Hot Air Ballooning over Ireland

My husband took me on a hot air balloon ride for our anniversary and it was absolutely amazing. From start to finish the whole experience was perfect. We arrived bright and early in the morning to check in and the staff was all very helpful, friendly and professional, while still being very personable. They had some snacks available while we waited for our balloon to be ready. We were allowed to watch, fairly close to the balloon, as it inflated- it was quite fascinating and fun to watch the process from the beginning.

After the balloon was inflated and everyone was situated inside the basket we were on our way- it practically felt like magic the way we lifted so effortlessly! It was unlike any sort of take-off I've experienced (this was my first time in a hot air balloon). We went quite high in the air- 3000 feet, I think. But I never felt nervous- it was so peaceful and beautiful. Our pilot was great- he was fun and witty but more importantly I knew that he was always in control of the balloon. I never felt unsafe and I knew that he knew what he was doing. It was also somewhat adventurous when they took us down close to the trees all the way that the bottom of the basket skimmed the treetops and we could reach out and grab bay leaves! But I never felt like we were going to crash or that our pilot wasn't in full control of the balloon at all times. The flight was the perfect length too. I was a little worried that it would be a really short ride and we wouldn't feel we got our money's worth, but it was perfect.

After we safely landed we had breakfast with the pilot and some of the others from our flight. It was delicious and considering the food prices in the area, it was actually pretty reasonably priced.

There's a reason why these guys have 5 stars. Everything about the experience was stellar. They were all so friendly and personal, professional and although they see a lot of different people every day, they still made us feel like we were individually important. AND since it was our anniversary they even gave us a pastry at the end of our experience free of charge!

Another thing that sets them apart from some of the other balloon companies we researched was that they don't overfill the balloons. The balloons can technically fit 4 more people than what they fill because they don't want the riders to feel cramped or crowded- and it would have been very crowded if they had filled it to it's full capacity. They offer a higher quality experience than the other balloon companies but are still competitively priced and even if they charge a little more than some of their competition, it is WELL WORTH IT. If you're trying to decide whether or not to go on a hot air balloon ride, DO IT! If you've decided to go on a balloon ride and are considering multiple companies, go with Irish Balloon Flights - you won't regret your decision if you do. :)

Megan R.