I would like to share some thoughts with you. The itinerary that you arranged was quite good as were the hotels and castles that you selected for our stay. We were most pleased with our driver/guide, Mr. Dave Costello. He was delightful and incredibly informative on all subjects. He is like a walking encyclopedia! He made suggestions to the itinerary including some much appreciated additions to the tour. During the long drives, he would entertain us by reciting Irish poetry, singing songs, and sharing jokes. We very much enjoyed spending our days with Dave and we felt that we were all good friends with him by the end of the tour. I can’t say enough good things about him other than to say that you are lucky to have someone of his caliber to work for your company. Nicola did a good job in helping us to select restaurants during our stay and we were most impressed with the quality of the Irish cuisine. We enjoyed the performance of Riverdance but substituted Trad on the Prom in Galway for Siamsa Tire, thanks to the recommendation of Dave. I would highly recommend that you offer that show on your itineraries. Thank you again for doing an excellent job arranging our trip to Ireland.

Richard Reisman, CA

Susan Steffee, TX, Custom Chauffeur Driven, September 2015

Our trip to Ireland was wonderful! The countryside is such a contrast to where we live and the people are unbelievably kind and friendly. Our driver, John Fleming, was flexible, very knowledgeable, helped with reservations and took us to some local places of interest that were not on the itinerary. He sincerely wanted to make our trip enjoyable and we loved his sense of humor. ur accommodations were outstanding! We wanted a variety and that’s what we got – the Shelbourne Hotel (magnificent!), 3 castles, a farmhouse and a city hotel. Ballyseede and Dromoland Castles were great, Dromoland being our favorite! Clontarf Castle was a bit cramped and was very crowded to the point that we were unable to eat at either of their restaurants. Also loud music and singing went on into the early morning hours. The farmhouse was delightful. Only recommendation would be that there be someone there to help get bags up the steep, narrow stairway! Service at all our accommodations was outstanding!!

Overall we were able to see and experience everything we wanted to …and more! This was due to your well-planned itinerary and a knowledgable, flexible driver. We would highly recommend the chauffeur driven tour to anyone who wants a more personal, flexible tour. We loved it!!

Susan Steffee, TX

Richard & Carol Barber, AZ, Custom Chauffeur Driven, Ireland, September 2015

Thank you all for the effort you put in to make our vacation/holiday one of the best we ever had. Every thing worked like clock work. The drivers were all on time and very helpful. The hotels were outstanding. Your group is one of the best groups I have ever dealt with and if I get the opportunity to use you again I will do so without a single thought. Des was a very professional and accommodating driver. He took us to places we would never had seen on any bus tour. As for the hotels they were all great. The Pembroke hotel in Kilkenny was okay, but since it was the first hotel after staying at the Shelbourne you can understand the comment. We loved your country, the people really made us feel welcomed. Again, thanks for all your help and please thank Nicola for all that she has done for us. Do hesitate to contact me if you need more information.

Richard & Carol Barber

Virginia Potter, TX, Custom Self Drive, Scotland, August 2015

We could not be more pleased with the trip! It was amazing and an experience that we will always cherish. We ran into one snag with the hotel in Inverness not having two rooms reserved for us plus the one room they had was a twin room. I called Ruth right away and she straightened it out in a flash. Here are some things we especially appreciated:

The self drive worked out perfectly – the days weren’t too long with driving, and they were broken up nicely with things to see along the way. Through your reservation, we ended up with an Alambra SUV for the car from Hertz, and it was the perfect size for all of our luggage and we were super comfortable the whole day.

Aberdeen worked out very well for us — we had dinners in the city and then during the day we went to the beach and then two castles – Dunnotarr at Stonehaven and then Craigivere Castle.

Pitlochry was one of our favorite places! I would have loved to stay there even longer–maybe on another trip!

Your distillery recommendations were spot on.

The Bonham and Fonab were outstanding. Everyone was so kind everywhere. The castle hotel in Invergarry was so special–we loved it. Brandi and Steven were convinced their room had a ghost!

It would have been great to know that some places (such as Invergarry and Pitlochry) are best to eat at the hotel and not try to search for other places. The hotel restaurants were the best around, and we called ahead to reserve a spot and it’s good that we did since they were so busy.

The trip was so amazing! We can’t wait to go on another one.

Virginia Potter, TX

Dave McPherson, AZ, Custom Chauffeur Driven, Scotland, August 2015

We had a marvelous visit to Scotland! Everyone of my family had an almost indescribable time. Thanks to you and Ruth and your team for enabling it! Transportation arrangements in both London and Edinburgh were efficiently provided and the staff were very professional. Accommodations and services provided in Scotland were outstanding with one exception. The services and food at the Rocpool Reserve Hotel were outstanding however one of the reserved rooms required descending about 15 steps in a curved pattern to reach the bathroom facilities, a challenge in daylight and certainly not recommended at night. The seats at the Tattoo were absolutely the best! Thanks to Ruth! We had a wonderful experience which exceeded our expectations! In our collective opinions, your selection of Alan McKenzie as our guide and driver was most important and rewarding to my family! We have been the benefactors of very excellent guides in various countries around the world and Alan ranks right at the top! His professionalism, courtesies, intimate knowledge of history, geography, interesting facts and curiosities, made our days the best! His attentiveness to our grandchildren with his pledge to “make this most memorable” for them could not be surpassed. He was humorous and engaging as he involved them is all aspects of their adventure. I must say, he was the same with the adults, but exemplary with Maisie and John. My recommendation is that Sheenco utilize Alan whenever possible, he was absolutely amazing in all aspects! It should be noted that there is only the one formal dining option at Inverlochy Castle, and only one great restaurant in Fort William, the Crannog, which requires reservations and was booked so we couldn’t eat there. The same considerations for Inverness at either the Mustard Seed or The Kitchen as they required early reservations and other options were somewhat limited. In hindsight we should have looked into more dining options in Edinburgh during the festival. The Balmoral made arrangements for us our last night which provokes the thought that they might have been able to help us during our first two nights there. (Note from Sheenco Travel – a concierge service is available for restaurant reservations so please ask for assistance in advance of your trip). We will certainly recommend Sheenco Travel to our friends and others considering visits to Scotland or Ireland. Thanks again to you and your Sheenco team for making our holidays in Scotland outstanding!

Dave McPherson, AZ

Linda Harper, TN, Escorted Castle Tour, Ireland, August 2015

We did enjoy our trip. Paul Walker, our driver, was excellent. Very accommodating, knowledgable, considerate. All accommodations were good, however Kilronan and Clontarf were more like upscale hotels instead of castles. My favorites were Kinnitty, Abbeyglen and Ballyseede. Your country is beautiful and I am proud of my Irish ancestry. The weather proved to be uncooperative so we chose to take an alternative trip one day. Again Paul was very helpful and inventive in selecting things we could do. The staff at Kinnitty was exceptional. Joe at Ballyseede was also exceptional. The food was great at all the castles. Again we enjoyed our trip.

Linda Harper, TN

Joe Errington, VA, Custom Chauffeur Driven, Ireland, August 2015

The trip was lovely. We were all happy we hired the driver. Mr. Fleming was safe, informative, and personable. We opted given our schedule and his experience to do the Dingle road instead of the Ring of Kerry. It was worth it for sure. After Ashford he took us to additional beautiful locales to the northwest of Galway. We should have scheduled certain popular activities at Ashford before arrival, because one we wanted, falconry, was full up. Concerning accommodations, of course Ashford was super, and the same would apply to Malton as well. So glad for those two. Buswells could have used an upgrade for both rooms, but acceptable given our short stay. Very attentive staff in all locations. We had stayed in the Hilton a day early and so were familiar with it. The return to the Hilton was a perfect and easy choice. For your information, they provide a complementary hotel shuttle to Malahide for evening entertainment. Thanks for your good service

Joe Errington, VA

Michele Kosanke, WI, Custom Self Drive, Ireland, July 2015

We had a wonderful time in Ireland. Everything was arranged perfectly. I meant to send an email as soon as we returned to let you know how much we enjoyed ourselves and how much we appreciated all the arrangements made by Sheenco Travel. We all felt that the accommodations were excellent and the staff members at each of the hotels were very friendly and helpful if we had questions. The only time that was a little crazy was in Killarney due to so much going on while we were there. We were still able to do what we wanted to do even with so many people coming for the Ring of Kerry Charity Bike Race and the Kerry vs Cork football match. We would not have wanted to miss visiting Killarney. It really added to the great memories we will have of our visit. We have and will continue to recommend Sheenco Travel to anyone planning a trip to Ireland. And if we plan another trip, you will certainly hear from me. Thank you so much for all the help.

Michele Kosanke, WI

Michele Mesko, CA, Custom Chauffeur Driven, Ireland, July 2015

We loved your service. Our driver guide John was very professional. He was always where he said he would be and always on time. All went completely smoothly at the hotels, the rooms were ready for the three of us and there were no problems with checking in. We appreciated that! We really enjoyed all of our hotels. All in all, you all were really terrific and we very much appreciated all of your help and being there for us when we needed anything. It was such a relief for me to know you were there if I needed anything. Ireland stole our hearts, we absolutely love your country. Isle of Man was very interesting, but it didn’t match the beauty and friendliness of Ireland.Thank you for everything. We sure miss being on our vacation and I would definitely recommend your company to anyone asking me about an Ireland trip.

Michele Mesko, CA

Martin & Kathy Godin, CA, Escorted Castle Tour, Ireland, July 2015

We loved our trip organized by Sheenco Travel. It was an A-plus experience for both of us. Ballyseede Castle was first class without the attitude. Everyone was extremely friendly. Kinnitty Castle was the most authentic, Kilronan Castle had the best bed, and Abbeyglen Castle was the most fun. The food in all of the hotels was a gourmet experience. I met a woman during my travels who said it all in a few short words, “If you want sunshine go to Italy or Spain. If you want friendship, conversation and beauty, go to Ireland.” Thank you and I will be sure to tell my friends and relatives to go to Ireland and use Sheenco Travel.

Martin & Kathy Godin, CA

Tami Dorraugh, CA, Custom Chauffeur Driven, Ireland, July 2015

The highlight of my summer was traveling to Ireland with my family under the expert guidance of Sheenco Travel. It all started with a comment in 2013 from my 72 year old father who said that only place he wished he had seen was Ireland. It started a process with me and my sister to make it happen. I searched various tour companies and got three different quotes from three different travel agencies. We decided on Sheenco Travel and from that point on the experience has been MAGICAL! We started the process with Genevieve Sheehan at Sheenco Travel. She spent the time finding what and where we wanted to do and see. We were open to any suggestions since no one in our group beside myself had been to Ireland. Genevieve recommended an extraordinary 10-day luxury chauffeur vacation with castle stays and beautiful hotel accommodations. After the trip was planned, I had help every step of the way from the outstanding staff including Ruth, Nicola, and Clare. From arrival to departure, Sheenco Travel had everything in order. The few hiccups were addressed quickly by the helpful staff. Anything we needed, from food reservations to tours, was handled with stellar customer service. The BEST part of the trip was our driver, Danny McCarthy. He was an insightful, jovial Irishman full of history, stories and an occasional ballad! We wanted to pack Danny up and take him home after spending a week with him. He was fantastic. The Davenport and Malton Hotel stays were top notch locations that were perfect to explore the areas of Dublin and Killarney. The most breath-taking event was the stay at Ashford Castle. I am still speechless… stunning castle, beautiful rooms, and breathtaking grounds. You felt transported to another time. If you have a chance, do the Hawk Walk! The experience being so close to these spectacular raptors was astounding. The trip was phenomenal…. the sites, sounds and tastes of Ireland have made a lasting impression on our family. I would highly recommend Sheenco Travel to anyone expecting to make a memory of a lifetime. Sheenco Travel will be my go-to travel agency for the MANY more trips we are already planning on taking in Ireland, Scotland and England. I have already recommended them to all my friends.

Tami Dorraugh, CA

Kathy Lyons, MA, Custom Self Drive, Ireland, July 2015

We had an amazing trip to Ireland. It is more beautiful than we even imagined it! I think you picked out the right spots for us as we had a good home base for all of our exploring. The next time I will focus on some smaller towns that provide a little more intimate experiences. We really enjoyed Galway and the Park House was very nice. The service was very attentive and they did anything they could to help make our trip enjoyable. The Malton wasn’t as good. The hotel is beautiful, but they have some service issues starting with the luggage handling and continuing right into the bar service.I wouldn’t go back to that hotel.Needless to say Dromoland was spectacular! We felt so pampered and special there. I am so glad we stayed for an extra few nights. It was the perfect way to end the trip! Thanks again for all of your help planning the trip.

Kathy Lyons, MA

Jeff Linzer, GA, Custom Chauffeur Driven, Ireland, July 2015

We had an absolutely wonderful time! Things went really well. Thank you so much for putting together a wonderful Scottish adventure for us. Now the details:

Edinburgh: Vibrant and classic, this was really a great place to start. The hotel was actually within walking distance of New Town. Had some really great meals and enjoyed going through the castle. The one drawback was the hotel, Bonham. Yes, “boutique” but definitely showing its age. Very friendly and helpful staff, and they served a good breakfast. Could hear guests through the bathroom walls and a loud party in the dinning room late one night. There was scaffolding in front of our window; when we asked what time the workers would start in the morning we were told that the scaffold had been there for a couple of months already and they didn’t expect any work to take place for several more weeks. Room Wi-Fi essentially was non-existent it was such a poor signal. Really doesn’t deserve 4 starts.

Glasgow: We walked the downtown area looking through the shops. The hotel, Carlton George, was a very nice modern boutique with very friendly service. Nicely located just a short walk from the train station. The room was well apportioned and very comfortable. Interestingly, they offer free beer, wine and spirits in the room!

Glengarry Castle Hotel is a hidden gem! Yes, they don’t have an elevator but that was a minor inconvenience. The service was better than I have had at some 5-star facilities. The room had a 4-poster bed, beautiful view of the lake along with a very nice sitting area. The hotel dinner was outstanding, probably one of the best meals we had on the trip. To call this a 3-star facility is an understatement. This should be a regular stop for your guests.

The Kingsmill Hotel in Inverness would best be described as a typical tourist hotel. Clean, well appointed, but nothing special. Just far enough away from things that you need to eat in their restaurant. They but on the face of a gourmet menu but we probably would have done better at a fish and chips stand. Our server went off duty half-way through our meal, leaving one person to take care of the table and take care of the bill. We ended up waiting almost a half hour after we finished before I could get the check. Two other aggravating issues: the lights immediately go out when you remove your room card from the slot (no courtesy delay) and they insist on charging for Wi-Fi in the rooms. Off all the places we stayed, I would suggest you definitely find another location in Inverness.

Dalhousie Castle was another charmer. Very good service, very nice and comfortable room. I liked how they had you go to the library bar ahead of your dinner reservation to get a drink and order your meal. After you had some time to relax you were then escorted to your table with the first course soon to follow. Would definitely stay there again.

OK, now let’s talk about our driver, Angus. He was great! As a tour guide, he pointed out things that we otherwise would have never noticed. He was incredibly knowledgeable. He helped us address each day’s trip, helping us make small changes that wonderfully enhanced our experience. We saw things and went places the average tourist doesn’t go and this just made things all that much better. There is no question that “Gus” helped make our Scotland trip so memorable.

Again, I want to thank you and your team, especially Nicola, for putting together such a great experience for us. I have already recommended you to a couple of my friends; I hope they follow through and make plans with you.

Jeff Linzer, GA

Mark Fleming, MI, Custom Self Drive, Ireland, July 2015

First of all let me say that Annie and I had a wonderful visit to your country. It is truly a magical place and the people are so friendly. Dublin was great and we had a good time. The drive to Kilkenny and Cork worked out well and we took a detour to Waterford to see where the crystal was made. Great trip. A cabbie told us about a memorial to the 911 firemen in Kinsale so we went there as well. What a great little village/town and the memorial was beautiful (343 trees planted for each of the firemen who died in 911). The Malton in Killarney was wonderful and we loved that town as well. Great food, great people and probably the busiest place we went to other than Dublin. From there we took a direct route to Waterville, over the hills and thru the valley on a one lane road! What an exciting ride with beautiful views. And Waterville was a great course (as was Portmarnock). Not to mention they have the life size statue of Payne Stewart at the course. From there up to our favorite place we stayed at, Ashford Castle! Oh, what a wonderful place to stay and the people were all so friendly, played golf, great meals, skeet shooting, had a great time. I think I forgot “kissing the Blarney Stone” at the castle …..great fun there too. From Ashford on up the coast to Lough Eske Castle in Donegal which was another great place to stay. Played at Donegal Golf Club, toured the city, had a couple of nice meals and also the most sunshine of the whole trip! Met some interesting people there including the Harbor Commodore from Belfast who was involved with the building of the exhibit featuring the Titanic. Unfortunately we didn’t have time to get to Belfast, but maybe next time. All in all, a wonderful trip and a beautiful country. We would love to go back someday. Thanks to you and your whole team for making this trip so much fun!

Mark Fleming, MI

Anita Kale, IL, Custom Chauffeur Driven, Ireland, June 2015

Thank you, thank you, thank you for a wonderful vacation!! The itinerary you planned was marvelous, and activities and attractions recommended were excellent suggestions. I will try to capture some of the most important parts:

Accommodations – we really liked all of them, but the Malton was probably our favorite, with Knockranny House a very close second. The Malton’s grounds are beautiful, as well as the hotel, and an added bonus was a children’s play area outside where our 15-month old grandson could run off some energy. I have to mention that several times when locals asked where we were staying, and we replied the Malton or Knockranny, the response was “wow, how did you get in there? That place is fabulous!” We felt very special! The only thing I have to mention that took us by surprise was the lack of air conditioning in some of the hotels. Being spoiled Americans who love their A/C, and the weather being warmer than usual for the time of year, the rooms were at times stuffy. In all my reading on the internet about Ireland vacations, I never ran across anything that commented on the lack of air conditioning. It makes sense with the age of the beautiful buildings, but it might be nice for you to possibly comment on this with the accommodations. We were able to upgrade to rooms with A/C at the Ashling (extra 30 euros per night), and the evenings were a little cooler at the Malton (but fans provided in each of the rooms), Knockranny and Clontarf so we got by.

Transportations arrangements – these were fabulous! Our driver, Mark Lyons, was amazing with his knowledge, personality, wit, professionalism and true desire to make this trip as special as possible for us. In addition, he was wonderful with our grandson! The added bonus was that with our small group (10 people) Mark drove a mini-coach that he was able to take on 2-lane roads through the countryside and along the ocean. I’m certain we saw things that people on the 50-passenger coaches are never able to see close up. It was also because of Mark’s tenacity that we were able to find our great, great grandparents’ homestead in County Mayo! That was certainly an emotional highlight of the trip, and I will forever be grateful to Mark for helping us with that. There are still a couple partial walls standing, and it is in the shadows of Croagh Patrick, which can be seen in the distance. Simply amazing! The mini-coach was immaculately clean and very comfortable. Mark was a fanatic about cleaning the windows often, and sprucing up the inside each night. Great choice for transportation!

Restaurants and reservations – We ate at Bank on College Green in Dublin and loved it! We were running late after doing the Dingle Peninsula and had to call to cancel the reservation at Treyvauds. We ate at An Port Mor in Westport. This was exceptional!! This was the day that several in our party climbed Croagh Patrick, and we were also running late that day. I called An Port Mor to let them know, and they were so accommodating. We were given our own small upper room to dine in. The atmosphere, the servers, and the food were all wonderful! I would highly recommend this restaurant!!

Customer service from Sheenco Travel – every single employee I interacted with was professional, knowledgeable, friendly, exceedingly prompt with responses, and truly seemed to want to make our vacation the best possible! With this being our first vacation overseas, we had MANY questions, and each was answered with patience and caring. From the first airport transfer, to the hotel reservations, to the mini-coach tour, to the dining reservations, to the last airport transfer – each was seamless and without a glitch! It truly is a testament to you and your staff that this vacation was effortless on our part. All we had to do was sit back and enjoy! And that we did!! It was a joy from beginning to end, and we were all sad to leave. Your company made this trip a magical experience! Kudos to all your employees, and you have our deepest gratitude!

I really don’t know what else to say. I wish there was some way I could include even more superlatives. It is honestly beyond description how much we enjoyed this vacation. We would all like to come back again and explore more of the out-of-the-way locations, and spend more time just drinking in the beauty of Ireland.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart!!

Anita Kale, IL

Amy Curran, PA, Custom Chauffeur Driven, Ireland, June 2015

Our trip was wonderful. We saw so much of Ireland. If we did it over again, I would have traveled less and spent more time in a few places- but it is hard to know that ahead of time. Our favorite hotels were Trump at Doonbeg- this was very comfortable for a family of 6. Next best was Ashford Castle. Every hotel was clean, comfortable and enjoyable- those 2 were just a step up…. Our driver Paul was great. He picked great routes between destinations and helped to choose stops for lunch, shopping and touring.

He put in a long day of driving to get us to the northern tip of Donegal where my husband’s family is from. Thanks for your help in these arrangements.

Amy Curran, PA

Kathy Bailey, KS, Custom Self Drive, Ireland & England, June 2015

We had a wonderful time. Ireland was beautiful. The hawk walk , Blarney Castle, Wexford, Cork, Galway, Cliffs, Ballyseede, everything we did was great. Liverpool was fantastic, we did the Magical Mystery Tour, walked to Albert Dock, rode the Ferris wheel, walked all over the city centre of every town and city we went to. The hotels were great, and the VW van was perfect for all of us. Thank you for all your help. We will definitely come back.

Kathy Bailey, KS

Judie Von Eiff, IL, Custom Chauffeur Driven, Ireland, Scotland & England, June 2015

We had a wonderful time in Ireland, Scotland and England. I think we all agree that Ashford Castle was the top! Wonderful! And Dromoland a close second. Lough Eske Castle and Portmarnock were both good, as well. Mark, our driver/guide was a pure gem! We all thought highly of him and enjoyed his company. Ireland was probably my favorite. Loved the people, the music, the stories, the countryside, the blarney! The Scottish Highlands are beautiful. I wish we had had a little more time in Skye. Bob, our driver/guide was very good, very knowledgeable and a pleasant man. Our accommodations at Corriegour Lodge, we all agreed, were at the bottom of our list. After those in Ireland, it was definitely a come down. The rooms were very small, the bathrooms tiny. They really need to buy new mattresses for the beds. It is not a 4-star lodge. The location was beautiful and, while very expensive for a captive group, the food was good. Fonab Castle was lovely and our room at the Bonham in Edinburgh, was probably my favorite. Very large, lovely. The Bath Spa Hotel was very nice and The Kensington Hotel was especially lovely. Our initial room left something to be desired as we were on the top floor with dormers and a queen bed. Actually, it was quite small and my husband bumped his head on the ceiling/wall twice. We requested a king bed room and they moved us happily and without any hassle to a wonderful large room with a king bed. The common rooms were lovely. All in all everything ran smoothly and we enjoyed ourselves immensely. The people we ran into were friendly, pleasant, and happy to help us. Thank you for everything Sheenco did. We were quite pleased with you.

Judie Von Eiff, IL

Gene Foulger, UT, Deluxe Castle Tour, Ireland, June 2015

The weather was a little rough the first 5 days, but the countryside was beautiful. The Castles were great. Dromoland Castle and Ashford Castle were the best! Dromoland had more of the old world feel, which Molly really liked. Ashford was a little more modern, but was absolutely beautiful. The grounds and gardens at Ashford were amazing. It was also nice at Ashford Castle because the village of Cong was a short walk away. The food at both of these castles was excellent. Our driver Paddy Kennedy couldn’t have been better. He was very knowledgeable and a pleasure to talk with. He did everything he could to make sure we were comfortable and got to do the things we wanted. You arranged everything very well, even on the days we added before and after the tour. The Shelbourne Hotel in Dublin was quite nice. The “Bank on College Green” restaurant in Dublin was wonderful. The interior was gorgeous and the food was fantastic.

Gene Foulger, UT

Richard Crummel, TX, Custom Self Drive, Ireland, June 2015

Thanks for creating an absolutely beautiful trip on our tour of Ireland. After driving almost 2000 kilometers, I have to say I was getting used to driving on the left side of the road, although I will never get over having the left hand side of the car up against a stone wall while a large truck is headed right for us……all the same, it was fairly easy to adjust as I had three navigators in the car. The accommodations were spectacular. We asked for and received wonderful castles and manors, with beautiful views of the countryside, delicious menus, and spacious accommodations. Two of the castles, Waterford and Ashford, were extraordinary. The recommendation to have us stay two nights at each location was perfect as it gave us time to explore the countryside. Rest assured you have met our expectations and will continue to have our highest recommendation. As a final note we want to comment on the outstanding hospitality and friendliness of the Irish people. While one should expect that from the hotel and restaurant staff where we were booked, we found it to be universal throughout the countryside. On behalf of Susan and I, and our traveling companions, Jan and Don Bybee, thanks for a memorable trip.

Richard Crummel, TX

Angela DiDomenico, IL, Custom Chauffeur Driven, Ireland, June 2015

We absolutely loved our journey to Ireland and were enchanted with the island and its people. We all were pleased with the plan but felt we should have organized it with Ashford Castle last as it was the most glorious of our accommodations. Lough Eske is no doubt deluxe but it is without character and you felt you could have been anywhere–there was nothing “Irish” about it and even its help was European. Portmarnock is a beautiful spot but if you are not planning to play golf there then I would not advise staying. Our thought was that perhaps those who wanted to go to Dublin should start at the Shelbourne. Maury and I had absolutely the most perfect days there touring the sights and dining exquisitely at One Pico and Patrick Guilbaud. Then start the journey at Powerscourt which the Sullivans loved and we appreciated its beauty when we went to pick them up there. Dromoland was a delight and we all had fun on the pony cart ride and walking the grounds. Without question our stay at Ashford Castle was most magical. We toured the grounds, went to the local church for mass, visited a pub the Sullivans had been to 25 years ago, went on the lake cruise and learned about the history of the area, ate at a pub in the town of Cong, dined at the cottage on the estate, reveled in luxurious and delicious breakfasts, enjoyed the lounge at night with lovely Irish singing, and slept in beautifully decorated rooms. A third night there would have been a delight with perhaps playing 9 holes of golf. Our driver from the airport to the Shelbourne was excellent in giving us background on Ireland and Dublin. Mark, our tour guide for the trip, was excellent and delighted us with the depth of his knowledge, his humor, and his willingness to indulge us. Our times in the van were relaxing and filled with good spirits and singing! We all thank you at Sheenco for planning a memorable vacation for all of us and I hope my suggestions will be helpful when you are planning other journeys. It is my fondest hope that we shall enlist your services again for another trip to beautiful Ireland!

Angela DiDomenico, IL

John Kelly, KY, Custom Self Drive, Ireland, June 2015

Thank you for following up with me concerning my trip. Everything went very well and I couldn’t be more pleased. The accommodations were beyond expectations! Ireland is an amazingly beautiful country with fabulous people! I cannot think of anything that could be improved upon really. Our trip went off without a hitch other than we experienced a delayed flight at the onset of our trip. That cost us our allotted time to tour Dublin. I think the next time I go back, (yes I intend to go back) I will stay two nights at each stop, instead of just one. Thank you all at Sheenco Travel. Please give Colin my regards. He did a great job setting up our trip. It was very much according to my wishes.

John Kelly, KY

Brenda Tripathi, SC, Custom Self Drive, Ireland, May 2015

We really enjoyed our vacation in Ireland and had a wonderful time. The hotels we liked the best were (in no particular order): The Brooks Hotel, The Malton and of course, Ashford Castle. However, all hotels were of good quality and provided us with spacious rooms together with the cot for the baby. The suggested itinerary was somewhat overcrowded (especially traveling with a baby who needed to be fed and changed every few hours) but we adjusted it as we went along according to our own liking. All In all, it worked out very well and we saw and experienced a tremendous amount of Ireland in such a short time! We shall cherish our memories of a wonderful and beautiful country for so many years to come. And we are certainly recommending your services to all of our acquaintances should any of them decide to visit Ireland. With our best regards and many thanks again for making Ireland so enjoyable,

Brenda Tripathi, SC

Terry & Diana Korf, FL, Escorted Castle Tour, Ireland, May 2015

First, let us say that the trip was outstanding, you delivered on all aspects of the trip above our expectations and we will DEFINITELY recommend Sheenco to any of our family and friends who might be planning a trip to Ireland. We felt we received a great value for the money that we spent for the tour. The castle stays were especially fun as each one of them was quite different from the others. Dave Costello is an exceptional person with a vast knowledge of the history of Ireland as well as the history of the music of Ireland. You live in a beautiful country and for the most part are very friendly and outgoing people. I have never eaten so many potatoes in a 10 day period in my life! (not a bad thing). The pubs were a great time and all of them that we just walked into off the street (about 20 of them) were very welcoming, and the food was consistently very good. Of course the Guiness was great, and we also discovered the Cider (Bulmers I think) as a good alternative to drinking beer all the time. We are so glad we discovered Sheenco Travel and wish you great success going forward.

Terry & Diana Korf, FL

Bob & Maryann Hayden, CT, Custom Chauffeur Driven, Ireland, May 2015

We cannot thank you enough for your help in planning such a wonderful trip to Ireland for our family (all 18 of us) to celebrate our 60th Wedding Anniversary. We gave our oldest son, William Hayden the job of putting this feat together and when he found you it all came together beautifully. I must tell you that we started to plan this trip last summer. Our travel agent contacted Trafalgar Tours and Grand Circle but they have a policy of not taking any child under the age of five. Even though our youngest granddaughter would turn five on July 2nd, they would not make an exception. We even tried making arrangements through AAA and Brendan Vacations, but the same rule applied. This is when William took over and found you, so I am convinced that things have a way of happening for the best. You did a much better job than Trafalgar, Grand Circle and Brendan Tours. Thank you a million times over. All the accommodations that you made were excellent. Everyone agreed that Ballyseede Castle in Tralee was their favorite and the Fitzpatrick Hotel in Dublin the last night was their least favorite. The best thing that you did was to find Mark to be our driver/guide. He really made Ireland come alive for us and made us so proud of our Irish Heritage. He gave us facts, told us Irish lore, played Irish music, suggested things to do like the Leprechaun Museum in Dublin to amuse our grandchildren and took us to places we would never have seen on Trafalgar, Grand Circle or Brendan Tours, I’m sure. And we didn’t have to have our luggage out in the hall by 7AM! We would certainly recommend you and Sheenco Travel to anyone wanting an extra special private tour of Ireland. Thank you again for all you did to make our vacation extra special.

Bob & Maryann Hayden, CT

Michelle Brown, VA, Custom Self Drive, Ireland, May 2015

We had a fabulous time. What we thought would be a once in a lifetime experience has turned out to be what we have decided will be our first Irish adventure. Although our flight to Ireland was less than ideal, we arrived to find the most beautiful city, Dublin. Our driver was waiting at our gate, and provided much appreciated tips on our way to the hotel. The itinerary you set for us was exactly what was requested, and we were pleased with all of the accommodations. As we traveled across the south of your lovely country, we were struck the most by two things. Firstly, the natural beauty that is Ireland. Regardless of where we looked, the whole country looked like a post card! I will never get over the spectacular views I saw. Secondly, the Irish people are the warmest, most friendly people I’ve had the pleasure to come across. We had numerous, fascinating conversations with people I now miss as a would a friend. The Irish are well known for their Irish pride, and after this vacation, I feel that not only is that pride understandable, but well deserved, as well. Overall, it was a wonderful experience, and we cannot wait to return. I’m not sure when that will happen, but we will gladly be back in touch with Sheenco to assist us in our next trip. Your attention and accessibility throughout this process made everything so much easier, and took the worry and stress out of our vacation planning. I have recommended your agency to some friends, and will continue to do so. Thank you so much for helping to make this dream come true.

Michelle Brown, SVA

Amy Wilinski, WI, Custom Spiritual Tour, Ireland, May 2015

I wanted to thank you again for putting together a beautiful experience for our group. Everyone loved the experience, food and the accommodations. People really enjoyed the folklore theatre the first night in Dublin. Was a good way to start it out. Loved Kilronan Castle and enjoyed the 3 nights there as it helped to decompress a bit. Dinner was very nice and well-prepared and served when dining in the restaurant. If you dine in the sitting area, the service was not so attentive. Brooklodge was beautiful. Great dinner but it was not in the restaurant listed in the itinerary. It was in the Italian restaurant they own. We still enjoyed it very much and it was fantastic food. Next time would like to stay there 2 nights maybe dinner at each of their restaurants. Unfortunately their horse person was out sick, so those of us who wanted to go riding were out of luck. We really enjoyed the local tour guides that we had. Anthony Murphy and Kevin O’Kelly were new to me and liked both of them very much. Would enjoy having them again. Mike Rothcroghan was his sweet lovable self and Claire Roche was divine with her harp and homemade scones and John Wilmott gracious with his stories and sharing his home and labyrinth with us.

Amy Wilinski, WI

Nichole Currie, ON, Custom Chauffeur Driven, Ireland, April 2015

We really enjoyed our trip and have lots of great pictures and memories.

The highlights for us included:

– Dromoland Castle. This was our favorite accommodation. We will plan 2 nights here next time we return with our kids!

– Cliffs of Moher

– Dingle and touring around ring of Kerry area.

– Blarney Castle

– Jameson distillery in Midleton

We were very happy with all of the accommodations, except Waterford castle as the room looked quite worn and needing painting and update. Our tour guide Des Murphy was exceptional. We can’t say enough about him. He is friendly, funny and very easy to get along with. We appreciated learning much of the history that he shared with us along our tour. Thank you again for the planning. It made the trip stress free!

Nichole Currie, ON

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