Sorry folks, but our raised expectations after reading the positive reviews were not met by Joan or the Periwinkle. We had room 6 on the ground floor, where the bin had not been emptied after the previous occupants, the toilet door stuck and needed a ferocious amount of strength to open (my mum wouldn't have managed!) and the shower worked only as a hand held but you could not stand underneath it. Most surprising of all was Joan's apparent surprise when we told her about all 3 issues. The room was clean, but had a double and single bed in it so there was no room to out luggage down or sit, and guests do not have use of the lounge. Decor is a matter of choice, but the dark wood 'surround' in the room, comprising a wall-length headboard which went around the wall, accross the window at a height of about 4' was a bit weird, and shaped like 'waves' - presumably part of the 'nautical theme' of the room. We didn't share other guests' appreciation of the wonderful breakfast either - the sausages were burned and the eggs overcooked, and accompanied by the 'peep peep' of the microwave before it was brought through. Two dishes for fruit/nuts to accompany the yoghurt were empty. We'd booked for 4 nights, but left after the first, forfeiting our deposit for the remaining nights rather than stay. Sadly, we can't recommend this establishment.

Great location for city centre and Salthill. Lovely breakfast each morning. Had all the facilities, i.e. hairdryer, electric blanket, tea/coffee facilities, TV.

We stayed with Joan in 2009, returned to stay with her in 2011 while in Galway, and will return again if we travel to Galway. She is a wonderful hostess who will help with arrangements for local tours and events. The Periwinkle is within easy walking distance of Salthill and Galway City.

After a long, cross country drive from Dublin, my sister and I arrived tired and rushing to get to the Salthill Hotel for a performance of Trad on the Prom. Joan reassured us that we would be able to get there on time and drove us to the hotel herself. That was the start of our wonderful stay.

On the way, Joan showed us a copy of the breakfast menu and let us pick our breakfast from a fairly extensive menu. She was very accommodating in making changes to suit our needs, for which we were quite grateful.

After the show, we took a leisurely stroll along Galway Bay back to the B&B, where we got our first glance of our accommodations. We were not disappointed. They were very homey, tastefully decorated, and quite comfortable.

After breakfast, we had time to visit with Joan, who is very engaging and interesting, and who bears a strong resemblance to Meryl Streep.. We also walked into Galway itself -- another pleasurable stroll for our day's adventures there.

The only downside was that the wi-fi wasn't working, but that was a small matter to us. All in all, we had a great time and we would gladly recommend Joan and the Periwinkle to any area visitors.