This was my first stay in any hostel, so I was a little apprehensive. I will give a thorough review for anyone with similar concerns about staying in a hostel.
Overall it was an okay experience.
Check-in:
I got there early and was able to drop off my bags and use the facilities but had to come back for checkin time to access my room. There was no secure place for the luggage I dropped off. Just in the reception room where people come through, not even behind the desk or in a back room. Early check-in is listed as an option for 20€ but I asked and it was not available because they were still cleaning my room. It wasn’t offered to look for another available room for early check-in.
The room:
The room itself was good. Everything was clean. Big window with lots of light. Bed and linens were clean and comfy. There was very limited room to keep the shoes, coats, and bags of six people. My roommates had towels and coats hanging all over the furniture and radiator. Need dedicated towel racks in bunks. And a shoe rack by the door. And a larger coat rack. The coat rack in there has like 10 hooks but they’re so close together that it fits like two winter coats. The under the bed cases were not ideal, loud to access the narrow space when roommates are sleeping. The closet door was also very loud and squeaky. Needs a little oil.
Roommates:
My roommates were mostly respectful. Some were up talking to each other and on the phone loudly later than I would say is respectful, between 22:00-24:00. The room was pretty full (I think 4 out of 6 beds were occupied) but I only met one of the roommates. The others came back when I was already in bed. The lights were also flipped on a couple times during that time. If you’re coming in from a long day or days of traveling like I did, don’t expect to get a good night’s rest at a hostel. There should be clearer rules for quiet hours/lights out. The bunks have curtains which help. Definitely bring an eye mask and ear plugs or headphones.
Common areas:
The common areas did not appeal to me. The kitchen was sanitary enough but pretty dingy looking. The fridges were full of food just piled in there. There was zero room. It seems there are many long term residents who dominate the kitchen space, which is too small in my opinion. It could use an update. In the morning at 10:40 I wanted to use the kitchen to wash some containers before checking out but it was closed for cleaning and re-opened at 11am. The kitchen should not be completely closed right before check-out, when people are leaving and need last minute access to it. It was misleading to say there was 24-7 access to free breakfast food and coffee when it was not available when I needed to get to it quickly before leaving to catch a train.
Bathrooms:
The bathrooms were pretty clean and there are plenty of them on each floor (two full bathrooms with sink, shower and toilet, one with just shower and sink on my floor). They are all one person bathrooms which was a pleasant surprise. I never had to wait for a bathroom. Showers had some discoloration but nothing too bad. Really nice shower head. Sinks have separate hot and cold taps and the hot gets very hot, which makes no sense to me, but it seems to be that way in most places around Ireland. Towel was 1€. Really it should be free.
Location/safety:
Location is a little out of the way but easy to get a cab or walk to attractions and pubs. The area felt safe. Family homes, shops and a student housing building on the very quiet street. Few hundred meters to a busier street with a lot of construction work going on. Some side streets on the way there felt a little less safe. I would be careful walking home alone at night or just get a cab. To get in initially you have to buzz the door and they unlock it. Which was annoying when I heard someone buzz around midnight. At check-in you get a key fob which you scan to get in the outside door and a key for your room.
Check out:
Easy, left keys with reception. There’s also a drop box for keys if you leave when no one is there.