SILVER BIRCH HOUSE

We had a group of 16 family members from the US and Ireland spend a full week at Silver Birch house in late June 2012. We wanted to find a large high-end house that was large enough to have our entire group under one roof and Silver Birch House certainly fit that bill.

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay in all respects. The house is situated just off the bay, deep within a private estate with lush vegetation all around. It is a very private location, yet still close enough to walk to town if you are so inclined. There are a few other rental houses elsewhere on the estate, but they are no where near Silver Birch House. The local golf course is actually part of the estate (at least as far as I could tell ), just a short walk away and happy to accommodate visitors.

The house is very clean and in excellent shape overall (which must be hard to do given the climate). Its large common areas are great for family gatherings and dinners. The children on the trip enjoyed the game room as well as the easy access to the bay. The pictures of the house accurately reflect the reality of what you get which I would characterize as a clean, Scandinavian/modern, upscale house with great common areas.

If I had to pick one area to upgrade it would be the towels/linens. They are fine and in great shape, but if they were upgraded I think it would make the house over-the-top luxurious. Just a minor quibble though.

I also have to say that for the size and condition of the house, I think it represents an excellent value as rental homes of this size and quality (of which there are few in Ireland) seem to cost a lot more to rent in most cases.

The rental agent was professional and easy to deal with. They have their own website which has floor plans of the house and some more information. You can find the website just by searching for "Silver Birch House". Just FYI, you have to wire, in euros, your deposit and rent. You also have to settle up the utilities bill at the end of your stay in cash. Minor logistical hassles that are more than worth it.

Overall we had a great stay in the house and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a private, high end house to host a group gathering.