For those staying in Galway - the Sleepzone hostel there sometimes has free broadband access for residents. I’ve actually stayed in three different hostels there last year, and below are some reviews I wrote about them for a travel website.
Accommodation Name:
Sleepzone Tourist Hostel
Type:
Hostel
Description:
The hostel was fairly new and very clean. It was across town from the pedestrian shopping district but not terribly far on foot. There was a food shop nearby.
My room had about ten bunks in it, single-sex. There was an en-suite bathroom with two stalls and two showers.
Unique Qualities:
There’s an internet cafe in the ground floor! The access hours were something like 10 AM to 9 PM but residents are allowed to access it for a few hours before and after the official operating hours. The day I was there happened to be Sunday and they offered me free internet all day. I don’t know if this was standard or not, but I took the opportunity to get a lot of online business done that day! Definitely worth staying on a Sunday for the access alone!
Prices:
less than US$20
Address:
Bóthar na mBan, Wood Quay, Galway, Ireland
Directions:
More or less due north of Eyre Square, but none of the roads are straight for very long in that area.
Phone:
+353 91 566999
Website:
www.sleepzone.ie
Other Contact:
info@sleepzone.ie
\
Accommodation Name:
Galway Hostel
Type:
Hostel
Description:
This hostel is very easy to get to, as it’s just across the street from the combination bus depot and train station. They don’t take reservations - just walk in and see if there are any openings. I’ve stayed there twice in the summer of 2003. Once I was in a room of 14 bunks for about 12 euro, and once in an en-suite room of four bunks for 20 euro. I actually greatly preferred the larger room, as there was more conversation and camraderie among the occupants.
Access to the hostel is by buzzer and the front desk is staffed 24/7.
The hostel has cooking facilities, but the combination kitchen/dining room is also the only place in the hostel where smoking is permitted. So if you’re a non-smoker like me you may find it a little unpleasant to be in clouds of smoke while cooking and eating. But such is the price we pay when travelling on the cheap.
There’s also internet access in the dining room at pay terminals, but they didn’t work (you can ask for your money back at the front desk) and there are cheaper places in town anyway.
Prices:
less than US$20
Address:
Eyre Square, Galway
Directions:
Across the street from the train and bus station, overlooking the main town square.
Phone:
+353 91 566959
Other Contact:
fax +353 91 562289
\
Accommodation Name:
Kinlay House Hostel
Type:
Hostel
Description:
There wasn’t anything hugely spectacular about this hostel, but it was clean and available. The rooms were co-ed, and it was the first time that no one else in the room spoke a language I knew - an interesting if somewhat isolating experience. The kitchen was large but skinny, so it was a little hard to get around in it when a lot of people were trying to use it. But they set up a breakfast buffet line, which was really cool, and it didn’t take long at all to get fed and out in the morning.
Unique Qualities:
I had to move out of the previous night’s hostel many hours before I could enter my room in this one - a common occurance. But Kinlay house has a locked safe room where you can leave your things until check-in time rolls around.
Prices:
less than US$20
Address:
Merchant’s Road, Eyre Square, Galway, County Galwa
Directions:
From the bus station, turn left toward Eyre Square. Turn left again and walk past a huge hotel. When you get to the end of the walkway, cross the road, and then turn left. Kinlay House is just around the corner to the right.
Phone:
+353 91 565 244
Website:
www.kinlayhouse.ie
Other Contact:
kinlay.galway@usit.ie
I’m really happy for you! (no wonder I haven’t bumped into you anywhere yet!!)
and want to hop a quick flight to London, let me know! I don’t expect to get to Ireland till next summer at the earliest.
This thread has devolved into a three way mutual appreciation network. That’s not a bad thing, mind you, it’s just cracking me up more and more each time I read it.