Dingle, Ireland: Review of the Dingle Harbour Lodge

Dingle is a small coastal town in Ireland towards the west. It is full of nature, beautiful views, and small hotels and bed & breakfasts (B&B). My travel adventures in Dingle took me to the Dingle Harbour Lodge, across the street from the water.

Location:

The hostel/B&B is technically located on the outskirts of Dingle. As Dingle itself is a small town, this means it’s 1 block away from the town center, about a 5-10 minute walk to the hostel if coming from middle of town. However it does have a view of the water depending on which rooms you are assigned. We were lucky to have a view of the water right from our room!

Eats:

The restaurant only served breakfast during my stay in December and other choices for eating involved going into town. Luckily walking to town is not time consuming but can be an inconvenience if there is a storm or heavy rain.

Rooms:

The hostel is actually bookable as both a B&B and a hostel. I cannot say much on the B&B booking itself as I made a reservation for the hostel in a 12-person room. The staff was nice enough to give us a room with 2 beds instead and so we ended up with a 2 bed room instead of a 12 bed hostel room.

The room consists of 2 beds (1 twin and 1 full), a desk, chair, tea kettle, armoire, and bathroom with shower and sink. It’s far from fancy but has all of the essentials a traveler could need and definitely a step up from an average hostel. There is no heater but instead a radiator to keep the room warm. Unfortunately hair dryers are not given to guests automatically but they can be requested at the front desk.

Corner rooms will also have a large window area facing the water, which provides great morning views and sunshine!

Atmosphere:

The hostel/B&B seemed very modest and small, typical of one found in a small town It’s also on the quieter side as it is on the edge of town and did not have many guests during the low season. There may have been 4 or 5 other parties in the hostel/B&B during my stay. Overall the place is a good choice if guests are looking for something family oriented, quiet, and modest.

Upon walking in, guests are greeted by a small reception desk and lounge area to the left. There is a restaurant behind the lounge.

Service:

There were only 1 to 2 people working at reception so service can be slow. The staff is not always at the front counter so guests may need to ring a bell at the front desk for service. However the staff was friendly.

Additional Perks:

Breakfast is very affordable here at only 5 euros if ordering from the menu for a full meal (Irish breakfast, scrambled eggs with bacon, waffles, etc.). Otherwise the breakfast bar in the restaurant is free if guests want something simple such as cereal and milk or yogurt and fruit.

Tips for Staying:

The interesting thing about the Dingle Harbour Lodge is that it functions as both a hostel and B&B. This may seem confusing as it is listed as both depending on which website you are booking your stay from. If booking for a hostel, the place may be listed under the name of “Dingle Harbour Hostel” but upon arrival guests may not be able to find the “hostel.” Rest assured that Dingle Harbour Hostel and Dingle Harbour Lodge are the SAME thing.