Dublin, Ireland: Review of the Generator Hostel

During my stay in Dublin, I wanted to aim for a budget friendly getaway and stayed for a few nights at the Generator Hostel. For those of you who have Dublin on your list of places to see, here’s a review of the hostel for future travels.

Location:

The hostel is towards the edge of downtown but is still walkable. It’s very close to a tram stop (tram system is known as the LUAS) that can alternatively take you to downtown if you do not want to walk all the way over.

Getting to the hostel from the airport is relatively simple. It just takes a bus ride (take the 747 bus for 6 euros) to Ushers Quay and a walk over 2-3 small blocks.

Service:

Since it is a hostel, service will be different compared to a 5 star hotel. Obviously there isn’t a doorman and valet guy to greet you every morning but the people working at the hotel are quite friendly. Some of them will even chat it up with you and share their own travel experiences. In general the staff here is very approachable and helpful but there will not be the bells and whistles of an upscale hotel.

Cleanliness:

For a hostel that hosts a ton of people, many of whom are sharing the same bathroom, cleanliness is quite good. Bathrooms are frequently cleaned out a few times a day and there are plenty of bathroom and shower stalls. I never saw anyone waiting to have to use the bathroom or shower but I was also traveling through Ireland in December.

Common areas are also kept tidy with trash nowhere in sight. The tables in the café and bar area are frequently bussed when diners are done. Overall cleanliness was impressive for a hostel.

Cost:

The Generator Hostel is very budget friendly with rooms ranging in the high 10s to 30s a night. I only paid 16 euros/night during my visit in December.

Eats:

There is a café and bar downstairs from the entrance of the hostel. The café serves breakfast and meals throughout the day along with coffee. There is also a bar next to the café that has beers on tap along with hard liquor. Guests can order cocktails and beer at the bar. Having tried breakfast at the café and drinks at the bar, I found both to be quite decent.

Speaking from trial and error, I recommend waking up earlier to get breakfast as the quality of some of the food starts to decline going into the late morning. The scrambled eggs were terribly soggy when I ordered breakfast in the late morning (10-11am) and were much better earlier on (8-9am).

Atmosphere:

Compared to other hostels, this hostel seems to have a more mature audience and atmosphere. In general the guests seemed to range from their late teens to 40s and older. The vibe is more relaxed and not as party-centric as other hostels and the setup is much more nicely decorated. It almost looked like a hotel.

Amenities:

Hostels can be hit or miss with what items are provided to guests. Here's what is included with a Generator booking:

Lockers - There are lockers guests can rent to store their luggage instead of having the staff throwing them into a dark and potentially unattended room while waiting to check in. Lockers are also available inside each room under the bunk beds. Make sure to bring a lock (or buy one at the front desk) to secure your belongings!

Internet- Wifi exists throughout the building, which is great for doing research and keeping in touch with friends and family. It’s also free and does not require a password. Sign up and log into the network!

Linens – Guests are provided shower towels, a bed sheet, and pillow at this hostel.

Rooms:

Rooms at the hostel are pretty typical with a bunch of beds stacked together into a room. There was a sink in my room with 6 beds. Lockers for storage are also found underneath each bed but you will need to bring your own lock to secure your belongings. Each guest is provided with a bed sheet, duvet, pillow, and towel. No soap or shampoos are provided. The bathroom has a shared hair dryer.

I highly recommend this hostel if traveling on a budget through Dublin, Ireland. There is a lot of value given the low prices and nice setup but make sure to come prepared with your own soap/shampoo!