The Old White Cottage

Very Disappointed.

.,This Beautiful little cottage has the potential to be idyllic,but sadly let down by poor standard of cleanliness,poor upkeep of property maintenance and general appearance. We stayed for one week,by the end of which we felt somewhat relieved to be leaving. In dire need of Inspection by Sykes and Tourism Council of Co Wicklow Certainly Not up to Expected standards of a holiday let.

The Old White Cottage is a gem.

Nice and quiet but within a 30 minute walk of a pub and only a few minutes to get into Shellelagh. The cottage was very well appointed and comfortably fit the 4 of us. Internet was ok but quite slow and patchy. The welcome back we were given was extremely generous and very welcome. A perfect place to hike from and within easy reach of a number of interesting places to visit. Highly recommended

On arrival the lawn could of done with a cut and tidy, Yhe bungalow was easy to access with clear instructions from John, there was a lovely food basket on our arrival which was a lovely touch.

. the cottage was well equipped and the beds extremely comfy, with the lounge being snug and cosy. Kitchen perfect.. only down side was the twin bedroom was cold and at times the bathroom did smell of damp.. but this didn’t ruin our stay and we would defo stay here again..

We arrived at the cottage to find it was freezing cold.

We looked around and spiders were in one of the beds . We found this very off putting. We couldnt warm up so we decided to leave and go back home, and i contacted the owner who discovered an airblock in one of the radiators. We got no money back and paid almost 700 euro for nothing. I contacted the skyes company and they were very unhelpful. I got a we will get back to you, but they didnt. Very disappointing experience.

My mother of 90 , my niece 11, my nephew 8 and myself enjoyed 3 nights in this very comfortable cottage.

The beds were very comfortable and the cooker was excellent for the few meals I cooked. It is a very good location for visiting Carlow and Wexford. We went to mass at Carlow cathedral, then the Delta sensory garden which I would really recommend. We had a lovely lunch there before travelling onto the Chocolate garden at Tullow. We had an enjoyable afternoon making chocolate moulds and it was perfect for all ages. When going home we went by Gorey and Courtown which was easy reached. Lovely shopping centre with no parking charges. We had blue sky and sun for our visit. We couldn't stay long as we were travelling back to Co Meath. We had a lovely dinner at the Ashdown Park Hotel before spending the afternoon driving home. The children especially loved spending time with the 2 friendly horses at the front of the cottage. Thanks John for everything and especially the welcome basket. The chocolate bars were enjoyed by the children. Hopefully I make it back again.

I stayed 4 nights at the Old White Cottage and loved my visit.

The property was warm and cosy on arrival in the afternoon of a crisp March day. The kitchen was very well equipped, plenty of hot water and really comfortable beds. The location was ideal to explore the great walks of County Wicklow and beyond; coming home to light the stove and enjoy the thoughtful box of welcome goodies left by the owner was delightful!

on arriving at the property the cottage looked very nice except for outside as the gardens were very overgrown.

once inside it looked well laid out but on looking around it could do with a good clean and over haul. our main concerns was the bathroom, 1 we could not get warm water from the sink no matter how long we ran the water. 2 the shower did not have a rubber mat and shower door was off its runners so could not use it. 3 the toilet cistern was very loose and was coming off the wall luckily we had my wifes raised toilet frame seat so we did not need to sit on toilet. 4 the shed where you put the rubbish has a very uneven floor not suitable for anyone with limited motability. we slept in the bedroom near the toilet and the beds vere very confortable.

John was wonderful again!

Thank you very much.

We came back for another visit!

Having had a great time in Oct 2024, we decided a visit in Summer would be nice and we picked the right week as the weather was glorious. Having coffee in the morning outside on the bench sitting in the sun was ideal. My dog Rolo had a great time and fully inspected all around the inside and outside of the house with sniffs. He had a ball. The host was lovely as ever with a welcome basket filled with lovely goodies and a kindly worded card. I think we are going to make this an annual trip as it is lovely to get out of the city and into the countryside with no sounds except nature and a warm fire when needed!

We had a lovely 2 week stay in the Old White Cottage, It was warm and comfortable, well suited to our needs.

The owner was there to greet us on arrival; the welcome basket very generous and thoughtfully chosen, The house is getting a little rough around the edges which you only notice while living in it. It would be great if some of the trees could be pruned back to give views. The sunrises were wonderful some mornings but you only get a very vague sight of this from outside, through the branches. The bedding is good quality and comfy mattress. From photos I was concerned the settee and armchairs might not be comfortable but they are.

We had a great two weeks in the Old White Cottage where you can rest, walk in the countryside or visit nearby towns, villages and other places of interest.

Shillelagh is a wonderful place to stay when you have a car (like we did) as it is right on the border of several counties. And from Carlow it is an easy train journey into Dublin. John was just the perfect host. Not only were we greeted with a welcoming basket, but he also brought us freshly baked scones. As there were some problems, he was there right away to fix them. We continued our travels to Belfast and onwards with the ferry to Liverpool. All in all it was a great summer holiday!

Beautiful cottage on private property with lots of open space and long driveway so away from the main road.

well furnished with all the amenities that is needed for self catering ..The owners Jacinta and John were always a phonecall away if we needed any help.A very good stay for us.

This is a comfortable and very well equipped cottage situated in quiet countryside.

There are many interesting places to visit nearby and also pleasant strolls along the quiet country lanes. If the weather is good the splendid Co Wexford beaches are within easy reach. John, the owner, is friendly and helpful.

Had a lovely restful stay at White cottage, we were made to feel very welcome by the hosts, the welcome hamper and scones were delicious !

A warm friendly welcome on arrival and a wonderful welcome pack, we had a very pleasant week and visited many wonderful places

A lovely very private cottage in a great location with lots of places to visit nearby.

Loved our stay.

Fantastic welcome pack, great property and helpful owners.

Lovely cottage.

We loved how quiet and peaceful the location is, coming from busy city lives. It was comfortable and warm with open fires and central heating. We enjoyed some days at home cooking. It was also a great location for us to explore south Wicklow, Wexford, Carlow and Kilkenny. Highly recommended.

A gorgeous cottage that was so cosy, comfortable, and quiet after the busy Christmas period, we were delighted to be able to fully recharge our batteries at The Old White Cottage.

Owners John & Jacinta were so welcoming, and gave us great ideas for local walks (Tomnafinnoge Wood was breath-taking) and even treated us to homemade scones and jam on New Years Day! We will definitely be back again having had a wonderful stay previously.

We had a lovely break at the Old White Cottage.

The cottage itself was very nice, each room was decorated really nice. The kitchen was big and had everything in it you would need while you were there. We stayed a week and had a great time, nice and quiet enjoying the countryside. The heating and fire was used as it was later in the year and the cottage was very cosy. My little dog Rolo loved the gardens and had a ball. We would definitely be back for another visit!

A fabulous little cottage tugged away in the countryside.

Spotlessly clean. Quality kitchen utensils and very comfortable beds. The cottage was lovely and warm. John, the owner is a delight. Professional, kind, most gracious and proactive in ensuring we had a comfortable stay. We were welcomed by a gorgeous welcome pack. There are fantastic walks nearby and the seal rescue centre is well worth a visit - near Courtown. The cottage and the area walks is a great place for your dog. A visit to Avoca is worth it as is the Red Kite walk beside it. We hope to return to the cottage, if we are in this area again We highly recommend it.

The Old White Cottage was a fantastic base for us on our Wicklow area adventure.

John was a great host and very helpful and responsive. We found it very easy to locate using Google Maps, no problem with directions or navigation. We would stay here again without reservation

Great location for exploring a wonderful part of the country.

Clear directions to a super cottage. Exactly as described in the listing: comfortable, cosy, very clean and well equipped. Excellent thoughtful and friendly hosts. We would thoroughly recommend and hope to return

A lovely 3 night stay in the old white cottage everything we needed was supplied beautiful bed linen and comfortable beds and a lovely welcome gift of grapes cheese crackers chocolate and wine was great for all we have stayed in the area before and would love to stay again house lovely and warm John and Jacinta lovely and can be contacted if any problems

We had difficulty finding the property the guidence maps were not for the white cottage but for a different site altogether

Lovely cottage situated in a nice quiet location.

There was a welcome basket upon arrival. The cottage was clean with plenty of cleaning bits and bobs in the cupboards in case you've forgotten anything. Owner was available if you needed anything (we didn't) Great base to explore the surrounding area, plenty of places and attractions to visit that are a short distance drive. Hope to visit again, thank you!

I was very happy with the Old White Cottage.

It was well equipped and very comfortable. I enjoyed my stay there and would highly recommend it. Set in a very peaceful rural location but central for touring Co Wicklow and beyond.

A lovely welcome gift of wine, cheese and chocolate.

Absolutely every provision catered for. Spacious. Very private setting. Good laundry facilities. Games and books. Good WiFi.

Thoroughly enjoyed our stay in the cottage, everything we needed was available, Dani and Trae very kindly made us delicious cookies and the welcome pack was much appreciated

A beautiful cottage in a quiet and remote location, perfect for a relaxing break away.

We were very grateful for the welcome gifts and extra little provisions that made the stay more convenient, such as washing up liquid, bin bags, cleaning cloths, hand wash etc really useful when travelling light and we were especially grateful for the cookies, they were delish! The cottage has everything you might need (apart from washing machine), it was comfortable and really so peaceful. The cottage is surrounded by trees but if they weren't there you can see fields and hills for miles all around you. We used the cottage as a base and planned to have day trips out but after a couple of late nights we couldn't be bothered to travel too far (giants causeway took us about 5 1/2 hours one way with stops - it was a long driving day round trip). We took a trip to Aardmore and saw basking sharks and on the last day stayed around Shillelagh, had a drink at The Dying Cow and a short walk in a nearby forest. It was a beautiful trip. We will return, I would recommend the Old White Cottage as a relaxing break if you don't want to explore too far or don't mind driving. For our next visit we will probably travel on each day to see as much as possible. I wanted to see the west coast but we just couldn't face another 8+ hours in the car round trip. We had beautiful weather while there (and had packed for all types of rain but not sun), it was a proper sun trap sat on the bench out the back. I've seen other comments about making more of the outside and yes more could be done, there are lots of well manicured gardens in Ireland as you travel round but it was also beautiful just to sit in a natural environment.

We really enjoyed our stay at the old white cottage in Shillelagh.

We know the area very well and found it an ideal base for our holiday. In addition it was very well appointed, comfortable beds and bedding, very warm and cosy with central heating and a log burner. There was even a welcome basket with wine, cheese and crackers and a visit from the caretaking couple to check that there were no problems. I would have no problem recommending a stay here.

A lovely cottage very cosy and clean with all the facilities one would need for a nice few days away from the city.

We enjoyed our stay thanks

The cottage was absolutely lovely and had many more amenities than we had expected.

The inside is cosy and charming and some local friends said it had been "done up" very well. We enjoyed our stay immensely despite a quirky shower which has now been fixed. John, our host, was very responsive to our needs and requests and must be commended for his good cheer and helpfulness.

This countryside cottage and its owner, John, are really charming.

It has enough space for four and offers one double and a twin bedroom. The little living room was perfect for enjoying the evening near the fireplace, and if you know that the hot water needs to be switched on and takes a while to be ready, you'll also manage the shower. ;) John did his best to make our stay nearly perfect, and the recommendations of the surroundings are worth a mint. Tomnafinnog oak forest and some nice hiking loops are within a distance of 15 min. If someone likes chocolate and afternoon tea, have a trip to the Chocolate Garden (Ratherwood - 15 min drive), and the Glendalough National Park is ~ 1 hour away. So, it is a wonderful place to start a journey in Wicklow County.

Loved our stay.

Found the cottage clean and kitchen very well stocked. Beautiful remote, relaxing area. Owner was lovely and welcoming. One thing however was that the shower pressure wasn’t great and alternated between a trickle and a gush constantly. We managed as the water was warm but it was the only thing that let the comfort down slightly. I would also think there is a lot of potential to add value to the outside- tidy the area, provide a couple of recliners maybe as it is beautiful when the sun is out!

Cosy cottage in lovely landscape

John couldn’t have been more helpful but there were a few issues with the property very disappointed with the outside

The cottage was in a good location , the heating works well but the shower was hit and miss.

On our arrival John the owner showed us around the place. We noticed a very strong smell of damp. We unpacked our things and then went to get some shopping as there was nothing in the property except toilet paper and kitchen paper, no hand wash or washing up liquid etc and it was a bank holiday weekend. We had just had a six hour journey. We put the shopping away but we spent 2 hours cleaning the place there was earwigs in the fridge the oven was filthy there was used dog dishes in a bottom drawer with dog food still in them. The next day we got up to find all the food in the fridge on the turn ,the door had not been fitted correctly so I contacted the owner .I showed him the problem and we made a quick fix .John is a nice person and did offer to refund our loss for the food but that did not happen . The place needs a really deep clean it is a real pity we had to end our three weeks tour of Ireland in this property ,All our clothes smelt terribly of damp we did manage to wash some of them before our return home but any left in the double bed room drawer pick up the smell of damp after just a few hours.We stayed in two other cottages in Ireland, both being very good with nice little welcoming gifts.Here there was slugs woodlice spiders and earwigs in abundance we would not stay here again Sorry John.

A few DIY things need sorting.

John was a very good host. Would stay there again.

Very pleasant place as so as host is

I had a really lovely stay for New Year's at The Old White Cottage.

John very kindly dropped in a bottle of prosecco and homemade brownies, so nice! I loved the cosy sitting room and the stove, which keeps the place lovely and warm. Bed was really comfortable. I loved the location, it was so peaceful. Just a 5 minute drive down to Shillelagh for anything you might need. Just a 10 minute drive to a lovely walk in Tomnafinnoge Woods. Thanks for a great, dog-friendly break!

Nice cottage , well equipped

We had a few challenges during our stay, getting the water to run and trying to figure out the rather complicated grill, but John was very helpful and came over promptly to resolve things.

It might be helpful for other guests to have an info sheet explaining the well-water system and the grill. But everything else was great. The mattresses on the twin bed were especially comfortable, and the cottage had good-quality furnishings, crockery, bedding and towels. My feedback for Sykes: I only booked this cottage because it was one of the few places I could find that had low levels of wireless radiation, with no smart meter, no nearby cell towers and a private router on which the WiFi could be switched off. It would be helpful for the countless other electro-sensitive people if you added this information to the property listing. There are several EMF networks in Ireland, including https://es-ireland.com/, and they are always looking for places where those affected by EMFs can stay. I did not like the Sykes policy of zero refunds, and we were unable to avail of the holiday insurance you provide to Brits, since we reside in France. This should be changed to accommodate others who book with you, and refunds for exceptional personal circumstances should be allowed.

A beautiful remote cottage, very quiet and ideal for relaxing, and in reach of some really beautiful areas and attractions.

Great choice of programmes on the TV including Netflix and Amazon Prime if you have a membership. John was very helpful and brought a lovely welcome hamper when we arrived. He also wiped our personal Netflix details from the television when we forgot to do so before leaving.

We spent a lovely, relaxing week at the Old White Cottage.

John is a very generous host with a wealth of local knowledge and was able to give us useful tips about where to visit when he met us on our arrival. The cottage has a very comfortable, homely feel, with a well-equipped kitchen which was perfect for leisurely brunches, and the cooker was such a pleasure to use, we decided to make some evening meals too. The kitchen also has a great table for board games, and the sitting room is cosy and comfy with a pretty wood burner. The cottage is in a rural, private setting and it was such a pleasure to relax at the table and bench outside, enjoying the tranquillity of the beautiful countryside. There were pubs serving food a short drive away, and a good take-away nearby too. We had lovely walks through ancient woodland and visited some beautiful gardens, including Altamont and Hardymount, and we loved Delta Sensory Gardens in Carlow Town, which was like discovering an oasis on an industrial estate! There was plenty to do and a week turned out to be not long enough for all the walks and visits we’d planned. The Old White Cottage was a great base for the area and a wonderful place to unwind in the evenings. We’re looking forward to a return trip to the cottage very soon to tick off more on our to-do list.

Character cottage brought up to very comfortable standard, with multitude or tasteful personal touches.

Bedding of high end hotel quality. Location is rural and tranquil, with both mature trees and a large natural meadow. Most dog friendly. Owners very attentive and engaged in their guests' wellbeing.

This was our second time staying here and we had a lovely week.

The cottage is very comfortable, well equipped and clean. It is in a beautiful quiet rural setting and there are many interesting places to visit in the area. A lot of good walks nearby too. John the owner is very welcoming and helpful.

Lovely peaceful location clean comfy cottage perfect for a relaxing break would highly recommend

Great situation for getting to some lovely locations and places to visit.

It is such a pretty cottage which gave us lots of joy when we returned at the end of the day. Being set back off the road and amongst trees with a lovely view of the hills made this cottage really special. Being on one level also had lots of advantages particularly as one us is recovering from a hip operation. The spacious kitchen, comfortable bedroom and cosy lounge were appreciated too! The supplies of cleaning products, toilet paper and logs for the stove were also generous. However, previous guests had made reference to generous welcome/starter packs and even home baking, so we felt a bit 'cheated' not to receive one (although there was a bottle of wine in the fridge). The cottage was reasonably clean on arriving but we needed to clean the fridge out as this must have been missed. The property has its quirks so we were thankful the owner called around on the first evening. However, some things clearly need attention such as the shower doors and shower, knobs coming off in your hand when opening cupboards or drawers, better access to the freezer, washing machine and drier (which are in an outhouse with uneven access on first entering and a precarious and unsafely placed stone to be used to step up. Sitting out at the back was lovely but flakes of paint came off the picnic bench onto clothes and needs either replacement or re painted. We did have a very lovely stay, though which offered us some great memories.

This cottage is of an extremely high standard in a beautiful location.

John the owner went out of his way to make our stay the best. Thank you John for all your help.

We would like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you to John and his Wife for their help in so many ways.

Maurice and Rosemary Kenny.

enjoyed the week stay, John is a very nice person .

We will book a week later in the year. thank you John

Beautiful cottage, well equipped and comfortable.

We had a lovely stay Many thanks

John & Jacinta are just lovely people.

We stayed during storms Dudley and Eunice , there were power cuts across Wicklow and John brought extra firewood, bottles of wine and Jacinta sent home made scones and cakes as we hunkered down. The cottage is a wonderful space to stay in a rural area, the most well equipped kitchen we have ever seen in a holiday home and the comfiest beds. We would book again without hesitation.

Lovely relaxing stay in this well maintained cottage

From the first moment we got in contact with john , he has been amazingly helpful, from collecting us to the wonderful welcoming pack and the fantastic insight to the local area.

He has been great start to finish, not to mention the cottage itself is perfect. We couldnt reccomend highly enough.

John the owner was very helpful & provided a lot of information regarding the cottage & the area

Super cottage in a lovely position - fuss free arrival and friendly owner - the comfiest bed we've EVER slept in - please tell us what brand it is!

A peaceful stay in a cosy well equipped cottage. Thank you!

The cottage was located in a quiet and peaceful location where often the only sound was birdsong.

Clean, comfortable and well equipped. Helpful host who replied promptly to any query. Accessible to the whole of Wicklow and Wexford.

We spent a lovely week at the Old White Cottage in August 2021.

The cottage is beautiful, quaint and well equipped. Jacinta and John are lovely hosts, the homemade welcome treats were a lovely surprise. The cottage is very peaceful, perfect for a relaxing break and an ideal base for exploring the area.

Quaint little cottage in private setting with lots to do in immediate area We had a lovely relaxing time

We had a brilliant time at "The Old White Cottage" - it's simply perfect for a relaxing holiday!

The cottage is lovely and well-equipped. It has that special home feeling while surrounded by nature. Our doggie loved the big, enclosed garden! :) John was very friendly, welcoming and helpful - always available on phone as well, e.g. for directions. The family left a welcome gift and note to us which was an extra, very nice touch! We definitely recommend the place and will return! Thanks again!

We were met by our lovely hosts John and Jacinta on arrival and they made us feel so welcome after our long journey.

Everything was perfect.

The hosts were excellent.

The gave us great information about the local area. Left us a really nice welcoming basket with all kinds of nice treats. Lovely people.

Fantastic little cottage with everything in the house that you need.

The cottage was situated in a lovely quiet location with lots to do and see locally. The hosts were fantastic and so helpful. Would definitely recommend this cottage for a lovely relaxing holiday

Beautiful Cottage would totally recommend.

..it was fantastic!! We had such a great stay at The Old White Cottage. On our arrival when we got inside the cottage we were met with a lovely surprise of a welcome hamper filled with lots of lovely goodies and even a card to welcome us. Then John and Jacinta arrived with cupcakes (so delicious by the way...) it was such a lovely gesture. The cottage had everything we needed and very clean. Loads of lovely personal touches around which made is so cosy and comfortable. My 4 and 6 year old girls had a brilliant time playing outside in the garden and were so delighted with their room they asked could we live here forever. John and Jacinta were very friendly and so helpful. It has for sure been the best self catering accommodation we have stayed in so far :-)

Beautiful cottage with excellent facilities set in idyllic surroundings.

Hosts were very welcoming and helpful. Thoroughly recommend as a base for exploring Wicklow/Wexford.

This was a fantastic property, warm, clean, extremely friendly host.

Very welcoming. We will definitely be going back!!

A brilliant stay in the cottage!

Everything we could ask for was there, the kitchen was well equipped - which was great as we love to cook so was a home away from home! We didn't eat out as it was just so easy to cook for ourselves! Very clean, which was great as I felt comfortable allowing my baby to play on the floor without having to worry! Little touches throughout like lavender on the towels, lovely smelling hand wash, just made the place a touch above! John was very helpful, showing us how everything worked and where everything was (shower, first aid box, washer and dryer etc.!) We had great contact with John prior to our arrival and during our stay, he even attended once when we needed some assistance with the heating! A lovely log burner in the living room - we didn't use as the central heating was sufficient enough for us. John's wife had baked some scones, which were delightful, along with the jam! And a lovely welcome hamper and a card was given along with cold milk in the fridge! A fabulous first holiday for us as a family, and will last in our memories forever, and hopefully we'll be back to make some more!

The cottage is very clean and comfortable.

It is set in 2 acres of contained land and is in a lovely rural location. My wife and I spent 22 nights there and we loved every minute of been there. We will definitely go back. John and Jacinta were very friendly and welcoming -providing us with freshly baked scones each Saturday. They also provided an excellent welcome hamper.

We had a wonderful week at this beautiful cottage.

The owners were fantastic & caring they had excellent knowledge of the area & explained what we wanted to know. In my opinion the photos don't do it justice this is a top class facility. It has everything to hand & everything in the cottage oozes quality. The owners should be applauded to the care & attention to detail they've made with the cottage. The grounds are large & well kept & kept are dog well entertained.

Beautifully equipped cottage.

Warm and cosy. The owners were very friendly and helpful when needed. Lovely welcome pack on arrival. Particularly enjoyed the beautiful kitchen and the luxurious bedding! Doubt it could have been bettered!

A very comfortable clean cottage.

All modern facilities. Modern very well equipped kitchen. Satellite TV with (pay account Netflix). Very clean throughout. Modern shower. 2 bedrooms. Ideally located for a walking holiday - Completed stretches of the Wicklow Way - Shillelagh to Clonegal - Glendalough - Tinahely Loop - Mount Leinster - Vartry Resevoir (Roundwood) etc. All walking maps available to download from Wicklow Tourism. - http://visitwicklow.ie/all-walks/