Blain Gowing, AB, Custom Chauffeur Driven, Ireland, October 2019
We had a fabulous time and the arrangements worked out very well. Our driver Owen found us in Dublin and we started out on time but with rain as we headed south. Owen was super at adjusting the itinerary based on weather and the whims of the 4 of us. Nothing we threw at him was an issue that he couldn’t solve. The larger Van was perfect and gave the 4 of us and our luggage lots of room and great visibility for viewing the country side. As both of the ladies suffered a little from car sickness, Owen was able to minimize the Van time while not giving up significant sightseeing. The distances were actually longer than we might have imagined but again Owen was responsive to that.
The Castle Hotels were fabulous and we were able to avail ourselves with many additions activities beyond what we had pre-booked. I suspect availability was a little easier as we were moving into the shoulder season but we were right to book the Hawk Walk at Ashford Castle ahead of time as it was an incredible adventure and seemed to be heavily booked. After dinner at George V – Ashford Castle we had the Blue room to ourselves with a great singer ( McDonald I think ) and danced as if the Castle belonged to us. We booked the Fitzpatrick Castle as our last night near Dublin prior to our flight departure the next day. Enda suggested this as we wanted Castle Hotels but she was also good at telling us that it would not compare (at 4 stars) to the 3 properties we had just stayed in. When you spend 2 nights at Ashford and then go to the Fitzpatrick, it is hard not to feel let down…….even though we were prepared appropriately. I think the 4 of us agreed we might spend the last night in Dublin at a 5 star just to finish things off as if we were really Kings and Queens which we felt at Muckross, Dromoland & Ashford. If Fitzpatrick was a first night hotel it would be just fine but not after the luxury of the Ashford. Queen Shelley and Prince Phillip as we called them had also upgraded to suites and these suites were exquisite at Dromoland and Ashford (Ronald Reagan Suite) so they were coming off a very big high arriving at Fitzpatrick.
We were very pleased with all the work put into our travel plans and would not hesitate to recommend your services to others contemplating a similar trip. Ireland is beautiful in spite of us encountering a bit of the hurricane and we did not let any of the liquid sunshine impede our enjoyment. Of course the Irish people were a big part of our enjoyment along with the food and a new fondness for Guiness. Thanks again to the whole team at Sheenco.
Blain Gowing, AB
Donald Walkinton, NZ, Custom Chauffeur Driven, Ireland, October 2019
We enjoyed our trip immensely, very lucky with the weather, only rained a few times when we were driving, so we really didn’t need our rain coats at any stage. This is the first time we have used a driver, and it won’t be the last. It was just so relaxing to be picked up each day, sit back and enjoy the scenery or the points of interest. Ray our driver was absolutely excellent, he was very knowledgeable on a wide range of topics, a good conversationalist and very soon picked up on what was of interest to us. I sure we saw more in 12 days with him than we would have if we had been driving ourselves for 3 weeks, plus we would have missed some of the best sights. He also had a lovely sense of humor which we enjoyed. He was a very good driver, his car was very comfortable and nothing was too much trouble . Your choice of hotels and where they we situated was another highlight. A great holiday, thanks for you organization.
Donald Walkinton, NZ
Jim Carney, WA, Custom Self Drive, Ireland, October 2019
We made it back Saturday although our luggage made it on Sunday. We had a wonderful trip and arealready discussing our next visit. The stay at Ashford was wonderful and the staff were great and it made for a very special visit. The remnants of hurricane Lorenzo made for some dramatic waves on the coast. With the exception of Dublin we seemed to dodge most of the rain. In general it was a great trip and we really enjoyed the places that you had reserved for us.
Jim Carney, WA
Jon Harkins, TN, Custom Self Drive, Ireland, October 2019
The trip you guys helped setup was amazing! All the accommodations were top notch, especially the Bishop’s Gate Hotel. The bad parts of the trip were not enough time to do everything and having to come back. I appreciate all the assistance you guys provided and I will certainly look to you guys for our return trip, which we are already considering.
John Harkins, TN
Tom & Anne Hyatt, NC, Escorted Castle Tour, Scotland, September 2019
Overall we had a wonderful time. The highlight for us were the Highlands especially the Isle of Skye. Now for some specific comments. Gary our tour guide was terrific. He really looked after us and the changes he made especially touring the Isle of Skye made our trip extra special. The places we stayed for the most part were terrific. The dinner the first night at Crossbasket was really special. We felt like we were at Downton Abbey. The last place we stayed Carberry Tower was really beautiful and our room was fabulous. We really enjoyed our free day taking the Hogwarts Express and exploring Fort William. Lastly our driver Gerry for our extra 2 days was wonderful. He was very personable and accommodating. So as I said overall we had a great time and hope that we can travel with Sheenco again.
Tom & Anne Hyatt, NC
Don Currie, CA, Custom Self Drive, Scotland, September 2019
What an incredible journey than you have provided. So professional and polite. I would recommend you to anyone and next time we plan to travel to Europe we are calling you!
Don Currie, CA
Jon Martin, BC, Custom Self Drive, Ireland, September 2019
We all had a wonderful time thanks to the beauty of Ireland, the friendly people and your planning. We never could have accomplished all we did without your precise planning and hotel bookings. I would not hesitate to, and will recommend you services in the future and who knows maybe you’ll be booking Scotland and Wales for us before you know.
Jon Martin, BC
Kathleen Ferrell, AL, Custom Chauffeur Driven, Ireland, September 2019
We just returned from our trip to Ireland and we wanted to thank you for helping us with the arrangements. The trip exceeded our expectations at every level. The attention and guidance we were given during the planning stages helped build a personalized itinerary that included the sights and activities that we were most interested in. The hotels you helped us select were amazing; the only disappointment was at the Great Southern Hotel. The accommodations were very nice but our dinner in the dining room was very disappointing, as the service was very slow, and the food was served cold. The following night’s dinner in town at Lord Kenmore’s was lovely. Both the Westbury and the Lough Eske Castle were amazing! Thank you for helping us find the best of Ireland!! We especially want to thank you for our driver, Paul Hehir. He provided so much history and information about Ireland and every area that we drove through and stopped to visit. I think we wore him out by engaging him in so much conversation!! He was gracious and always made sure our bags were delivered and we were settled in at each destination. He made the trip very memorable for us — the perfect driver and guide! We are referring Sheenco and Paul Hehir to our friends that are planning to visit Ireland. Our granddaughter wants to visit Ireland and we will definitely ask for Paul again. You have an amazing team! It was a perfect trip.
Kathleen Ferrell, AL
Jessie Gray, UK, Custom Self Drive, Ireland, September 2019
Suzanne and I had the most wonderful holiday which is all down to the fabulous choices you made for us and for organising it all so brilliantly. Our first surprise was at the ferry when we received a ticket into the exclusive lounge. That set the standard and after that everything was just first class. The accommodation in the hotels was beautiful and the golf courses were just a golfer’s dream. We met such friendly people, enjoyed the local eateries and pubs and of course had some Guinness and Baileys. The only glitch – and this is not a complaint, but it might help you in the future – was at the K Club which we found amusing as it was the 5* hotel. There was a bit of confusion as to which golf course we were playing and in the end it got sorted out at the Pro shop in the morning and no harm done. At breakfast there were no cereal bowls and it took about 5 mins for them to bring them, I had no spoon on the table and before I was finished my cereal they brought my poached eggs. In the great scheme of things it was nothing but as I said we found the lesser starred hotels slightly better. We also very much enjoyed the Titanic experience and the Cliffs of Moher were pretty spectacular. Ireland is a beautiful country and we were very impressed by the quality of the roads, the beautifully kept houses and gardens and the floral displays that were abundant. We thoroughly enjoyed this holiday of a lifetime and you should give yourselves 5***** for your organization and support throughout. With much appreciation and grateful thanks.
Jessie Gray, UK
Gary Coles, ON, Custom Chauffeur Driven, Ireland, September 2019
We all had a great time. We ended up with 2 drivers and they were both very good. Jay got to know us best and was very accommodating and patient with us. Dave was very funny and was very knowledgeable about Irish history and music. I would recommend both of them. We loved Ashford Castle of course. As nice as a hotel as we ever stayed. Close to that was the Great Southern, Killarney. Beautiful property and rooms. River Lee in Cork had a very nice bar area and the service in the Kilkenny hotel was first rate. The Davenport in Dublin was in a great location but felt it was missing character. Water bottles only showed up the 3rd night and the room had 2 very uncomfortable chairs. The bar area was brightly lit like a cafeteria. No bathrobes. Seems more like a hotel for business people.
We loved Kilkenny and especially Killarney. Could have skipped Cork and Galway. Dublin has lots to see and some great pubs. Our favorite activities were the Hawk Walk at Ashford, Jameson distillery tour at Middleton, Guinness Tour, Dublin and the Blarney castle. We give Sheenco 5 stars. Everything went without a hitch and we felt very cared for. I would recommend Sheenco to anyone wanting a carefree, top notch service travel company in Ireland. Thanks.
Gary Coles, ON
Paul & Leslie Tsourounis, ON, Custom Chauffeur Driven, Ireland, Sept 2019
We just returned from our trip to Ireland. The trip was amazing and the driver/car service provided for our trip was wonderful. We loved all accommodations (great locations – easy walking access to activities, restaurants, etc) and suggested tourist activities. Your attention to detail was outstanding! We would definitely rate our trip 5 star plus.
Paul & Leslie Tsourounis, ON
Paul Haviland, PH, Custom Chauffeur Driven, Ireland, September 2019
It was the trip of a lifetime, my children and I loved all the Hotels and stops that were set up. Your attention to detail was extraordinary. The driver that was provided was excellent and I cant tell you enough how much we enjoyed this trip.
Paul Haviland, PH
Brenda Bauman, AB, Custom Chauffeur Driven, England & Scotland, Sept 2019
We had an exceptional time and visit to the UK. Our driver/guide John Moltwould was exceptional!!
Bloomsbury ok – clean, but really small rooms. Staff very nice and helpful . Breakfast was good.
Amberley Was upgraded to Amberely room. Grounds and room very nice on appearance. Dinner quite pretentious – presented as 3 course dinner with little variety and one dinner not served as ordered (meat ordered medium but was extremely rare – virtually inedible). One dinner was ok. The upgraded room unfortunately was on the same floor as the dining room so departing diners kept us awake while leaving up til nearly midnight. Breakfast was ok. Staff very nice but seemed a bit disorganized.
Thornbury – Very nice grounds, very nice room, and hotel. Staff were very nice. Room was upgraded to a ‘turret’ room which was exceptional! Breakfast ok.
Coombe Abbey – Room was very clean and modern with nice appointments – had the room that the closet opened to the bathroom – very clever! Dinner was ok and had a lot more variety than others previous. Breakfast was awesome!
Swinton Park Spectacular! Were put in a spacious room, very modern bathroom with ice bucket filled, little bottle of sloe gin to greet us!! Beautiful king size sleigh bed – view of the park with deer grazing. Absolutely awesome castle and grounds. Went to restaurant which was not the high level option at the property and the food was spectacular and not exorbitant. Staff very gracious and welcoming – our favorite of the entire group! Breakfast was very good and in the formal dining room where the high level option was served the evening before.
Carberry Tower Nice accommodation, welcoming staff, food was good and we were able to order from the bistro menu which had far more variety than the gourmet restaurant. Very inviting bar and staff which encouraged chatting among guests. Very much enjoyed the atmosphere.
Holyrood Hotel Location ok close to Royal Mile but a bit confusing as the streets are windy and easy to get lost. The food for dinner was ridiculously expensive but pubs were close by and reasonably priced and pretty good food. Dropped off late morning – they were supposed to call and tell us when we could check in – never got a call…. Came back around 4 pm and they were ready but no comment made as to contacting us. Breakfast was good.
Knockendarroch Small manor house and we were contacted by phone the day earlier to see if our dinner reservation could be changed as they were over booked for dinner @ time we were booked for. That was fine. We were told we were upgraded and put in a new addition to the side of the house which was extremely new and modern – so lacked the charm we had come to expect in the prior accommodations. The parlor was charming but a bit worn in places – hostess was pleasant but it was a bit uncomfortable when seating started for those readying for dinner. Dinner was good for one of us and exceptional for other – absolutely best fish meal ever! Breakfast was good.
Tulloch Castle Very nice and comfortable room and castle. Good meal and good breakfast. They had a ghost tour and was a fun atmosphere and friendly visitors.
Grand Central – didn’t like the location nor the city for the most part. There was a lot of screaming and shouting most of the night due to the pubs being open til 4 am and we could hear in our room on the 3rd floor. Also terribly inconvenient to get to – our driver had to drop us a block down the street because private car not allowed to stop within a decent distance from the hotel entrance. Hotel and room were clean and nice enough. One of the restaurants closed on weekends so there wasn’t anywhere informal to eat at the hotel but found something a few blocks away. Was easy to find our way back to the hotel. We were told breakfast was included but when we said we had to leave @ 5 am they said they’d find if they could make something up for us – never heard back on that….
Lastly – I am sorry we weren’t able to include Ireland in this adventure – we had to make choices and because my ancestry was English my husband Scottish – had to make some choices – alas limited time made this choice difficult. We appreciate your guidance and expertise and thank you again!!
Brenda Bauman, AB
Andrew Dalgiesh, TT, Custom Self Drive, Scotland, August 2019
I am sure that the rest of the team will chime in themselves, but I wanted,on behalf of Suzanne and I to congratulate you personally. From the pick up at the train station, to the drop off at the airport was almost perfect. I know that the whole group shares these sentiments. The suggested routing, the hotels were well thought out and executed. The whole experience was amazing and you need to be congratulated. Many thanks
Andrew Dalgiesh, TT
Donna Bennett, TT, Custom Self Drive, Scotland, August 2019
What an enjoyable and memorable trip we’ve had. Scotland is so beautiful and the Scots warm and welcoming. We truly had a wonderful time and can fault absolutely nothing from Sheenco. 5 Stars! I truly enjoyed our relationship along the way and cannot thank you enough for your hours of planning and work that ensured such a smooth and faultless road trip. The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo has left its impression for sure as I think of it now I still get goose bumps. A special treat for us was that Trinidad and Tobago’s regiment was also represented with limbo and steel pan! The hotels were all lovely and easy to find. The mix of history, culture, technology and nature was perfect. Thank you all so much again.
Donna Bennett, TT
Noel Pollock, VI, Custom Self Drive, Scotland & Ireland, August 2019
- good size/ comfortable room
- friendly helpful staff
- gym
- good location, easy walk to the castle, city centre and bars/ dining
- nice breakfast (on the last morning when heading to the airport they provided a breakfast travel pack, which was a nice touch)
- downside, £20 pounds a night to park the car. This was the only Hotel that charged a parking fee, particularly annoying when it was only parked in their basement.
- this is the only Hotel we would not recommend
- room was extremely small, no space for 1 suitcase, not to mention 2.
- Staff were a bit odd/ not particularly engaging.
- breakfast was not great, pre cooked and seemed like it had been sitting a while ( we got there right as breakfast opened!!!)
- Stirling as a stop over was good. We had a very nice dinner in town, locals were friendly, just the Hotel…..
- Room was a good size, however it was not a “Loch View Room”. We had a view out the back.
- The meal in the restaurant was excellent ( best meal we had on the trip), breakfast was also good.
- Staff were friendly, initially a little stand offish, but they relaxed pretty quickly once we got chatting.
- good location and a very nice friendly little village – we would highly recommend staying in Tarbet.
- average size room, clean and comfortable.
- staff were friendly
- gym ( under equipped)
- meals (breakfast and dinner) were pretty good/ good deck over looking the canal
- located too far out of Fort William township to walk, but the location on Neptune’s Staircase made up for it
Portree: Cullins Hotel
- good size room overlooking front garden and harbour.
- Clean and comfortable
- friendly helpful staff
- excellent breakfast
- nice / easy walk into the township
- good location to explore Skye from
- average size room, clean and comfortable, nice gardens
- gym (under equipped – running machine and rowing machine- no weights)
- 15 minute walk to Inverness CBD (no issue for us). Good hotel on the walk into town called the Corriegarth
- good breakfast
- friendly staff
- reasonable size room, not sure about carpet in the bathroom/ toilet
- friendly staff
- probably too far out of Thurso for our liking
- Dinner was expensive but very nice
- breakfast was good
- nice garden and surrounds.
- Good size, clean and comfortable room
- probably too far out of the city center for my preference, but a lovely old building and grounds.
- breakfast was ok, not as good as others.
- friendly staff
- small room, but clean and comfortable. Nice touch with the animal themed door stoppers ( Marianne bought one)
- staff friendly
- Dinner included and was good
- Breakfast was ok, not as good as others.
- good location to explore Pitlochry.
Pitlochry was very much a tourist town with lots of shops selling junk and coaches clogging the main street (we have a few towns like this in Australia too) – not really my scene, however the drive to get there was excellent, so worth it.
- this is probably the hardest one to provide feedback on, but based on the room we had I cannot recommend it.
- the room was tiny and the floor sloped away from the window. The slope was to the extent that the draws in the dresser would not stay shut. We had to jam them with folded paper.
- it was clean and the bed comfortable
- on the plus side the view over the 1st and 18th hole of the Old Course and further down the beach was excellent.
- staff were friendly
- breakfast was good
- location in the town was good.
I can recommend the laundrette in St Andrews. It was a 5 minute drive from the hotel, but we just had to drop off the washing and pick it up, and it was not much dearer than paying for a machine and dryer, with none of the hassle.
- room was smallish but comfortable
- good location to access Dublin, but no pick up/ drop off parking spot.
- Friendly staff
- good breakfast
- good size room, clean and comfortable
- friendly staff
- good location to explore the town
- good breakfast, only Hotel to offer some variation in the menu (definite plus)
- parking was 3 minute walk from Hotel, but there were drop off/ pick up spots out the front, so worked ok.
- we probably had the worst room in the Hotel, right on the road.
- room was a reasonable size and comfortable
- breakfast was reasonable, but very busy. Probably the busiest hotel we stayed in.
- staff were friendly
Kinsale was a great place to stop in, I could recommend the hotel if we had a different room that was not sitting right on the road.
- reasonable size room, comfortable and clean
- Staff were friendly
- breakfast was good
- location to the town was good
- nice building and grounds
- reasonable size room, comfortable and clean.
- Staff were friendly
- breakfast was ok (might be getting tired of Scottish/Irish breakfast or fish by now)
- located out of town a little bit, but not to far to walk.
- Good size room, comfortable and clean.
- staff were friendly
- Dinner in the attached pub was good, breakfast was also ok.
- smaller room but comfortable
- staff were friendly and helpful, did take me 2 laps to spot the carpark.
- good location to access the city center, restaurants etc
- breakfast was ok, we had better.
- the surprise room of the trip over looking the beach, big, spacious and comfortable
- hotel was quiet remote from other facilities, but had a good public bar with big outside area.
- great location on the beach
- staff were friendly, but we found the waiters a little slack
- breakfast was just ok, but on a par with the Colessio Hotel
- Dinner was good, but as above the service needs fixing.
- good size room and comfortable
- friendly staff
- nice building and gardens, plus 36 holes of golf.
- breakfast was good
- out of town a little, but a nice pathway to walk into town via.
As per above the issues with a couple of the hotels , with the Colessio Hotel in Stirling I would definitely not stay at again, the trip went very smoothly, with no issues around bookings of accommodation, cars, trips etc . great job in organizing this on our behalf.
If you wanted to add 1 tip for future customers, adjust the settings on the GPS to exclude Motorways. You get to drive down some great minor roads and lanes. Can add some driving time, but well worth it.<
Noel Pollock, VI
Tony and Janet Quattrochi, FL, Custom Chauffeur Driven, Scotland, August 2019
First and foremost, Janet and I cannot express how much we enjoyed our journey through Scotland. The initial framework of the journey/castles established by Colin Grant was flawlessly executed, after the Military Tattoo in Edinburgh, over an 11 day period under the watchful care of Maurice McKendrick, our Executive Driver Guide. Maurice met and exceeded our expectations with his extensive knowledge of Scottish History, Prepared Daily Venue of the Significant Sights, Selection of Amazing Pubs and Restaurants, and his careful overview of each day’s agenda w/options to address the overall individual needs of our Group. This aspect of the journey, supported by the pre-trip preparations and daily attention we received from Elaine, Ruth and Nicola when needed, delivered the exceptional commitment we expected from Sheenco Travel. Although I cannot speak for the other travelers in our Group, below please find my comments regarding this Trip.
- Overall Janet and I give Sheenco Travel a 5+* Rating.
Feedback & Comments:
Rating
- Airport Transfers. (5*)
- Premium Seating @ The Military Tattoo. (5+*).
- Maurice McKendrick. (5+++++*).
- Holyrood Hotel, Edinburgh – Location (5*), Accommodations & Service (4*)
- Carlton George Hotel, Glasgow – Location (5*), Accommodations & Service (4+*) [Unlimited Cocktails – Executive Lounge].
- Inverlochy Castle, Fort William – Elegant … one of the best Accommodations, Excellent Staff Service, Quality Breakfast Menu, Fine Appointments – Truly a 5+* Castle!!!
- Cuillin Hills Hotel, Isle of Skye – Location (5+*), Accommodations (5*) & Service (4* .. short Staff .. long wait at Dinner on second night).
- Drumossie Hotel, Inverness – Location (4* .. to far out to enjoy the historic sights in Inverness), Accommodations & Service (4*).
- Pittodrie House, Inverurie – Location (5*), Accommodations (4* … arrived early evening, luggage transport to rooms was very difficult), Service (3* .. significantly under staffed, available staff focused on wedding guests, dinner service not offered or available upon our arrival).
- Fonab Castle, Pitlochry – Elegant … one of the best Accommodations, Excellent Staff Service, Quality Breakfast Menu, Fine Appointments – Truly a 5+* Castle Resort!!!
- Carberry Tower, East Lothian – Location (3*), Accommodations (2* … Rooms not Executive Level .. carpets dirty, flies in room, upper level rooms very hot. Note: Front Desk Manager very uncooperative when questioned on the overall quality of the rooms assigned to Sheenco Travel vs. the other rooms in the Castle. The furniture and fixture appointments within the Property … such as the Library and Sitting Rooms, did not match the poor quality of the rooms we were provided). Service (4* .. Breakfast Manager was very accommodating to our early departure for the airport arriving early to prepare a continental breakfast).
General Comment: Rooms were for the most part were not assigned to the individual couples within our Group at Check-In. This created confusion.
- The High Level Properties (Rated 5*) did assign rooms to the individual couples.
Tony and Janet Quattrochi, FL
Don & Barbara Booker, FL, Custom Chauffeur Driven, Scotland, August 2019
Barbara and I welcome the opportunity to share our thoughts on our trip. The short version is it was wonderful. We both have Scottish roots and grew up near the US Appalachian mountain towns where Scottish immigrants were abundant. We wanted to see how much Scotland and the North Carolina mountain areas were the same both geographically and culturally. The tour you provided, and Maurice’s refinements fully answered our curiosity. In our previous travels we have learned the guide can turn a great trip into a spectacular trip as did for this trip. You had given us a great framework of where to be, things we might do and a place to stay. Then Maurice adjusted beautifully to the weather, our interests, our eating styles, and the group’s overall energy level. The overall pace was good, but Barbara and I would like to have gone longer on several days. Turns out we were the only ones who wanted to take more than a 30 min walk. For me Tattoo, golf, the historic castles, the beauty of the Highlands, the hike on the Isle of Sky, and the whisky tours all met or exceeded expectations. The serendipitous surprises like the Falkirk Wheel, the Drovers pub, the Skye brewery, retrieving a golden eagle and an owl, and the Outlander filming sites, made the trip even more spectacular. Many thanks to you and Maurice for making this trip so wonderful. If 5 is the top of your scale, we would give you a 5+
Don and Barbara Booker, FL
Robert Thomas, ON, Custom Chauffeur Driven, Scotland, August 2019
Thank you – vacation was fantastic! Our driver, Roddy Young, was extremely knowledgeable, very accommodating, and entertainingly funny. If he was unable to give an answer – the next day he would provide it – sometime even in the next hour. We were trying to identify a wild flower prevalent on the roadside, he found an app took a photo and had the name. The Tattoo was a high point in spite of the 20 minute downpour at the ending. Our seating was at the very top next to the Royal Box – excellent vantage point and the only area with an overhang so we did not get too wet. Inverary Castle – Campbell Clan was amazing. Also the falconry demonstration at Dunrobin Castle was amazing.Tallisker and Glen Ord distilleries were well planned tours. There are many other sites and experiences that are too numerous to mention. Thank you!
Robert Thomas, ON
Kathy Bailey, MO, Custom Self Drive, England & Wales, August 2019
We had the most wonderful, fantastic time in England! Everything from London to Northumberland and every place in between. Stonehenge and Hadrian’s Wall, Buckingham Palace, The Tower of London with its ravens, riding the red double decker bus, St Paul’s Cathedral, and of course I have to say The Manchester City Tottenham football game was on top of our list of things we did! We loved everywhere we went! Liverpool was one of my favorites too. The Cavern Club The Liverbird Statue the City Centre all great! Thank you all so much for the beautiful Hotels we stayed at. My favorites were Langley Castle and The Bloomsbury. They all were great! We saw the most wonderful and beautiful places in England and Wales! We loved it there! Thank-you everyone at Sheenco for the best itinerary and accommodations we could ever have! It was the best vacation! We have fond memories of England and Wales!
Kathy Bailey, MO
Bob McDade, PA, Custom Chauffeur Driven, Ireland & Scotland, August 2019
We had booked a land tour in Scotland over a year and a half ago which included the Tattoo in Edinburgh. However, we always wanted to see Northern Ireland since genealogy researched confirmed a link with the McDade Family Tree. During my trip research I discovered your travel agency and I liked the fact that we could call a U.S. phone number to talk to one of your agents. On my first call I talked with Colin Grant and we discussed our vision to see Northern Ireland and then travel to Glasgow, Scotland to start our second tour. Colin listened very carefully then suggested using a driver/guide in order to focus on exactly what we wanted to see and do. He put together a suggested package based on places we thought would work, our timetable, and approximate budget. We then fine tuned this. Once finalized, multiple people at your company jumped into action and made suggestions and bought timed tickets. Every one of these people were truly focused on making sure our trip could be the best it could be (except maybe the weather). The selected hotels booked by Sheenco were first rate and at great locations. In addition, our driver/guide made our trip experience a real dream! Paul Hehir knows so much about his country and willingly shared his knowledge. He also listened to our vision and then completed research using a data sheet I provided that showed church locations that were tied to my genealogy. Thanks to Paul, we found one of my ancestors headstones inside St. Columb’s Cathedral in Derry and another ancestor’s church in Tobermore. In addition, we were able to see everything on our wish list including a stop at the Royal Portrush Golf Course plus more. All of our airport transfers were great as well. We can not say enough good things about Paul and Sheenco and we have started to spread the word. Thanks for helping us realize our dream!
Bob McDade, PA
John Large, TX, Custom Chauffeur Driven, Scotland & Ireland, July 2019
My biggest issue with the entire trip to Scotland and Ireland was simply, IT WAS TOO SHORT! Seriously, please extend to your entire staff who worked on our family vacation our gratitude for making it truly a fun time that was had by all. Given the 6 hour time difference between Ireland and Texas I was really impressed with the responsiveness of your staff to my inquiries. With email being the better means of communicating, the quickness of the responses was most welcomed. The hotels we stayed at, the Dromossie Hotel in Inverness, The Twelve Hotel in Galway, and the Carlton House in Dublin, were all uniquely different and all exceptional. The drivers we had, Bob in Scotland and Nigel in Ireland, were different personalities and exceptional. Their willingness to work with us in adjusting our daily itinerary as well as make great suggestions, did nothing but enhance the entire experience. In short, everyone connected with Sheenco and arranged by Sheenco, made our family vacation outstanding. Thank you from all of us !
John Large, TX
Cheryl & Paul Ellis, MA, Custom Chauffeur Driven, Ireland, July 2019
I will review our trip right away while we are still under the spell of Ireland and before the reality of everyday life returns. In a word, our adventure in Ireland was Wonderful. Thank you to all of the folks at Sheenco Travel who were so very helpful in planning our itinerary with us, in answering all our questions, in guiding us toward the most fantastic places and unique experiences and sending us the best driver guide we could hope for. Des Doherty, became our fast friend. A true Irishman with all the stories and knowledge to prove it. Thanks to Des, our experience in his country was the best it could be. Our first night at Glenlo Abbey and my first taste of Irish whiskey was delightful. Visiting Katie’s Claddagh Cottage in Galway was lovely. Seeing the sheep dog training at Joe Joyce’s farm is not to be missed. We decided the highlight of our trip was our overnight visit to Ashford Castle where we celebrated Paul’s 70th Birthday, the real purpose of our vacation. The service at the Castle exceeded our expectations. We enjoyed delicious food, beautiful gardens and a morning visit with the resident Irish wolfhounds. The most amazing Ashford Castle experience was our visit to the Ireland’s School of Falconry. The Hawk Walk, with a brilliant young man named Connor, was exceptional. Seeing ‘The Quiet Man’ come to life in Cong was a treat. Of course there were many more awesome adventures driving through the countryside. Visiting the Cliffs of Moher and the Kylemore Abbey are not to be missed. Experiencing the drive around the Ring of Kerry was spectacular. Our only glitch was the weather. A bit more sunshine would have been lovely but the colors of the clouds and the short bouts of rain were still beautiful and in fact gave us an amazing rainbow over The Lake Hotel on the banks of the Lough Lein in Killarney. A meandering drive back to Dublin with impromptu visits on the way concluded our dream vacation. This special trip to Ireland has left us wanting. Wanting to return to revisit places we have been and to add more experiences to our memory. We found the people of Ireland to be friendly and gracious. Ireland appears to be enjoying a prosperous time in their history and we are happy for the country. If we are able to visit again we would not hesitant to use Sheenco Travel to help us plan our adventure and we would specifically ask for Des Doherty to accompany us on our adventure.
Cheryl and Paul Ellis, MA
Duncan MacNaughton, ON, Custom Chauffeur Driven, Scotland, July 2019
The tour was excellent and thoroughly enjoyed by all participants. The coach, driver and guide were all superb. The guide Allasdair, consulted me regularly regarding length of stays at sites and opting out of some itinerary in lieu of lengthening others. I usually deferred to his expertise. The drivers for the transfers were congenial, punctual and ready to assist at all times. I dealt personally with Bob (coach driver), Brian, Karen and Gary and found them to be extremely professional. In fact I booked Karen for our final transfer on July 12. The tour was extremely well organized, the accommodations amazing in most cases and if there were problems, they were immediately addressed. The above is the reasoning that I used in contacting Sheenco to coordinate this clan tour. Having utilized Sheenco, personally, in the past, I knew the level of service to expect. I was pleased (as were all members) with the attention to details that Sheenco staff oversaw. I never give a perfect score, because, in business I always felt there was room for improvement; however if your scoring is out of 5, I am quite willing to allocate a 4.5.
W.P. Bone, TN, Custom Chauffeur Driven, Ireland, July 2019
Everything went off without a hitch. Everyone was where they were supposed to be when they were supposed to be. The facilities were exemplary and staffs very kind. Here is a special recognition to the staff at the Savoy. We covered all the spots the twins wanted to hit thanks to your arrangement and the pre-printed tickets and reservations. Our driver was over the moon in companionship, knowledge, helpfulness, and suggestions. We thoroughly enjoyed being with him. Thanks to you and your staff.
David Powell, OK, Custom Chauffeur Driven, Ireland, June 2019
All in all, we had a wonderful holiday. We loved your country. The people were uniformly pleasant and friendly. The music was great. Our holiday will be a great memory for our family, especially the children. Thank you to your company and the driver/guide for organizing such a special visit. A 5 star recommendation.
Alan Rosenfield, AZ, Custom Self Drive, Scotland/England, June 2019
The gentleman who picked us up from the airport was friendly and helpful. The Rutland Hotel, Edinburgh – small hotel, but in the middle of town – great location. We were on the 3rd floor, the elevator does NOT go that high, difficult to move luggage. Our room #11 had the BEST view of the area and Edinburgh Castle. Check-in could not be done earlier than 3, so we had time to tour the city. A/C worked great, as some hotels didn’t have such an option. The hotel gives some discounts to the restaurant/pub next door, convenient when you are exhausted and don’t have energy to be a tourist. Dinner – Gardner’s Cottage (we found reviews on-line and booked in advance) – excellent food/creative menu, good choice if willing to meet others and sit as family style. The gentleman who took us from the hotel to the A/P to pick up the car was extremely knowledgeable and friendly. He made sure we were taken care of, prior to leaving. A GPS in the car is a MUST.
Inverlochy Castle, Fort William – charming, no elevator – but great service, beautiful grounds, good food, we would DEFINITELY go back. Although the Castle is out of town, it’s perfect to escape (and recover) from travels. Kincraig Castle, Invergordon – bed was small, no WIFI, food was OK, service was good – a bit strange to order in the waiting area and then sit down in the dining room to eat. Loch Ness nearby and Falls of Foreys – easy as a day trip. Cawdor Castle – audio tour was good. Culloden tour – recommend to watch the special presentations every 1/2 hour or so. Knockendarroch Hotel, Pitlochry – charming town and hotel, no elevator, service excellent, not much to do in town, so a Distillery tour (walking distance from hotel) can be recommended (we booked in advance). Grand Central Hotel, Glasgow – Difficult parking, as they don’t have their own. Trying to find their recommended car park was a challenge and you have to walk a block or so to that location from the hotel. Skipton Castle tour – VERY limited information (on paper) and no audio guide and no personal tours. The employees (who don’t give tours) knew more about the castle. Private residence now, so limited parking hours. Principal York, Yorkshire – Great location. Parking cost extra. No assistance with luggage. Sherwood forest and Nottingham – fun for us, but not necessarily for others. In Nottingham – Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem is a pub with some notoriety, as a recommendation – grab a seat when you see it as seating is limited. The Arden Hotel – Location, town, play (Taming of the Shrew) were excellent. Restaurants book up quickly, reservations required. Parking location for the hotel is not clearly marked and has fewer spots than guests. Service was poor. Dropping off the car took a bit of time, as the parking is not easy to find, so we circled until we had someone on the phone guiding us to the structure. The Bloomsury Hotel – London – comfortable room, attentive staff, great recommendations for restaurants. Hotel is walking distance to the British museum. Taking Uber is an easy option. The Hever Castle – train was easy to take out there, but upon arrival – there was no information on further travel arrangements. There is only 1 taxi for the town, as the castle doesn’t provide transportation. Depending on where the taxi is, the delay can be substantial. The rooms are traditional, old fashioned. The audio tour of the castle was well done and very complete. Local pub for dinner can book up, make a reservation. The driver from Hever Castle to the A/P was timely and professional – great way to end the trip.
Alan Rosenfield, AZ
Greg Roberts, FL, Escorted Castle Tour, Scotland, June 2019
We had a fantastic time and really enjoyed the trip. The accommodations were great and we loved the castle at Inverlochy. Let me describe our drivers since we had 4 different ones. Our first driver to pick us up from the airport and take us to the hotel and then the distillery was Bob. He was very professional, knowledgeable and polite. Our tour guide and driver was Gary. ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL. Terrific driver, tour guide and otherwise a great guy. Our next drivers transported us to the hotel in Edinburgh (Murray) and then to the airport (Robert). Both very professional, knowledgeable and on time. The bus and vans were always in top shape and very clean. The side trips and additional tours were very good and we felt that we really experienced Scotland, especially the weather. Our favorite castle was Inverlochy. We had a fabulous room and the meals were very good. In fact, we stayed at the hotel to have dinner the second night even though that was a open night for dinner. That said, we enjoyed all the hotels and each one provided a different and unique experience. Our side trip to St. Andrews and the additional two night stay in Edinburgh were great. We liked the Hotel Holyrood very much and the tour company was excellent. We had a great time and would highly recommend Sheenco to others. From the booking to the support during the tour, everything was flawless. Thanks for a great vacation.
Greg Roberts, FL
Anne Mahmoodallah, ON, Escorted Castle Tour, Scotland, June 2019
I don’t normally write reviews, and I had a fair amount of apprehension before taking a group tour vacation, but I do strongly believe in giving credit where it’s due. My recent trip booked through your company had my wife and I on a week long castle bus tour through Scotland. Driver, Gary Arthurs was terrific. His knowledge of the history of the areas we traveled through accompanied by his humorous commentary made the trip for me. He was always professional and courteous on the roads and I felt safe and confident in his abilities, which for me, who usually does all the driving when away on vacation does not come easy. I hope all your drivers are of this caliper, but know this driver is a keeper! Thank you for a wonderful, enjoyable, and relaxing vacation trip!
Anne Mahmoodallah, ON
Howard Ochs, NY, Escorted Castle Tour, Scotland, June 2019
My daughter and I had a fantastic time I had been looking at this trip for a few years and finally did it and am glad we did. All the Castles were lovely the Tour and guide made the trip interesting and fun (Gary Authors). All the arrangements were great. It does rain a lot in Scotland make sure your future guest include a rain coat. Thanks for your service it was great.
Howard Ochs, NY
Barbara Stewart, VA, Custom Chauffeur Driven, England, June 2019
We had a fabulous time on our trip to the Cotswolds and we couldn’t have been more pleased with our hotel, driver John and our itinerary! I do believe it was everything we had hoped for and the weather cooperated too! We thought that the Lygon Arms in Broadway was terrific and we just loved the setting in the little village. We walked to several excellent restaurants and thoroughly enjoyed Broadway and all of the Cotswolds. We look forward to working with your company on future trips to the U.K.
Barbara Stewart, VA
Mary Ranelletti, CA, Escorted Castle Tour, Ireland, June 2019
Wonderful to have transfers to and from airport and once Marc started driving he was the perfect driver and guide, a pleasurable amiable person that kept the group in good spirits, pointed out interesting locations, history and politics and was receptive, open and intuitive to our needs. I’m so glad we had a nice group of strangers to travel with. No surprise to you that Ashford and Dromoland were the stars of the accommodations. A second night at Dromoland would have been great even if trip cost a little more as the dinner there was so yummy. At Ballyseede the public rooms were charming and the staff exceptional. The breakfast there was so delicious. Ballysede was so accommodating in providing a separate room. I thank Colin for communicating to the staff. Lough Eske had large spacious rooms and a nice pool. Barberstown was fine. I enjoyed seeing Rock of Cashel, Blarney Castle, Sheep Dog Demo, Bunratty Castle, Cliffs of Moher, Beleek Pottery and Boyle Abbey. The food overall on the tour was very good. Overall, we covered a lot of ground in Ireland and saw some fantastic things and met lovely people. Thank you all so very much for putting this together!
Mary Ranelletti, CA
Rosa Worsham, FL, Escorted Castle Tour, Ireland, June 2019
Our trip back was long but uneventful. I had never traveled with Aer Lingus. It is a nice airline. Dromoland Castle and Ashford were beautiful indeed, makes you think you are a princess. The ambience was delightful and the surrounding very elegant. Even though it was very cold, I enjoyed the trip immensely. It was interesting to hear about the history of your beautiful country. We did not get a lot of rain and that was a blessing. My favorite stops were the sheepdog demonstration, the boat ride and the visit to Belleek Pottery. I also enjoyed the countryside and watching all the sheep grazing or just resting. I am also a shopper so I also enjoyed the stops where we could browse and shop. It was an unforgettable trip that I will remember for years to come. Mark, our tour guide, was a wonderful young man who knows his job well and is very good at it. He is very knowledgeable of the history of Ireland and he was very informative. Nice young man…very courteous and always on time. Again, thank you for making our trip to beautiful Ireland so enjoyable.
Rosa Worsham, FL
Annette Theis, FL, Escorted Castle Tour, Ireland, June 2019
Mark our guide and driver was superb. They don’t come any better. He was helpful, fun, interesting with history. I’ve had many travel guides and Mark is outstanding. Bus was spotlessly clean and comfortable. Mark played a fine selection of Irish music and taught us many things about the country. Dromoland was lovely especially dinner with a person playing the harp the whole time we dined. Breakfast really special too. Ashford of course the ultimate luxury experience. Delightful. The pace was good – didn’t have to leave to early every day which was nice. Group size was perfect. Stops were well chosen to see important landmarks. Thank you for showing me a great time. I especially enjoyed learning the history of your beautiful country with Mark’s commentary as we drove and the sheepdog demonstration. Stop in Galway was also a highlight with such a vibrant city to walk around in. I am glad I chose Sheenco.
Annette Theis, FL
Cyndi Gordon, FL, Custom Self Drive, Scotland, May 2019
My trip was truly amazing and I didn’t want to come home! Thank you so much for everything. I don’t have any negatives about any of the places we stayed. We loved Glennap Castle. It is truly a 5 star hotel. The dinner there was lovely. We spent the 2nd day driving and climbing castle and abbey ruins, so we ended up eating at a fantastic pub in Portpatrick that the castle recommended to us. We loved the Grand Central Hotel in Glasgow and dinner there was also wonderful. The Edinburgh hotel was nice and centrally located but it is a modern hotel that doesn’t really have any character, just a nice place to stay. The rest of our accommodations were great. Cornhill Castle is lovely but we had a hard time finding it. GPS let us down, but we finally did and really enjoyed our stay there. I would say one thing. Because one of our castles closed Ruth had to scramble to find us accommodations for those 2 days. We ended up in Peebles which is an adorable town. The 2nd night we drove back to Culzean Castle for the night. I know that Ruth was hesitant to put is in there because I guess it is a 3 star accommodation. It was wonderful! There are only 6 bedrooms on the top floor of the castle. It was amazing to stay in a place where they are giving tours of the castle to people while you are on the 3 floor. You have your own private entrance and at night the castle is quite and you know that you are sleeping in all of this history. Evidently our president Eisenhower was good friends with the earl and stayed there quite often so there is a lot of memorabilia of him. So for history buffs this is a cool place. The rooms were not luxurious but perfectly fine, because the grounds are so extensive you are out of the room wandering around. The food was very good and the dining room used to be the old servants dining hall, which is kind of cool. So you may want to keep this place in mind for that certain traveler that really loves history. We really liked it. I know that I will use you again. You are a great travel company.
Cyndi Gordon, FL
Amy Wilinski, CA, Custom Chauffeur Driven, Ireland, May 2019
Thank you for another wonderful journey. You do such a wonderful job in making sure everything is organized and when there are blips you get right on fixing it up. I am very grateful for the care and attention to detail you put towards our trip.
Amy Wilinski, CA
Chris Boudreaux, AZ, Custom Self Drive, Ireland, May 2019
I wanted to relay what an outstanding time I had on my second trip to Ireland. You and your team once again hit a home run (or scored a goal if baseball’s not your game). Colin’s choices on hotels were spot on. Even the one I had concerns with (Grand Central Belfast) was wonderful. It was centrally located and made it easy to leave the car parked and stretch my legs in such a terrific city. The staff were very friendly and provided recommendations on places to see and do. The other hotels were on par as well. I believe at most of the locations I received a room upgrade when I checked in and though I couple of rooms were duplicates of what I’ve experienced at large chains (Courtyard by Marriott’s and Radisson Suites), the other amenities and features were far better. The major exception to the bog-standard hotel room was the upgrade I got at Harvey’s Point. Holy Moly! The bathroom was larger than a couple of rooms I stayed at while on the trip, with classical music playing! Fresh cookies at the bar, a bookshelf with real live books, separate change room and wardrobe. It was awesome! Now I want every hotel room to play “Flight of the Valkyrie” as I use the Loo. For the room alone, I’d recommend putting Harvey’s Point on your “send every client to this” list. I’m so very glad I choose your team at Sheenco to make the trip arrangements. You are my go-to for trips to Ireland, and the British Isles and I made it a point to praise you when asked. I continue to recommend you to everybody I run across who is thinking about traveling to your side of the pond, and to more than a few who aren’t, simply because you and your team will change their minds. Thank-you again for another wonderful trip, and look very much to calling on you again. Exceptionally Satisfied.
Chris Boudreaux, AZ
Irene Dryden, AB, Custom Chauffeur Driven, Ireland, May 2019
Just a quick note to let you know how much we enjoyed our holiday. Dave is very knowledgeable about Ireland’s history. He is proud of Ireland and happy show it off. We are home and busy so will need some time to reflect on what we did and get it organized into a journal. We covered a lot in a short time and can’t say there was absolutely any one thing that stood out. It was all great. Thank you.
Irene Dryden, AB
Ponnattu George, TX, Custom Chauffeur Driven, Scotland, April 2019
I would like to thank the Sheenco family for arranging our wonderful tour of Scotland. All of us enjoyed all aspects of the tour – the coach, hotels, early breakfast, and most of all the sights. We will definitely keep Sheenco in mind for future tours.
Ponnattu George, TX
Bob & Sheila Brack, NM, Custom Self Drive, Scotland, March 2019
We are still glowing from one of our favorite trips of all time. We can’t thank Sheenco enough for all of your kindnesses and professionalism. Without doubt, we will use Sheenco again if we get back to your part of the world. The reason we were in Scotland at all was to be there in Aberdeen for my daughter who was presenting her thesis at an international conference. All went beautifully. We couldn’t be more proud. All made possible by your never failing, conscientious help. Thanks for everything. And our compliments to your entire team. God bless you all.
Bob & Sheila Brack, NM
