We've certainly taken more than our fair share of private tours in 79 countries and 7 continents. As seasoned world travelers, we believe strongly in a top-notch private tour guide. That said, Elegant Irish Tours was impeccably organized and fully met our standards. Admittedly, we do have high standards! Our drivers always picked us up in a timely manner at an easily accessible location. They took us to little-known locations as well as the popular tourist attractions we requested. They even found secret ways to bypass crowds using their experience and local connections. Importantly, they planned strategic bathroom breaks and snack stops to liven long drives (you'd be surprised how many tour guides don't think about timely bathroom breaks). All of our guides were so personable and knowledgeable, and they knew when to impart information and when to let us rest. It's an instinct many guides do not have. Any time we revisit Ireland, we will insist on employing Elegant Irish Tours for our adventures because the experience was absolutely wonderful. read more

Promised 33-Passenger Bus for Private Tour, Delivered Two Small Buses Instead We booked a private tour with Elegant Irish Tours for a family reunion in June 2026, and unfortunately the experience left us frustrated and let down. We'd originally booked with Butler Tours and paid a deposit but had to cancel (and eat a penalty) when they couldn't provide a single bus for our group of 28. Elegant Irish Tours stepped in and assured us they could accommodate our group with a bus capable of accommodating 33 passengers, plus coolers for refreshments. We were relieved and excited -- this was a family reunion, and being together as one group mattered a lot to us. On the actual day, two smaller buses showed up instead of the one we were promised. This split our group and was a real disappointment for an event centered on togetherness. We called the office right away and got no support or concern in return. With no alternative offered, we had no choice but to continue with our day as best we could. The bigger issue came after we returned home. I called twice and got nowhere, and I emailed Wendy, the supervisor, directly -- I never received so much as a reply. During the sales process, it was all yes, yes, yes. Once something actually went wrong, there was silence. If you're considering this company, be aware that the follow-through doesn't match the sales pitch. read more

Terrible customer service! Pricey and you do not get as advertised vehicles. 10 people bumpy bus for three people. Drivers/guides take you to places they get commission that you did not ask to go and meanwhile time at arranged destinations is shortened. Find another company! read more

Sept 2023. Nothing Elegant about our 6-day tour. Dirty van with leaky moonroof....it rained for part or all of the day 5 of the 6 days and at times we couldn't mop up the water in the vehicle fast enough to keep the seats dry. While Our driver Ian was very knowledgeable he was not a good driver. He drove recklessly speeding on wet windy narrow roads, passing multiple vehicles in an unsafe manner for the weather and road conditions putting his 6 passengers in danger many times. He unexpectedly cancelled our afternoon excursion and walked off the tour on Day 3 when he was repeatedly asked to slow down. Limited communication from his boss Gabriel when we tried to resolve the situation. We skipped one scheduled stop at Cashel Rock which was prepaid in our package. We arrived 30 minutes after closing to Bunratty Castle. Given this company advertises a luxury custom tour, our experience was the complete opposite. Paid top dollar for a less than ideal experience without any response or even an offer of a partial refund. read more

Horrible experience with this tour. If you are porting in Ringaskiddy instead of Cobh, prepare to have your day ruined. A. What we paid for: "Operated by our 5 star sister company Elegant Irish Tours, the small group vans seat no more than 25 passengers and allow for a particularly intimate day on shore. Your day begins in style as we collect you with a small group tour van from the cruise liner terminal in Cobh, Cork Harbour. (Note: if for operational reasons your ship is diverted to the other Cork terminal in Ringaskiddy we will of course meet you there instead)" What we received: We were not collected by the small group tour van in Ringaskiddy. We were unable to find the Elegant Irish Tour Van. We found a Paddywagon coach bus and asked the tour operators to help us locate the small group tour van. They made some phone calls and told us that the small group tour van would not be picking us up. Instead, we should ride along on the Paddywagon group coach bus and meet up with the small group van at Blarney Castle, which was the first stop for both tours. B. What we paid for: Transport from the Jameson Distillery to the city of Cobh including (time permitting) visits to the St Coleman Cathedral and the Titanic Experience. What we received: The tour bus driver told us he would not take us to the city of Cobh because we were from a different port than the rest of the passengers on the tour. Instead, he called a taxi for us and two other tourists to take us directly back to the Ringaskiddy Terminal. The rest of the Elegant Irish Tour passengers went to Cobh and to their terminal in Cork. C. What we paid for: Return to the cruise ship via the small group tour van What we received: Taxi ride with a driver and a total of four passengers in a sedan to our cruise ship. Our travel agent has also blacklisted them based on our experience. read more

Canceled the tour 7 hours ahead of time of departure...... booked through paddy wagon. All talk no action. They don't care that they have no time for us to rebook. Should have stuck with wild rover that I had originally booked. read more

We had a private tour to Galway which was long and worthless. The driver/guide did not tell us much about the area. We were directed to a whiskey tasting and we're not told it would be extra. Our tour of Galway was to a restaurant and bookstore with no historical background. The company did not respond to our feedback. Not recommended. read more

Patrick our driver had loads of history to share with us while on the road. He was open to questions and approachable. He was well dressed and introduced himself first thing. The company told us to be ready by 0650 for our pick up since our tour was 700-700 and had multiple pick ups that morning. He arrived 0715 which made us nervous because after purchasing the tour I received no reminder email or contact from the company and had to trust they would show up. All was well when he arrived and we were the first pick up. Odd. It turned out there were 2 other people on the one day tour with us so small group indeed. The Mercedes small bus was clean and roomy for four people. However the actual seats were narrow and the seat belt kept cutting into my hip. I guess size US 10 is too wide of a person for the seat. We stopped to see the Dark Hedges which was way cool. He said it was a 10 minute walk through the Kings road and then shamed us for taking 15 as we were going to be late for our tour at the Giant's Causeway. In no way did I hear him specify we were on a strict timeframe when he let us off the bus, so now it's my fault we missed what we didn't know. A bit mifted at that bit.... At the Giant's Causeway he dropped us off and gave us 1.5 hours (not nearly enough time), the site was incredible and the sun was lovely. It was nice to walk a while after being on the bus. Then a lunch stop where he sat with us, and we chatted and laughed which was nice. Then we all chose to see the Titanic exhibit, again 1.5 hours (not enough time), so we could get back to Dublin by 7. He did something extra at the end and showed us the Sandymount village area of Dublin. Which was nice of him instead of rushing us back to our hotels. All in all it was great to see things outside of Dublin and have a small group to contend with. Just a few issues which lost a star but no deal breakers. I'd book with them again but would ask for time limits on optional stops to avoid being told after the fact that something was my fault. read more

Well, if you want your holiday wrecked and want to deal with endless stress during your holiday, you have come to the right place. I booked a tour to the Moher Cliffs. We had to get up quite early to meet the tour at one of the hotels as our meeting time was 7:20. At 7:30 no one had arrived. I tried calling the office number. No answer, just a machine, despite the message saying that the office opens at 7:00. I called five times with no answer, and as it was 8:00, I realized no one was coming. I noticed that they had an office that was within walking distance so I went there. Apparently, I was on the list to go, but no one bothered to communicate that to the driver so no pick up. At that point he was far out of town and would not return to collect us. So, that day was a waste. I also learned that even though the office opens at 7:00, no one answers the phone until 10:00, nice work if you can get it I suppose. I left two voice messages, and emailed two messages, and no one from the company responded to me that day. I asked what they were going to do to compensate me for this blunder. At first nothing, and after some arguing, she said she'd give me 50% another tour the next day. The next day, we again get up early, go to the office as a meeting place. The clerk assures me that they will call for the bus and we will get on the tour. This tour is a large bus tour through paddywagon tours, not what I wanted, but that was all that was available. They are supposed to collect us at 8:00. It is now around 8:10 or 8:15 and there is no sign of a bus. The clerk comes out to tell me that they overbooked and there is no room for us! Seriously? You have screwed me two days in a row? I had only two days in Ireland and they managed to wreck both days. I did get a refund for the first tour, and an email saying they were processing my second refund for that day's tour. Later that afternoon I get an email saying I need to come to the office to get a cash refund because they have some kind of computer glitch, and cant credit my credit card. Seriously? I have already spent 25 euros in cab fare going to meeting places for tours that never took place. At this point I am nowhere near the office, and you expect me to go to your office because you have computer problems? I don't think so. At this point I contact the office of Competition and Consumer Protection services in Dublin. I open a official complaint. They inform me that according to the law, my refund must be given in the same way I paid. So no, I don't have to waste my time going to your office. I informed them of such and told them I would continue my complaint with the local authorites if they did not comply with the law. I get another email the next day, telling me to email my credit card information to them so they can process the refund. Are you kidding? You can't even handle your own communications effectively. I am not sending that sort of information over a non secure system. Finally, I just disputed the charge with my credit card.I have traveled extensively, seven continents, numerous countries, endless number of cities, and I have dealt with many touring companies. I have never, in the whole of my life, seen an operation like this. If you would love to have this kind of disruption and stress on your holiday, by all means book with them. If not, I should make other arrangements if I were you. read more

We had the best experience doing a private tour with Don! He was amazing- so knowledgeable, fun, and easy to chat with. We really liked how when we got to places too- he would give us free time and let us explore on our own. He was the perfect guide I would use this company without any doubt. It's worth the money for the extra nice service. We did the Wicklow and Kilkenny tour- both gorgeous and charming!!! I'll include some pictures. Thanks again Don!! -Kate and Mark Chicago read more

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The tour guide was great! The vehicle was anything but great. They advertise luxury vehicle which was a big reason we chose to make the big price jump between them and another tour to the same places. We assumed it would help as I would most likely get sore sitting so long and the other tour we had scheduled was not with a "luxury bus". After experiencing this company's vehicles we wish they had something more like the other bus we were in. The only thing luxury about it was that it was leather upholstery. The fans weren't working so it got hot really quickly! I'm 5'6 and my knees were jammed into the back of the seat in front of me and I'm not overweight and I was squeezed into the window next to my husband who I felt really bad for because he's 6'3 so you can only imagine if I was uncomfortable how he felt. For the last hour my hips were so bad I was considering getting off and just calling a cab. The considerable amount of Advil were no longer cutting it. The small restaurant we were taken to was pretty good, the sites were gorgeous, our guide/driver (I don't remember his name but he was knowledgeable and nice) and it was very nice to have a smaller tour group compared to a big one. They just really need different vehicles. read more

Elegant Irish Tours - Travel Services Near Me - Dublin, D

I can't speak highly enough about this company, which set my family up with the most amazing private tour and the most wonderful guide, Dermott. Our family group (3 adults, a teen boy, and a preteen girl) toured last summer (late July 2022) and it could not have been more perfect. Dermott was the ideal host and took better care of us than I ever could have thought possible. The accommodations exceeded my expectations, the sites we visited were unforgettable, the meals were delicious, and by the end of the week, we were so sad to say goodbye to Dermott. He is a treasure and Elegant Irish Tours are lucky to have him. I would recommend this company to anyone -- it was literally a trip of a lifetime. (Note that I can't speak to costs/prices since my brother coordinated everything & still hasn't given me the details but whatever it cost, it was worth every penny! Also note that if you have any concerns about COVID (as we did at the time, hence why we booked a private tour instead of the big bus tour), this company and our fabulous guide could not have been better at keeping us safe, putting us at ease, and giving us memories to last forever!) Book them now! You won't regret it! And I promise I am not a fake reviewer...I just truly had an exceptional experience and want everyone to know how great the companies that still provide superior service are. It's a lost art and Elegant Irish Tours make masterpieces! read more

I loved my Giant's Causeway Tour from Dublin. The bus was punctual, comfortable, and I loved the small group environment. Giant's Causeway was amazing and a must see, especially with the guide they provide. I ate at the nook, which our bus driver recommended. Then it was off to the Titanic Exhibit or the Belfast Black Taxi Tour. I did the black taxi tour, everyone that saw the Titanic exhibit loved it. I loved the black taxi tour because I love local culture, events, and ongoings. Here is a link to my tour video. https://youtu.be/RFDmjfx2Eb0 read more

We booked a private tour for 4 with Elegant Irish Tours hoping for a reasonably good time. We were totally blown away because it was fantastic. We were picked up at the agreed upon time by the most charming, personable and funny guide! "Don" was so energetic and extremely knowledgeable about most everything we asked about. He let us take our time and didn't rush us. I'm pretty sure we saw most of Ireland .. We went to the Cliffs of Moher which was amazing and stopped a few other times for photo ops and refreshments. If you're coming to Dublin and want the best tour company and tour guide, Elegant Irish Tours and "Donnacha"(Don) are a must. read more

Kieran L was a magnificent guide for our trip to Giant's Causeway and Belfast. He shared a wealth of knowledge of local history, talked about how recent events were built on past events from a personal perspective (not a history lecture or a rehearsed spiel) that our small group appreciated. The trip itself was great: local pickup in Dublin was spot-on time, the small-group van was clean and comfortable, and Kieran made sure all our needs were met. We had spirited discussions about Irish history over the last 50 years, Irish (and other) sports, bits of local history and lore across the ages, all done with the perfect mix of humor and seriousness. Giant's Causeway itself didn't disappoint, and the Titanic Belfast museum was fantastic. It's really well done, building the story of the Titanic by starting with the Belfast industries needed to build (textiles, metalworking, engineering, etc.) that made Belfast a world-class shipbuilding community. It handled its subject matter with evident love and admiration, and was respectful throughout. We couldn't have had a lovelier day. Thank you Kieran! read more

My wife and I used Elegant Irish Tours to visit the Cliffs of Moher, King John's Castle, and the Burren in early May 2017. We were picked up in a small (fifteen or sixteen seat) tour bus in front of our hotel, which was much more convenient than finding a communal pick-up location, as other tour companies did during our trip. Our driver was Pat T., and he provided genuinely interesting commentary throughout our travel with him. (If you've ever taken a bus tour, you understand that the driver's knowledge and demeanor can make or break the entire experience as much as the weather or sites themselves.) Pat once again proved his geniality over lunch, when he joined my wife and I for an in-depth discussion about the myriad differences between life in the United States and life in Ireland. Elegant Irish Tours left its most profound impact upon me, however, long after our trip drew to a close. When I lost my iPhone on the tour bus, I assumed it was gone forever. (Having worked in hospitality for ten years myself, I knew lost-and-found to be a reactive, not proactive process.) You can imagine my surprise when, after returning to the States and purchasing myself a replacement phone, I received notification that my device had been located and would be shipped to me in short order! Here again, Pat earned my respect, as he spent a great deal of time searching the bus for my phone, then went through the rigamarole of finding the my contact information (which we inadvertently made more difficult by booking through a third-party vendor). I must also pay my regards to Cathal O., who helped coordinate the phone's return. In sum, if you ever have the chance to book with Elegant Irish Tours, please do not pass up the opportunity. Wherever your destination, they'll make your trip a pleasant one, from pick-up to drop-off, and everywhere in between. read more

We had Paddy drive us around for nearly 12 hours. The vehicle was splendid, it has Wi-Fi and USB ports, and was big enough for our large group of 13 people. The best of all was Paddy, he was a true professional, he knew all about Ireland and it's history. He was friendly, exceedingly helpful and a very warm soul. Ask for Paddy! read more

We did a 4-day Private Southern Ireland tour and had the time of our lives! Although there wasn't much communication with the company beforehand regarding a definitive itinerary or accommodations we were picked up promptly the first morning and everything went smoothly. Our drivers Eugene and Gabriel were amazing! We started in Dublin, drove through Connemara to Galway while seeing Cong Abbey and Ashford Castle along the way. We drove through the burren and saw the cliff of Moher and Blarney Castle and spent 2 nights in Killarney. We went through the dingle peninsula and the ring of Kerry stopping to take in breathtaking views along the way. Our fabulous driver Gabriel even arranged for us to hold baby lambs and go horse back riding along the beach, two of our bucket list items! Gabriel and Eugene were very personable and fun and a wealth of knowledge, there was never a dull moment! They were accommodating to our schedules and made sure we fit in everything that we wanted to see and do! We had so much fun with them and could not recommend them any more. We would do this trip over and over again! Highly recommend! read more

We took the small group tour to the Cliffs of Mohler with Desmond and it was wonderful from the start. Our guide Desmond was informative and fun. His knowledge about the area and his friendly demeanor made the trip everything we had hoped for when we booked. I highly recommend this tour! read more

Amazing trip with our new friend and guide Paudie. Truly an incredible way to see this beautiful country with someone with local knowledge, historical prospective and most of all an excellent teacher. We saw a lot in three days but Paudie made it a relaxed and fun. I can't say enough about how wonderful this 3 day tour was! read more

I recently went to ireland and went on a couple tours with Elegant Irish Tours. My favorite tour was when I went to The Giants Causeway with Kieran L . He was an amazing tour guide! We really had a great experience due to the informative history throughout the tour. We really had a detailed glimpse of what it was like to live in Northern Ireland and true issues dealt with in that area. Kieran L went above and beyond to show us the beauty in Ireland. I'm soo thankful for how much I've learned within the day that was spend with him. I would definitely recommend Kieran L was a tour guide. read more