We were attending a wedding in the hodson bay hotel in athlone and we stayed over night in coosan cottage. We were served a great breakfast which was much appreciated After a late night.Joe was an excellant host & very friendly. Would def go back & stay there & would be interested to have dinner there... If the breakfast was anything to go by. A bottle of water given to each of us as we left was a thoughtful touch.

We stayed here recently as we were attending a wedding in Athlone town. Tom, the owner, is certainly a character and has quite a personal and relaxed way of welcoming you and checking you in.
Our room was downstairs, and was fine: a standard sized double bed, a pine wardrobe, dressing table and one locker. Some of the handles were broken on the furniture but that was not a problem or a big deal. The room was clean, and although a little cool, when we mentioned it to Tom on our way out, the heat was on when we came back and the room was lovely and toasty in the end. There were only 2 pillows on the bed, so maybe a couple of spares in the wardrobe would be a nice touch for the future. The showerroom was fine too, clean although only 3 towels provided and no shower mat. We didn't bother asking for any extra, but I'm sure it wouldn't have been a problem if we had. There was an ironing board and phone in the room; no TV and I can't recall there being a kettle or tea/coffee facilities, but we were only really docking in for the night so it wasn't a big deal.
We had chosen our breakfast time on check-in, and Tom had it ready for us when we arrived up. A good full Irish, with really tasty rashers and sausages, and all nicely presented. There was no cereal, fruit or pastries though, which I think could be something he could think about providing in the future, especially at the rates being charged.
We didn't use the bar, but it seemed to be in full session with locals when we came back in - we didn't hear a thing from our room though so it wasn't a problem.
I would say that whilst the room and bathroom were clean, the communal areas could do with a bit of dusting! Some of the knick-knacks and shelving are developing a nice thick layer of dust that hasn't happened over a day or 2...
My main criticism of this B&B, however, is the price. I think €80 is too much in 2011 Ireland for a fairly standard B&B and is more than other B&Bs are currently charging in the area. I also am not convinced that the VAT reduction was passed on: I booked pre July 1st, and the rates hadn't changed on paying. I did ask and was told that the rates had been reduced by a fiver a person, which if this is the case is a good reduction, but I still think €40 pps is still far too much for this type and standard of accommodation. Also, the lack of credit card machines is a little outdated and inconvenient for guests: it also means you don't get a written VAT receipt too...
I wouldn't rush to recommend this B&B until the rates are reduced to reflect better the standard of accommodation, or the service on offer is greatly enhanced to reflect the pricey rate being charged.

If you want a taste of Irish hospitality, this is the place!! Recommended to us by the Lonely Planet we were not disappointed. Tom is the perfect host. His cottage is clean, comfortable and not far from the lake. If you want to meet some locals, hang out at the bar of an evening and enjoy a pint, a poem and a song! Be prepared to share one of your own though!!! Tom provides a great breakfast and loves to share a yarn. We had a great overnight stay and would come back again and again!!

Stay at Coosan Cottage during the Athlone regatta.The Ecoguesthouse is spacious and well run with a fanastic bar with great Guinness.The food was second to none .The rooms were very clean and the drying was excellent for our wet gear.A great facility in a beautiful area .Music and crack were all join in.We'll Row Back.