We were among Orla and Aileen’s last guests for this fall. The room was great. The recommendations for dinner matched what we wanted. The advice for activities were detailed and helpful. Oh, and breakfast was wonderful. When we left something in the room at checkout they called around town to find us!
Our hosts Orla and Aileen could not have been nicer. We were welcomed like friends. The rooms were very high standard. The food was exceptional they went out of their way to accommodate my dietary requirements (which are tricky). The location is perfect within walking distance of everywhere. I can’t wait to go back see you soon Orla and Aileen. Thank you for making our stay perfect.
Beautiful spot to stay and explore Kinsale and its nightlife!
Hospitality wonderful. Food A1. Company A+.
This was by far the best B&B that we staying in the entire two weeks of our trip. Warmly welcomed, decorated beautifully, comfortable beds, great breakfasts….we could go on but we’d just be repeating what everybody else has already stated – a great place to stay in the lovely little seaside town of Kinsale.
A beautiful place. Very confortable, wonderful hospitality. Beautiful breakfasts. Thank you.
Really. It was immaculate. The owners Orla and Alieen are a joy. They were very helpful with helping attack the town, find dining and music options. The bed was very comfortable. Our room faced the church, which was nice. If you plan on sleeping in, don’t. The church bells have other ideas! The B&B is a short walk into town. Breakfast was several choices and the frenc toast was perfect. Would I stay here again. ABSOLUTELY.
My mother, her friend and I stayed in two rooms at The Cloisters in early May, 2013. We were thrilled to have 2 nights in Kinsale after driving throughout Ireland, and even more pleased when we discovered how comfortable their beds are! Seriously, the best beds in our two weeks of travel! Orla and Aileen were the most gracious of hosts, helping us with bags, restaurant choices, and directions upon leaving. Their home was beautifully decorated, and we were lucky enough to spend some time chatting over tea one rainy afternoon. Thanks so much Orla and Aileen for making my mother’s last trip to Ireland a very memorable one! You have lifelong friends in Arizona!
We recently stayed in Cloisters and we had a very relaxing and enjoyable stay. The location is beautiful. The rooms are extremely comfortable and tastefully decorated. The owners Orla and Aileen gave us a very warm welcome and were helpful in advising us about the best locations to visit in the Kinsale area. Overall we thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Cloisters and we recommend it very highly for the hospitable reception, comfortable stay and delicious breakfast. Thank you for the lovely experience (and all your help in getting us up to Charles Fort in one piece for the big proposal!) Thanks again and we’ll see you next year!
Easily the secound best B&B I have ever been to (close after the Snow-Goose-B&B in the Andirondacks – NY – USA). The hosts were really really nice and took great care of us. The room was super clean and cosy. The breakfast was delicious and really a lot. The B&B is directly located in the city centre but it’s really easy to get a parking spot as there are 2 parking spaces right around the corner. Kinsale itself is the most beautiful little town we have visited in Ireland and is absolutely worth the visit. Cork is not far away either (if u want to visit it ask for parking tips at breakfast ;)) Summing up we cann 100% recommend this B&B. GO THERE!
Kinsale is a particularly lovely old Irish town that includes great walking tours with quaint streets and excellent restaurants and pubs. As with so many of the small towns in Ireland, it celebrates its “tidy town” awards for its cleanliness and décor. We found our way to the Cloisters thanks to excellent directions from the owners, Orla and Ailee. This is a town that sits on hills alongside an ancient seaport and very fort. We were pleased to find excellent parking alongside the Cloisters B and B—nestled tightly in the center of the “church” district. This allowed us to explore the town on foot for several days. Orla and Ailee are wonderful gals whose wit and willingness to be helpful matched the excellent room we had, and very good food. We lacked nothing. They were particularly helpful in pointing us to some of the best restaurants in town and adjusting our itinerary after Kinsale. We would stay here again and we recommend a visit to Kinsale as a lovely town with important Irish history.
The best place yet. Warm greetings, perfect directions and a doggie too! Thanks for everything.
We had the pleasure of spending a night at this lovely bed and breakfast last week. It was charming in every way. Our room was large and very comfortable. It was spotless. The owners were delightful and wonderful to visit with. They offered excellent suggestions of sights in the area as well as airport information. It is obvious that the B&B is a labor of love to them. Every detail was well thought out and the decor is beautiful. Breakfast was amazing and individualized more so than any other b&b we stayed at. The B&B was somewhat difficult to find but that was because it is in such a great location and sandwiched in the wonderful old Kinsale area nearest to everything. Parking is easy and right next to the building. I can not imagine someone being disappointed with a stay here.
We stayed in Kinsale for 1 night and had a wonderful stay at Cloisters. Aileen and Orla were not only superb hosts, but their establishment was charming, clean, and perfectly located. Upon arrival Aileen and Orla got us settled and provided us with recommendations for music, food, etc. In addition, they went out of their way to help us re-organize the last couple days of our trip and to secure lodging with the up-coming bank holiday. We found out about Cloisters from Rick Steve’s and stayed at several other of his recommendations during our trip. At the end we compared all of our accommodations and found that Cloisters went above and beyond his other recommendations at this price point. Cloisters, as well as Kinsale, is everything I imagined from a quaint, coastal town in Ireland. I look forward to coming back, staying at Cloisters, and have already recommended it to several people. All my best to our hosts!
We loved Kinsale in no small part because of this great B&B. We were greeted by both Orla and Aileen with tea, scones and welcoming conversation about Kinsale and their home. There is parking immediately next to the B&B which always had available spots, except when we first arrived. Upon hearing this, Aileen directed us to the public lot behind the house and moved her car so that we would have a space next to the home. Their hospitality continued throughout our stay. In fact, after my wife raved about the scones (which were excellent) they not only printed up the recipe but also gave us a bag of freshly made scones upon leaving! Beyond the hospitality, the room was beautiful, clean and had a wonderful bed. They gave us innumerable tips and directions for the scenic route to our next stop. We loved staying here!
Beautiful B & B in the most wonderful little town! Thanks for making Kinsale the highlight of the trip so far!
What a fantastic place. Thank you for all your help and wonderful advice. One of our highlights of our holiday.
Small & perfectly formed! Wonderful hospitality. Many Thanks.
I went to Kinsale because of a conference and stayed at Cloisters B&B for 4 nights in April 2013. Aileen and Orla welcomed me very warmly (although my arrival was quite late – 11 pm – and confusing due to my delayed flight…). The single room was very nice, perfectly cleaned, quiet and provided enough space for all my belongings. The breakfast was delicious and a perfect start for a long conference day: with fresh fruit, fresh bread and a fine selcetion of breakfast dishes with eggs, salmon, sweets…. I especially enjoyed the homemade scones (they were still warm…) and jam. It was no problem to have breakfast earlier. The two are very flexible and uncomplicated. It was always very nice to have a little chat with the two hostesses. They turned my conference trip to holidays 🙂 All in all you really can see and feel that Aileen and Orla manage their B&B not only with passion but also with highest professionalism.
On a trip to visit my daughter, I stayed at Cloisters B&B for 3 nights. I couldn’t have asked for nicer accommodations. My room was beautiful, comfortable and clean. I felt right at home. The breakfast was excellent every morning, but the hospitality was even better. Aileen and Orla are wonderful hosts! They allowed my daughter to join me there for a free breakfast, gave us traveling tips, and took an interest in our lives. By the time I left, I felt like I was saying goodbye to family. They have graciously offered to help my daughter at any time while she is living there. I so much appreciated their kindness! I would definitely stay here again when visiting Kinsale.
Thanks for making such a short trip so sweet. You were a big part in making us fall in love with this town. Hope to see you again soon.
My husband and I were only able to stay one night in this fabulous B & B. Wish we could have stayed much longer. We miscalculated the time we would arrive thanks to google.maps and arrived much later than the check-in time. Our hostess was gracious and stayed to let us in without any complaint. The breakfast was fabulous and the room and bathroom was clean and well decorated. Would definitely stay again! May 2012
Cloisters Bed and Breakfast in Kinsale was a great stay. The house was impeccably clean and well decorated. It was actually the best smelling place we stayed in all of Ireland! You walked in, and the smell just made you think of cleanliness and comfort.The hosts, Orla and Aileen, were the perfect combination of friendliness and interest in our plans, while still maintaining our privacy. They were also very helpful with making a reservation for our anniversary dinner and recommending places to go and see while we were in Kinsale and the surrounding area. Orla was especially helpful with our luggage and directing where to park (she even showed us a short cut!), and Aileen cooked great breakfasts to our order. I would recommend staying at Cloisters to anyone going to Kinsale. Oct 2012
The hosts are very friendly, the place is spotless. Great location that you can walk to anywhere and there is ample parking space. Breakfast was delicious and the hosts are very helpful and lovely. I would recommend this place without hesitations. Oct 2012
We arrived in Kinsale after a long drive, but thanks to perfect directions from Aileen, one of our hosts, we easily found the Cloisters B&B which is on a side street just a few blocks from the town center. We were told that there was a small car park next to the B&B but it was full. My husband waited in the car while I knocked and one of our hosts immediately directed my husband to another car park around the corner. Their backyard is adjacent to the car park so rather than walk back around, Aileen met my husband at the back gate and helped him bring the luggage in through the back of the house – very convenient! Our room was on the front of the house, a small room with a double bed. Aileen advised us when I was booking that they only had this room left and that it was their smallest room, but it was fine for what we needed and perfectly suitable for us. It was very modern and updated, clean and comfortable. The bathroom, though small, was also new and stocked with toiletries and a hair dryer was found in one of the drawers in the bedroom. Aileen and Orla provided us with a map and several recommendations for places that had good seafood, pub food and good music – letting us know which pubs catered to a younger crowd and which had more traditional Irish music. Cloisters is located only a couple of blocks from the town center, perfect walking distance to pubs, restaurants and shops, and literally around the corner from the Desmond Castle. We enjoyed the location as it was still right in town but still quiet and relaxing. Breakfast included both hot and cold choices. I had fabulous farm fresh eggs and salmon while my husband opted for the bagel and smoked salmon. All was delicious. Aileen and Orla have only owned the Cloisters B&B for a few years but they are fabulous hosts who seem to really enjoy hosting guests. Very friendly and hospitable with a wealth of useful knowledge for touring around Kinsale. When we mentioned wanting to go for a run in the morning, they gave us some suggestions as to where to go – we ran out to Charles Fort and back, a tremendously hilly (which they aptly warned us) but absolutely gorgeous, scenic route. It was 4 miles round trip and would be a wonderful walk for anyone interested in doing it. Aug 2012
We had a perfect time, great room, most compfy bed every, great hosts, perfect breakfast both days…. everything was perfect… including all thier suggestions for tours, walks and restaurants. Upon our departure our hosts asked which way we were heading and quickly offered a colour printout one page list of suggested route, things to see etc. which made my long suffering navigator very happy and we loved all the suggestions too !! We also loved our two days in Kinsale!! Sep 2012
Super stay in a super place. The best accommodation we have had all week and will definitely pass on recommendations. Thank you for your hospitality. Aug 2012
The Cloisters is one of many hotels recommended by Rick Steves, and I can’t remember at this point why they are the spot we chose, (other than the endless great reviews on TripAdvisor) but I’m so glad we did. This B&B will not disappoint. All of the reviews are spot on, the hotel is spotless and impeccably decorated and maintained, Orla and Aileen are excellent hosts who clearly enjoy opening their home and lives to travelers, and the location within Kinsale is perfectly central. The one point that I’ll add is that the photos on this site and others do not do the place justice, it’s even nicer than it looks in the pictures. I pride myself on finding reasonable, small, local accommodations when we travel through Europe, and usually that means things are slightly worn and not so new. The Cloisters is the total opposite, it was like staying in a brand new boutique hotel. If you’re going to Kinsale, do whatever you can to stay in this hotel. You will be so glad you did! Aug 2012
Just fantastic. Love Kinsale, love Ireland, love the hospitality and loved staying at Cloisters. Thanks for looking after us! Aug 2012
My friend and I stay at the Cloisters for 2 nights in May, 2012, and found it to be one of our best experiences in all of Ireland over 3 weeks. The two ladies who own and run it are very friendly and helpful and generous with their time with guests. The room was spotless and the beds were very comfortable with fine linens. Breakfast was a real treat with more than enough to satisfy a hungry man. And the location is perfect for taking on Kinsale by foot. I cannot say enough about this special respite and would recommend it to everyone! Thank you, ladies, for your gracious hospitality. Jul 2012
Lovely, Lovely! Jul 2012
We enjoyed our stay very much. Very comfortable and excellent breakfast. Jul 2012
So many thoughtful touches – well appointed and top recommendations. You’ve got it right. Same time next year! Jul 2012
Thank you for nice stay in lovely room. We got good advice for our trips in beautiful surroundings. Jun 2012
We had a Wonderful time. Thank you for all your help with directions. You truly have the gift of hospitality. Jun 2012