Kinlay Hostel Eyre Square

Amazing. Genuinely the best hostel we have ever stayed at, and has been voted the Best in Ireland (we can see why). Location perfect just off Eyre Square, close walk to train station. Lovely staff! Front desk people very helpful with checking in and answering questions we had about tours. Booking tours through the hostel itself is easy and cheaper. Impeccably clean- from bedsheets and towels, to the bathrooms and rooms. Showers pretty great, lots of them, as well as a little shower caddy for products, even music playing in bathroom. Also heaps of toilets. Kitchen amazing, very clean and well equipped. Morning breakfast included in price- scones, soda bread, cereals, spreads, free coffee machine, gluten free options. Free fruit. great chill out spaces, even a pool table key cards into room made it feel very secure Free luggage storage in secure room, both before and after checkout

We had stayed at two of the nicest hotels in Ireland before coming to the Kinlay. Really. The Shelbourne in Dublin, and Mount Juliet Estate between Dublin & Cork. Clearly Kinlay is not near that level of quality, service, luxury. But, we didn't expect that for the three day side-trip to Galway. If you want a clean, well-located, and much-better-than-youd-expect experience for a "hostal" this place will be a winner. Very simple rooms, without air-conditioning and extra furniture, but a perfectly comfortable place to sleep and possibly meet someone very interesting. Safe & secure protections for entry, movement within the facility, etc. make this place okay even for families. I stayed with my 14-yr old daughter and had a private room including en suite bathroom (not luxurious. but got the job done) and it was perfectly fine for our needs. No food service. No real "service" of any kind, but very friendly and helpful employees helping however they could. Reduced parking rate down the street. Absolutely perfect location to bars, restaurants, activity within the center city and Latin Quarter. I would not hesitate to stay here again by myself and/or with my family. Simple, but met our needs.

The breakfast was really fantastic. A nice varieties of cereals and bread. There is ample sitting area where you can sit to have your breakfast - a quieter area or where the crowd is. A stone's throw away from Galway Ceannt station. Also, the 4-persons room I was staying in was quiet at night and the 3 others in the room were understanding to not make a lot of noise when they came in at night. The kitchen was a flurries of activities. Everyone is cooking different food and it is nice to interact with others from various countries. The location was also not too far away from Lidl / Aldi where one can get some food to cook. Another thing to mention is that there is a "quiet section" where the doors will be closed at night so that the other not-so-quiet section would not disturb those in the quiet section. That is really great if you want to have a good rest for your next day itinerary.

My stay at the hostel in Galway was excellent! We were warmly welcomed by Roberto, who explained all the facilities and gave us great tips for local tours. Our room, although booked as mixed, had only women, which made me feel more comfortable. The women’s bathroom was spotless, spacious, with hot water and soap provided. Breakfast was fresh and varied, with bread, yogurt, porridge, cereals, jam, fruit, and coffee. The common areas are beautiful and cozy, and we were able to store our backpacks safely and stay at the hostel before our train. In the afternoon, there was 1€ coffee, free fruit, milk, and biscuits, and even when we missed our train, we were warmly welcomed back. Impeccable service and excellent facilities, we highly recommended!

We celebrated our wedding anniversary during our stay with them and they went above and beyond to help us treasure our time with them. We were so blown away by their thoughtfulness and hospitality! At first, I was a little concerned booking a single room in the hostel, wondering if it would get rowdy at night, but that was never a problem at all. Our room was comfortable, the breakfast was nice, and from all of the events that were posted on the walls, I can tell that the staff are dedicated to making their hostel a welcoming, vibrant, and unforgettable experience for all guests. This truly is a gem of the place and I am so glad that we stayed with them.