Hostels are located all over Ireland. HostelWorld.com provides an online search and booking service where you can read reviews from previous guests. They also provide free downloadable city guides to Dublin, Galway and Cork. The Irish Hosteling International organization (anoige.ie) also contains a listing of hostels, but the listing is limited to those in its organization. You do not need to be a member of Irish Youth Hostel Association or Hostelling International to stay at one of their member hostels.
Irish hostels are located throughout the country and most can help you plan your vacation. They have a wide array of private tours and ideas on offer, and they can help you arrange pub crawls, bike tours and even music lessons. The staff are also great resources on the best pubs and places to spend an evening listening to traditional Irish music, and most will help you book accommodation in a hostel at your next destination.
Price is dependent on location, type of hostel, day of the week, and the room type you select. A dormitory is the cheapest option and can have between 10 to 20 beds per room. Prices can also go up on weekends, depending on the hostel. Most hostels offer breakfast, a place to cook, and free Wi-Fi. A room with more privacy is generally more expensive. Unlike hotels, hostels sometimes do not provide shampoo, toothbrushes, etc., and some may charge a linen fee.
In addition to the price of accommodation and the budget saving option of being able to cook you own meals, hostels offer a great way to meet fellow travelers. For single travelers looking to meet up with someone to see the sites with, the hostel common area is a great place to start. Hostels often have boards where guests can post their request for travel buddies, shared car rental costs, or, as many students work abroad live in hostels over the summer, something that they want to sell on to the next person, like a bike.
