Accommodation – Galway, Ireland

Unlike the nightmare of finding accommodation in Dublin, Galway is a dream. Considering the size of the city and the amount of travelers it receives, there are plenty of hostels, and below is a partial selection. For more info on hostels in Galway and in Ireland as a whole, check out Independent Holiday Hostels of Ireland and the Irish Youth Hostel Association.

If you’re coming to Galway for the long-term, accommodation is difficult to find only during late August and through September, as students are returning to town. On Wednesday at 2 p.m., go to the offices of the Galway Advertiser (on Church Lane, next to Eason’s on Shop Street) and put down your 50p for the classified supplement (the paper itself comes out Thursday). Once you get the supplement, start phoning immediately, because flats and rooms start going before the ink even dries. You can also find the accommodation supplement on the Advertiser’s website.

Barnacles Quay Street House
Quay Street, IHH-listed.
Clean, bright and big, with comfy beds, a nice staff, Bureau De Change and good late-night security. Not much of a common room, though. Farther from Eyre Square, but closer to the river and therefore to all the cool pubs on the left bank of the Corrib. A light breakfast (toast, coffee and juice) is included. High season rates: 12-person dorm, €15.50; 4-bed, €18.00; twin/double, €24.50. Check the Barnacles booking page for the most current rates. If Dublin and Cork are included in your travels, there are Barnacles in those cities as well.

Eyre Square Hostel
Eyre Street
Okay, I think they’re cheating a little: the hostel is actually kinda far back from the top of Eyre Square, but there’s no need to nit-pick. Has 45 beds, from IR£9 (decent-sized rooms, but some are a bit cramped). L-shaped kitchen and sitting room are small, but open 7-1 a.m. Booze and smoking not allowed. Laundry service, IR£3. Not a bad-looking place, but it wouldn’t be my first choice.

Great Western House
Across from bus station, 091-561-139. IHH-listed.
I’ve heard conflicting things about the Great Western, but I haven’t stayed here myself. The good things focus on some of the hostel’s unique offerings (such as a spa), and the bad ones have tended to focus on not-nice rooms, and that people would only stay here because it’s across from the station. Check it out if you wish, and let me know what you think. High season rates are IR£8.50-12 for dorm, IR£16 for twin/double.

Kinlay House
Merchant’s Road (across from Tourist Office), IHH-listed.
A location on Eyre Square makes this a popular hostel. Celtel, an Internet and phone center, is downstairs. If there are large groups in, though, the place can fill up fast. Breakfast included. High season rates: dorm, IR£10-12.50; twin/double, IR£14.50-20 per person.

Salmon Weir Hostel
3 St. Vincent’s Ave., Woodquay
In the city centre, but far enough away to be quiet; also close to the university. Friendly staff, booze is allowed, and £4 gets your laundry done. Large common room. Rooms aren’t huge, but they’re not too cramped either. Breakfast isn’t included. Doesn’t accept large groups. High season rates: 4-bed dorm, £10; 6-bed dorm, £9.50; 12-bed dorm, £8; twin and double rooms, £12.50. I’ve not stayed here, but I did check it out, see rooms, and chat with the guy at the desk; to my mind as well, the more postcards and pictures hung up around the place, the better and more personable the hostel, so I think I can safely, highly recommend the Salmon Weir.

Woodquay Hostel
Woodquay
Woodquay is a small residential area, close to the city centre but just far enough outside to be a bit calmer (there’s a nice wooded area for walking). Big common room (with TV and stereo) and kitchen, and nice, comfy dining room. Bureau De Change. Also has a curfew. Bright rooms and nice beds; costs about a tenner a night, but breakfast isn’t included. I’ve not stayed here, but I’ve heard it’s a decent place.

For more Galway hostel options, see the Galway hostels page.

Questions?
If you want more information about this area you can email the author or check out our Europe Insiders page.

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