Don't do this in Ireland

We had a lovely time in Ireland, some good weather, did some interesting sightseeing, including a side trip to Newgrange, several hours at the Guinness Brewery and a visit to the Dublin Jewish Irish Museum.

However, there were two aspects of our trip that stand out as not so great. One was our hotel -- The Regency Airport hotel, which was perfectly satisfactory for a place to sleep but was definitely what we paid for.

First of all, based on the description on the Air Lingus Vacation Web site, I thought it was closer to central Dublin that it was. We had to take a bus about 15 to 20 minutes each way to get to/from the hotel and central Dublin. It ended up being fine, especially as we noticed two Romanian supermarkets from the bus, which we ended up visiting and my husband got lots of Romanian supplies he can't get in the States.

So I wouldn't even be mentioning the hotel if it weren't for what happened when we first checked in.

We got to the hotel around 9:30 in the morning. After our five hour flight I felt like I needed to wash my face and change my clothes so when given a choice to pay 20 Euros for early check-in, I jumped at the chance.

We were given room keys and went up to the room.

First off, the key cards we were given didn't unlock the door. So I had to go back downstairs and get new cards. Then we get in the room and low and behold its freezing in the room, there's not hot water and to top it off, there's no electricity to any of the outlets.

So again, I go downstairs to the reception desk. The woman is, of course, shocked at my pronouncement of no electricity and promises immediate action. I go back upstairs.

And we wait.

In the meantime, I wash my face with cold water and my husband lies on the couch in the sunlight, which does warm him up, which is good because he's come to Ireland with a head cold.

And we wait.

So I go back downstairs. Excuse me, we still haven't got electricity. Again, I'm promised someone will be up immediately.

Thankfully, a guy knocked on the door shortly after and within five minutes he'd reset the fuse in the hallway and our electricity was back. He also informed us that heat at the hotel is on a timer and would come back on in the late afternoon.

[Can I mention he was very cute, especially with the Irish accent -- my favorite accent in the world!]

So, if you're going to Dublin and you're looking to save a little money, then the Regency Airport hotel is an ok choice, but be prepared for very basic amenities!

However the worst part of our Ireland trip, and this is TOTALLY my fault, was an Irish singing and dancing dinner show we attended. I wanted to do something in Dublin with Irish music. We went to a couple of pubs and they always had on regular radio or sports on the TV, and I really thought it would be a shame to come to Ireland and not get any traditional music in. So I asked at the hotel what a good option was and was referred to a Irish singing and dancing dinner show at The Arlington Hotel in central Dublin. It was very expensive, but I figured it was worth it if we got to hear Irish music and see some dancing.

I should have known better.

It was terrible -- and I do mean terrible! The food was horrible. There was very little selection and what we chose had no taste. I got a plain salmon dish because the sauce had prawns in it (which I don't eat). It tasted only of salt and butter -- and that's because I put salt and butter on it because it had no taste!

The music, which was three old guys singing traditional Irish favorites, was mediocre. The dancing was horrendous. Two young Irish men, two young Irish women, who probably flunked out of step dancing class trying to mix traditional Irish step dancing with something more rock and roll. Ugh!

And this lovely evening's cost? $127. Probably the most I've ever spent on dinner, and probably one of the worst dinners I've ever had.

DO NOT do this if you go to Dublin. Next time we go we'll ask around for which pubs offer good Irish music in the evenings for free, 'cause we were told later that lots of them do good music after dinner with no additional cost.

Oh well, live and learn.