Galway, Ireland: Galway City Hostel Review

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Galway is a small town right on the Irish coast. My travels landed me in Galway for a couple of days where I stayed in a charming and warm hostel called the Galway City Hostel. If you’re thinking of staying here as a budget-friendly option during your visit, I suggest you read on!

Location:

Galway is a small town and the hostel is conveniently located right next to the train station. Right across the street are bars and restaurants, although the hostel is on the edge of the town. Despite the hostel being towards the outside, it only takes 5 minutes to walk to the town center, making the location hardly an issue.

Eats:

The hostel itself has a communal kitchen where guests can cook and store their own food. Outside of the hostel are a host of restaurants, pubs, and cafes as close as right across the street!

Rooms:

Rooms look pretty average for a hostel. Not too much to rave about but certainly nothing disgusting. Keep in mind that booking a larger room can get messy as 10+ people are all unpacking their stuff in one room at a time. The beds are all bunked and stacked pretty close together in the rooms.

Atmosphere:

The hostel is on the quieter side during the low season and enforces quiet hours late into the night. As the hostel is also further from the town center, it tends to be quieter than the hostels located closer to the town center, making it easier to get a good night’s rest.

Service:

Service here is pretty decent. The people at the front desk are nice but can take their time with checking people in.

Cleanliness:

The hostel was quite clean during my visit. I was surprised to not find the showers clogged or full of hair and, the bathrooms were cleaned on a regular basis. Common areas were also neatly kept and dishes were consistently washed.

Cost:

The cost will depend on the time of booking and season. During low season travel, costs to stay per night will range from 18-30 euros. If traveling through the summer, I recommend booking ahead of time to get a starting rate of 25 euros/night.

Amenities:

There is a kitchen with multiple fridges, food pantry, oven, microwave, sink, and dishes. Next to the kitchen is a great lounge area with computers and sitting areas to relax, perfect for striking up a conversation with others!

Tips for Staying:

Bring your own towel to this hostel unless you want to pay 2-3 euros to rent one for the duration of your stay. I also highly advise a lock to keep your possessions safe and soap/shampoo.

For all of you wanting a great night on the town, the hostel offers a pub-crawl that guests can sign up for at the front desk. I believe it is around 18 euros. The pub-crawl goes through 5-6 bars and the fee to join includes drinks and/or a shot at every location.

If you’re looking to strike up a conversation or meet new people, the lounge is a great place to do so!