We were very excited to stay at Pauline's based on the pictures and stellar reviews. Unfortunately, what we found when we checked in was far below what we were expecting.
First off, Pauline was lovely. Very easy to communicate with and friendly when we arrived with several tips for what to see and do around Cork.
The room itself left much to be desired. On the surface, it was great - large with some nice amenities. Unfortunately, when we looked a bit closer there was much hiding under the surface:
- There was a good layer of dust on most surfaces and cobwebs hanging all over the walls and windows in both the bedroom and the bathroom.
- There was no way to securely lock our room when we were out. There was a sliding lock inside the door, or a hook-and-latch lock on the outside of the door. But anyone could simply unlatch it and walk in.
- The toilet was very temperamental and often didn't flush. We would have to remove the top, fidget with the mechanisms, and even have to fill up the tank with water with cups from the sink.
- The bed was terrible. It was smaller than advertised and very noisy/creaky every time I moved. In addition to the noise, it was also very uncomfortable with the bed springs easily felt when laying down.
- The room was very noisy. It faces a very busy street with traffic racing by until very late in the night. There was also music and thumping coming from above us until well after midnight. Add all that to the creaky bedsprings and it made for a largely sleepless night.
Other things to be aware of:
Pauline's place is well-located, close to the city centre with many pubs and restaurants within walking distance. It is at the top of a hill so the walk back is more challenging than the walk down.
Due to its central location, the parking can be a bit of an issue. There is plenty of paid street parking available but there is a two-hour limit until 6pm.
All in all, we were very disappointed in this accommodation. We had reserved 4 nights but the lack of security, cleanliness, and noise issues made that impossible and we decided to leave after one night.