FAQ - Inis Meáin Island Stays

Is it possible to dine in the Restaurant?

No. Thank you for your interest, however Inis Meáin Restaurant & Suites closed after the 2022 season to enable the owner/managers to take over the running of a second company, Inis Meáin Knitting Company, on Ruairí’s parents retirement.

Inis Meáin Restaurant & Suites evolved in to Inis Meáin Island Stays from 2023, which involves whole house rental of two Island Houses on a luxury self-catering basis, but with optional delivered Island Dinners available.

Is it possible to book a Suite?

Where is Inis Meáin Island Stays located?

Inis Meáin Island Stays is situated in the middle of the small island of Inis Meáin which is about 5km by 3km in size. It is the middle island of the three Aran Islands, which are located in Galway Bay in the Atlantic Ocean, 15 miles off the west coast of Ireland. For a map and travel information please see our Travel Toolkit.

What is the best International Airport to fly into to visit Inis Meáin?

We would recommend travel via Dublin Airport as it has the most inbound flights and the best transport options for travelling onwards towards Inis Meáin. Shannon Airport is geographically nearer, however the roads and transport options from there are not as good. For further travel info please see our Travel Toolkit.

Is it possible to stay for one night?

No. We offer a four night stay in both the Currach House and the Karst House due to logistical considerations in our remote location. Everything that we do is inspired by our unique island location, and for guests to benefit from what we and our special location offer, we maintain that a four night stay is the minimum amount of time necessary.

Is it possible to stay for a combination of nights other than what is offered on our Book page?

No. Looking through our website, you will see that what we offer is much more than a typical hospitality package. To make this unique hospitality offering work in our remote location, we cannot provide accommodation on combinations of nights different to the stays offered.

Is is possible to have a House arranged with two separate beds?

Yes. Twin beds are available in 2 of the 4 Suite Studios in the Karst House, and Twin beds are available in the 2 Bedrooms of the Currach House. If you wish to have any of the rooms prepared with Twin beds instead of a Superking double bed, please let us know at least a week prior to your arrival. Couches are not available as bedding for additional guests.

How many guests can stay in a House?

The Currach House can sleep up to four guests, while the Karst House can sleep up to eight guests.

Can children stay in the Houses?

Island Stays are designed for adult guests only, consequently children’s bedding is not available. Bookings are currently accepted for children over 12 years of age only.

Please note that the optional Island Dinners are designed for adults, however the Houses have full high-spec kitchens available for preparing alternative meals for teenagers if required.

Do the Houses have a single occupancy rate?

No. As there are just two Houses and a short season, the rates are the same for single or group occupancy in the Houses.

Can pets stay in the Houses?

No. We have no suitable outbuildings and there are none available on the island at the current time. With two Houses with a very high occupancy rate, we can never take a risk of the following guests having allergies to any remaining traces of any previous animal visitors.

Is there WiFi in the Houses?

There is complimentary WiFi available in both Houses. The quality of service is reasonably consistent but can be relatively weak in July and August when there are more visitors on the island using internet.

Is there a TV or DVD player in the Houses?

No. The aim of the Houses is to enhance guests’ visit to the island by enabling them to best explore the unique natural beauty of the island. Therefore there are no tvs or dvd players in the Houses. There are, however, bicycles, baited fishing rods, ash walking sticks, deckchairs, beach towels, umbrella, wildlife binoculars, maps and nature guides available in each House.

Are there alternative accommodation options on the island?

Yes. There are a few B&Bs on the island and listed below are the ones who have websites and are currently operational for most of the season from mid-March to September inclusive, however all accommodation on Inis Meáin usually books out well in advance for summer months.

There are also sometimes further options available on AirBnB.

Is there a telephone number available?

We prefer to use email as a way of communication for several operational reasons. These include the fact that there is a lot of information to do with reservations that needs to be explained in detail to prospective guests, due to our unusual location and small scale. We have found that this is more easily done by email.

We also sometimes receive a large amount of email enquiries, for the small amount bookings we can offer each year and email allows us to disseminate information much more effectively, including the use of auto-response mails referring guests to where the required information can be found.

In addition the small team are involved in a huge variety of tasks during the season in tandem with responding to correspondence, including vegetable gardening, etc, making email the most practical medium for correspondence.

During the off-season we are involved with other projects. For all of these reasons, we thank you for your understanding that email is the best way to contact us.

Guests who stay in the Houses have a dedicated phone number to contact us on, which is in the literature in their House.

Do the owners live on the island all year?

Yes. Ruairí is a native of Inis Meáin and Marie-Thérèse, originally from Midleton, County Cork, joined him on the island to help build and open Inis Meáin Restaurant & Suites in 2007. They live on the island all year around with their two daughters born in 2010 and 2013.