Self catering in Kerry means a whole house that is yours for the stay, with a kitchen you will actually cook in. What comes with the house varies from one listing to the next, so this is a plain account of what our homes include, what differs between them, and what to bring. Every detail below comes from the current listing of each house; where something is only in some homes, we say so.
In every home
All of our homes have Wi-Fi, free parking at the house, a kitchen with cooking basics, and a dining table. Every house is let as a whole: no reception, no other guests, no shared rooms. Bed linen and towels are provided, so there is nothing to bring except what you would pack for a hotel. Each house has a smoke alarm, and all but one have a carbon monoxide alarm and a fire extinguisher. Almost every home has an outdoor table and chairs for the evenings when the weather allows, which in Kerry is more often than people expect.
The kitchen
A fridge, a kettle, a toaster and the pots, pans, crockery and cutlery for the number of guests the house sleeps are standard. Most homes have a freezer, an oven, a microwave and a coffee maker; The Old Post Cottage in Camp has a kitchenette rather than a full kitchen, which suits a couple for a few nights. About half the homes have a dishwasher, so if that matters for a week with children, check the house page before booking. We stock cleaning products and the basics for the first morning in most homes, but not food: the nearest shops are listed on each house page with the walking or driving time.
Laundry
Twelve of the fifteen homes have a washing machine, and most of those have a clothes drying rack; a tumble dryer is in five. For a stay longer than a few days, or a family coming off the beach every afternoon, the washing machine is worth checking for on the house page. An iron and board are in most homes.
Heating and fires
Each house page lists its heating, and six homes have an open fire or a stove, which in October and at Easter is half the point of a cottage. Where there is a fire, the house page says so, and fuel is either provided or available locally; ask us when you book.
Travelling with children
A travel cot is in nine homes and a high chair in four, and both can usually be arranged on request in the others if you tell us when booking. Several homes have board games and books, and a few have a private back garden. The houses at Aughacasla and on the Maharees are the ones we suggest for small children: flat ground, a short walk to the sand, and the calmer water of Tralee Bay.
Dogs
Seven of our homes take dogs, with a limit on the number and a pet charge set per home. The rule is on each house page, and the homes that take pets are listed together on our pet-friendly page. Where a house does not take dogs, that is the owner’s decision and we cannot make exceptions.
Arriving and leaving
Check-in is from 4pm and check-out by 10:30am. Almost every home has self check-in with a lockbox, so a late arrival is no problem: you get the code before you travel, and the local team is a phone call away if anything is unclear. Ten homes have a dedicated workspace with a desk, which matters more than it used to.
What to bring
Food for the first evening, because the shop may be closed by the time you arrive. Beach towels, as the towels in the house are for the bathroom. Walking boots and a waterproof, whatever the forecast. A torch is useful in the country cottages, where the nearest streetlight may be in the next village.
Choosing a home
The house page is the place to check all of this: the full list of what the home includes, the rooms and beds, the pet rule, the minimum stay for your dates and the live price. The full set is on our page of self catering holiday homes in Kerry, and our guide to which village to choose explains the difference between Castlegregory, Cloghane, Camp, Fenit and Listowel. Book direct and the price is below Airbnb for the same dates, with no booking fee.