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Decoy Country Cottages: Traveller Reviews

4.0 of 5
Decoy House | Garlow Cross, Navan, Ireland
Hotel amenities
Decoy Country Cottages
5.0 of 5 stars 70 Reviews
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70 reviews from our community

What travellers say about this Speciality lodging
  • Play area(6)
  • Tack room(4)
  • Welcome basket(4)
Traveller rating
    65
    4
    1
    0
    0
Only show reviews for Family (29) | Couples (20) | Business (1)
Date Rating
Castlerock, United Kingdom
1 review
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
“Solheim Cup Stay”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 3 October 2011
1
person found this review helpful

The accommodation at Decoy Cottages is first class. I have never written a review before but feel I should let other people know how good this place is. The attention to detail include a welcome pack with fresh baked wheaten, tea, coffee and dishwasher tablets. The beds were extremely comfortable and the cottage was always warm.
We would also like to thank Paula for being a wonderful host and the added bonus of providing her cat Scoot for those of us missing our own cats!
What more can I say - Excellent....

  • Stayed September 2011, travelled with friends
    • 4 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Location
    • 5 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 5 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
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Ask Melanie M about Decoy Country Cottages
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
Brisbane, Australia
Reviewer
5 reviews 5 reviews
Reviews in 4 cities Reviews in 4 cities
9 helpful votes 9 helpful votes
“So perfect and peaceful we didn't want to leave!”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 22 September 2011

This was a return trip to Ireland to catch up with family and show my partner Ireland. The cottage location was fantastic - close to all the attractions Meath has to offer and within easy commute to Dublin using the bus stop at the end of the road. Everything in the cottage was wonderful - we even invited some family members over for a lovely meal we were able to prepare for them. They were most impressed with our accommodation and will be recommending the cottage to other relations who regularly visit ireland but have stayed elsewhere. Everything has been considered to make the cottages so homely and comfortable. The bed was soooo comfy - the most comfortable of our holiday in Ireland and the States. Next trip I will be making use of the day spa!! Paula was a lovely host and warmly introduced herself to us despite receiving a midnight call from our airline due to lost bags! Thanks so much Paula for being so hospitable and helpful. I have taken many pamphlets of Decoy Cottages home to Australia with us and will be recommending Decoy to anyone I know visiting Ireland.

  • Stayed September 2011, travelled as a couple
    • 5 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Location
    • 5 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 5 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
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Ask ShibbyandTank about Decoy Country Cottages
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
Dublin
Senior Reviewer
8 reviews 8 reviews
Reviews in 7 cities Reviews in 7 cities
4 helpful votes 4 helpful votes
“Special Memories”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 22 September 2011

We absolutely loved our stay with Decoy Country Cottages. We stayed in The Stables which was big enough for us to hold a first birthday party for our daughter. The day was beautiful and the children loved the den and playground while we relaxed around the BBQ. The day was made even more special when my boyfriend proposed under the archway :-) Thank you again Paula for our bubbly!

The only issue we had was the house wasn't as clean as we would like. It was like it had been cleaned weeks previously and not given a quick polish before we arrived.

Overall I think the complex is fantastic! The den, playground and BBQ area are all excellent features that would encourage us to come back as often as the finances would allow!

I also loved how environmentally friendly it was! I absolutely hate going to accommodation that has one bin! We had so much we could recycle while we were there, so it was great to see all the different recycling bins.

Another thing we loved was the turf provided for the house so we could snuggle up in front of the fire at night. So cosy.

I will definitely be returning and would highly recommend this accommodation!

  • Stayed September 2011
    • 4 of 5 stars Value
    • 4 of 5 stars Location
    • 5 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 3 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 4 of 5 stars Service
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Ask FMJH about Decoy Country Cottages
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
Ballymena, United Kingdom
1 review
“A lovely relaxing place to spend our honeymoon week”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 23 August 2011

Our honeymoon was also our first holiday together, and neither of us has had much experience of travelling abroad recently, so we had decided to avoid the hassle of airports, passports, sunstroke, language issues etc etc and have a stay-cation 'down South' as we say in N.I.

We're so glad we found Decoy Cottages (on the Alistair Sawday site). Paula, the owner, was really helpful from the very start, with negotiating a number of nights different to the default provided on the website, and she emailed a confirmation with helpful directions and information very promptly after booking.

The cottages are a set of converted farm outhouses surrounding a courtyard, and they all have different names of a rural nature - a nice touch. We stayed in the 'Tack Room', but, as we wrote in our comment on the visitors' book - there's nothing tacky about it!

Everything was so well thought out, all you would need in self catering accommodation and more - washing machine, tumble dryer, dishwasher...right down to oven gloves, and a first aid kit. The cupboards are also really well stocked with loads of mugs, plates, glasses etc.The 'welcome pack' is a lovely addition - wheaten bread, jam, milk tea, coffee, sugar, butter eggs. And because Paula knew we were a honeymoon couple, she also had a huge ice bucket with champagne waiting - such a novelty factor!

I also appreciated the effort Decoy go to be environmentally friendly. I hadn't realised this before we booked, but if this is something you're 'into' then I highly recommend the cottages. Features include geothermal heating to avoid use of fossil fuel, separate bins for tins, glass, paper, compostable items etc, Eco friendly soaps and washing up liquids, biodegradable bin liners....

When you arrive, the cottage manual answers all the questions you never knew you had, in alphabetical order! These aren't just about how things work in the cottage itself - e.g. manuals for the electrical appliances are included - but also tips about places to go nearby for days out, meals, even hair-cuts! There are also plenty of maps and leaflets left for you, and Paula is at hand (her mobile number is there) if you need any more help sorting your holiday plans out.

In terms of location, the cottages are very handy for making your way around Co. Meath. We were never in the car any longer than about 40 minutes. The roads are also excellent, and, in our experience, never busy. Just make sure you're prepared for the toll bridges!

All in all, we had a wonderful holiday, with Decoy proving a great base. Our only regret is possibly that the cottage was so relaxing we sometimes didn't get up and out early enough to see all that could have been seen in Meath. But, sure, what's a honeymoon for if you can't relax and forget the schedule! Highly recommend a visit whether you're a couple, a family or a group of friends. They cater for everyone's needs perfectly.

  • Stayed August 2011, travelled as a couple
    • 4 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
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Ask loureid2011 about Decoy Country Cottages
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
Edinburgh, United Kingdom
1 review
“Another excellent stay at Decoy”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 20 August 2011

This was a return trip for us, a family of 6. Very comfortable, clean accommodation and our 4 small boys really enjoyed the den, the play area and the cat. The small basket of groceries on arrival is a really nice touch and very welcoming. We travelled a bit further this time and went to Powerscourt Gardens and waterfall which was a fantastic day out. Unfortunately we left behind a few items of clothing at Decoy and the owner posted these to us. We couldn't have asked for more. First class accommodation.

  • Stayed August 2011, travelled with family
    • 4 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
Was this review helpful? Yes
Ask damianmcafee about Decoy Country Cottages
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Additional Information about Decoy Country Cottages

Decoy House | Garlow Cross, Navan, Ireland
Price range (per night):* 145 AUD - 244 AUD

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