The Hostelz.com Review
Rainbow Hostel Doolin is an intensely cozy hostel. Run by a couple, it manages to be clean and full of young people.
The Location
Doolin is a small town located in the Burren area, so any bus to Doolin will get you right next to this hostel. The bus drivers are very accommodating, so they will make a stop in front of the hostel, even if it isn't marked as such. There is no train into this area, keeping the tourist crowds to the major sightseeing spots like the Cliffs of Moher. It isn't hard to find. Anyone close to Doolin will know the place right away.
Rooms and Bathrooms
The hostel has small rooms but they are well lit with nice windows. You get a bed, blankets, sheets, and a pillow. Dorms are three bunks to a room. Family rooms have the bunk with a double bed. There are no climbing steps on the bunks, which makes the bottom bed preferable. The beds are comfortable though. Rooms are not carpeted; socks or feet covering are advised. Bathrooms have toilets and showers that are not separated. They are clean -- the white tiles makes it easy to spot when it is unclean so no worries about dirty sinks!
Common Spaces
There is a reading space with books upstairs, but the main common area is right upon entry. The reception is in the building next to the hostel, the sister B&B. It is a bit cluttered with funky furniture but very cozy. The kitchen is adequate, well lit but narrow, and not a ton of space to store food supplies. There is a dining area next to the kitchen. They will do your laundry for a fee. There is no breakfast but coffee and tea are provided for free. The hostel also rents bikes, the cheapest in the area. The whole building has recently been redone so it has a fresh, clean feeling, despite the the smallness. A lot of young backpackers lodge here as a base for visits to the Cliffs of Moher, only a few miles away, and for taking advantage of the wild Irish west.
Summary
This is a very cozy place. Come here to make new friends! The owners treat travelers like family. Carmel helped us out with our needs and her husband does free walking tours of the area, giving an archeology and history lesson to those who want it. We like this place because of the peaceful surrounding landscape and adjacent farms -- better than the more businesslike hostels.
The Location
Doolin is a small town located in the Burren area, so any bus to Doolin will get you right next to this hostel. The bus drivers are very accommodating, so they will make a stop in front of the hostel, even if it isn't marked as such. There is no train into this area, keeping the tourist crowds to the major sightseeing spots like the Cliffs of Moher. It isn't hard to find. Anyone close to Doolin will know the place right away.
Rooms and Bathrooms
The hostel has small rooms but they are well lit with nice windows. You get a bed, blankets, sheets, and a pillow. Dorms are three bunks to a room. Family rooms have the bunk with a double bed. There are no climbing steps on the bunks, which makes the bottom bed preferable. The beds are comfortable though. Rooms are not carpeted; socks or feet covering are advised. Bathrooms have toilets and showers that are not separated. They are clean -- the white tiles makes it easy to spot when it is unclean so no worries about dirty sinks!
Common Spaces
There is a reading space with books upstairs, but the main common area is right upon entry. The reception is in the building next to the hostel, the sister B&B. It is a bit cluttered with funky furniture but very cozy. The kitchen is adequate, well lit but narrow, and not a ton of space to store food supplies. There is a dining area next to the kitchen. They will do your laundry for a fee. There is no breakfast but coffee and tea are provided for free. The hostel also rents bikes, the cheapest in the area. The whole building has recently been redone so it has a fresh, clean feeling, despite the the smallness. A lot of young backpackers lodge here as a base for visits to the Cliffs of Moher, only a few miles away, and for taking advantage of the wild Irish west.
Summary
This is a very cozy place. Come here to make new friends! The owners treat travelers like family. Carmel helped us out with our needs and her husband does free walking tours of the area, giving an archeology and history lesson to those who want it. We like this place because of the peaceful surrounding landscape and adjacent farms -- better than the more businesslike hostels.
— Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
July 2011
Their Description
Rainbow Hostel Doolin Details
|
|
(To add or correct information for this listing, please use the Listing Update Form.)
Map Location/ContactHow is Rainbow Hostel Doolin rated on other websites?
No reviews yet.
Not listed.
No reviews yet.
Hostelz.com Guest Reviews
A Clean, Well maintained place -- Top Irish family management After touring the world, including spending two years in New Zealand and U.S.A, I find Martin and Carmels Hostel to be one of the best, and ive seen some good ones en route. The ex family house (now hostel) has been mostly restored to a nice standard, and Carmel is usually nearby if any help or advise is required during your stay. Martin being Irish is known as Mattie, knows anything thats worth knowing and is polite with it, he's a real Irish gentleman. We can always find fault with anything in life, and the same applies here in Doolin, that being the manners and ways of a few of the visitors (or lack of manners), but note, im fault finding here and looking for total perfection. As far as im concerned, we enjoyed our stay totally, including our return stay before going to Shannon Airport. We will be back the next time we fly Shannon or drive to the southwest of Ireland. I forgot to confirm yes, the craic is magic as with all the locals in this part of the the country. Why only four-star rating, no one gets five star from me, thats total perfection in my book, sorry guys. — Philip Donelan , English / Irish (2008-10-22) Great! we spent a wonderful time at the rainbow hostel, there was a friendly atmosphere, and the room was very clean! — Verena , Austria (2008-10-03) We were never actually given the chance to stay at this place, so I can't comment on the condition or atmosphere, but I will comment on the rudeness of the staff and the lack of professionalism or organisation. I booked for three of us over the St Patrick's Day weekend two months in advance and was told to call a few days before we arrived to reconfirm, which I did and was fine, according to the guy who answered the phone. But when we called back the next day to request another night, we were spoken to by a woman who told us the hostel was booked out and denied any existence of our booking, told us we'd made it up and was so unbelievably rude I was speechless. She got on the defensive straight away, so obviously there had been some major stuff up and she decided to treat us like imbeciles rather than admit any fault on their part. In two years of backpacking, in which I've probably stayed in 80 odd hostels, I have never experienced anyone as rude or anything as unprofessional as this woman. She left us totally in the lurch, with St Patrick's Day obviously the busiest period of the year. — Anonymous (2007-04-05) Rainbow Hostel was the best hostel I ever stayed in. Such a warming and nice atmosphere. the bus driver let us out exactly in front of the hostel and Mattie was there to welcome us. the rooms were huge and clean, the shower was new and more than clean too. the fireplace was so nice when you come in from a windy day at the Cliffs of Moher, which are really close. Mattie did a tour with us, I would never forget this one, was pretty nice and really exciting. Cant thank him enough for it, you should do it as well if you ever stay in this hostel which i highly recommend. There are also two of the three pubs in Doolin just in walking distance of about three minutes, allow more when you're drunk. Something else I have to say, enjoy the sky at night, I have never seen a more beautiful sky, with that many stars as I have seen in Doolin. Check it out! Otherwise the atmosphere is very relaxed at the Rainbow, no curfew, no check out time, and pay when you leave as it might happen that people stay longer than they intend to. You wont regret to stay here. Maybe see you there! — Andrea, Austria (2006-10-09) Really brilliant place, Mattie is great. I can really recommend this place. — Al (2006-02-24) A very nice place with lovely people! What could be better for couple of days! — Lilly (France) (2005-09-28) Not very accommodating, over-rated by the other reviewers. Cold atmosphere. Give it a miss. — Anonymous (2005-02-12) Best hostel I stayed at in Ireland. — Joe the Schmoe (2005-02-03) This place is great. We had a great time there with the other four people who were there that night. We went on a "pub crawl" and experienced a REAL Irish pub. The hostel is nice, relaxed, clean, and has a fireplace and kitchen. Highly recommended. — T & B (2005-01-28) This is a great little place. I stayed here in July 2004, and have to admit that Doolin is right up there with Dingle as being the nicest town in Ireland.
Doolin is a tiny little town, and the Rainbow Hostel is located right at the start of town. The bus drops you off right out front too, which is pretty handy!
The dorms are good, and have en suite toilets and showers, which are handy. The kitchen is quite good, and the dining room is small but nice. The hostel is a fair way from the only shop in Doolin, so make sure you stock up on food the night before, otherwise you could be like me and have to take a hike to get milk in the morning! Still, the walk is a very nice one!
The hostel doesn't have lockers, and they don't bother to lock the rooms either, but Doolin is such a nice and chilled-out town, that there's absolutely nothing to worry about anyway!
The hostel hires out bikes for the day, making it easy to check out the Burren and the Cliffs of Moher, which are definitely highlights of the area. But the best thing about the Rainbow Hostel is its proximity to two of Doolin's three pubs. This is definitely a huge advantage; make sure you check the pubs out, too, because you'll have the time of your life!
I can't wait to get back to Ireland to visit Doolin again, and I'd definitely stay here again. — Aussie Luke (2004-10-03) This is a specially-recommended, not-too-big hostel, which has traditional music pubs less than a minute's walk away. It's also a nice stroll from here to the Cliffs of Moher. Mattie and Carmel are really friendly, and extremely helpful. They offer free laundry, bike rentals, and very useful information and tips, etc. Mattie took us on some ever-memorable tours in the surroundings, which have many Stone Age remains, medieval church ruins, magic wells and unique natural features. A great place to stay! — Frans and Martha (2004-09-11) This place had the friendliest staff, and fabulous accommodations. Our stay was wonderful! — Sarah (2004-08-07) You're missing out if you go to Doolin and pass up staying at the Rainbow Hostel. — Scott and Christian (2004-08-05) A great place - one of the best and friendliest places I've been to! — Tammy (2004-07-18) Great location, great staff, and great kitchen! — Anonymous (2004-06-10)