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Hostels Guide > UK & Ireland > Northern Ireland > County Derry (Londonderry) > Derry Hostels > Paddy's Palace Derry

Paddy's Palace Derry

Derry, County Derry (Londonderry), Northern Ireland

2 of 5

Hostels in Derry

Address	1 Woodleigh Terrace, Asylum Road, Derry Map
Price	Dorm beds from US$28.75. Private rooms from US$28.51/person. Price may vary by season - Check Current Prices by Date Here

Location/Contact

Details

Their Description

Features

Free Breakfast
Kitchen
Gameroom
Lounge / Common space
Pool Table
Washing Machine (laundry)
Travel information provided
24 Hour Free Hot Showers
Phones (public or in room)
Gym/Fitness Room

The Hostelz.com Review

Paddy's Palace Derry is a really fun place to stay. There is definitely a party-oriented vibe going on and the owners really want you to have a good time. It is run by Australians and they are famous for having a good time. There is a resident cat and two dogs. The dogs are locked up but the cat roams freely, so if you have pet allergies you might want to take that into consideration. It is part of the Paddy Palace Hostel group and is linked to the Paddy wagon circuit where small mini buses of independent travelers come and go, linking this hostel with the other Paddy Palace hostels in Ireland North and South.

The Location

The location, where they've been for the past four years, is excellent. It is easy to find and a quick walk from the bus station. It is an easy walk to the Derry city walls, which is a major tourist attraction. The central location is a huge bonus.

Rooms and Bathrooms

There are four- and six-bed dorms with each room having a sink. Some rooms are en-suite. There is an annex building that has private rooms. There are no lockers. The rooms and bathrooms are clean although well worn and there are enough showers, toilets, and sinks for guest use. It is bright and cheery.

Common Spaces

The common spaces are quite nice. The hostel does provide left luggage in a secure area. There is a full kitchen for guest use and it is clean and well provisioned for self catering. There is a nice lounge with cable TV and many channels. The price includes linens and free internet and Wi-Fi. There is a full service laundry -- they charge for a wash and dry. The lounge has musical instruments available for guest to play. It is a fun place to socialize and get to know other guests. There is a sun-filled garden and a pool table and some games available.

Summary

In summary, the hostel is a bit rundown, but the people who run it are super friendly. The owners are very helpful in arranging tours and giving out city information. This is a good value since they also include breakfast with the nightly charge. There is no lockout. It is safe, comfortable, and friendly.

Review by S. Topf

-- Exclusive Hostelz.com Review

Your Comments

This is an open forum, and unlike other hostel guide websites, we don't censor out the negative comments.
We do not validate the legitimacy of comments posted on this site—so take what you read here with a grain of salt.

Comment by Heather McBride,USA

January 2007

I visited Paddy's in October of 2006. It was my first trip out of the country. Steven made myself and the group I was traveling with feel very welcome and comfortable. Erica was very kind to us all and seemed truly happy that we were staying there. The rooms were comfortable and they did have keys to lock them. I was thankful for a bed with clean sheets and a hot shower. My visit was enjoyable and educational. I would happily visit again!

Comment by Shermozle

October 2005

What a craphole! This place looked like it hadn't been cleaned in months. Smelly, dirty and with an impossible-to-find manager when I wanted to get my £2 deposit back for my key.

Comment by Aylsa Keenan from Aotearoa/NZ

July 2005

I stayed here 30th April 2005 as part of the 3-day Paddywagon North tour. Big ups to Marty, our driver/guide —he was a wealth of info and a top-notch musician. I enjoyed a warm welcome, a comfy bed and hot shower. Sure, the open-door policy is not good or the tight room space — she'll be right, mate! Make the most of the facilities/city and the company of other hostelers. I highly recommend the city wall tour with Rory. Top bloke! Cheers, Paddy's Palace Staff. :-)

Comment by Kim

June 2005

I stayed here two nights (with a night in Belfast in between) on a Paddywagon Tour. If the second night hadn't been much improved, I would've given them one star. There are no keys to the rooms (they're always unlocked), and it's a £2 deposit for a front door key. On the first night, the manager was impossible to find — she seemed more concerned about partying than running the place. The advertised free Internet was DOWN, the laundry wasn't working (I couldn't find the manager in order to see if it could easily be fixed) and the toaster didn't work. The bathroom was okay, though I still don't like the seats (soft seats). I suppose its convenient to Derry's center, but all that's open after 7 p.m. are the pubs (fairly common in Ireland), and there really isn't much to do BEFORE 7 p.m. Oh, and both days, the place REALLY smelled (mold/mildew/slight sewage scent) near the bathrooms in the morning. Overall, the first night was horrible. On the second stay, things were much improved. The computer was still down, but the laundry room was up. Best of all, the manager (actually, a substitute) could actually be found. I wouldn't really recommend this place -—or Derry for that matter. (Boring!). The rooms weren't any more cramped than most of the dorms I stayed in while in Europe, but I still don't like the unlocked door policy. Our group had an incident of a drunken guy trying to get into the wrong bed, which was occupied by a girl in our group. That's why I like locks. The one plus? There's a great selection of TV channels on the satellite TV. Yeah, it was that boring.

Comment by Anonymous

April 2005

It sounds like you have to be buck mad to stay anywhere near stroke city. It's the most hateful place I've ever been to. I'll never be back. It's the first I was asked was what religion I was. It's a good job I can speak Irish, otherwise I was in for a digging.

Comment by Christina, USA

February 2005

Paddy's Palace (or Steve's Backpackers or Derry Independent Hostel) is a little confusing to find. They have two locations a few blocks apart, one on Great James Street and one on Asylum Road. So, if you get a taxi from the train station, be sure to have them wait for you to make sure that you are at the hostel location that is currently open. Once you find the correct location, the staff will make you a nice hot cup of tea which is very welcoming. Both locations are very convenient to the city center and to Magee College. There are two common rooms in the location on Great James Street (the other hostel was not open). One room is a Moroccan style sitting room with cushions of a thousand colors. The other room has several couches and cushy chairs to watch any of the movies in their video library. They have free internet access via a computer in the common hallway. There are additional ports to plug in a laptop if you are traveling with one. They also permit connecting your digital camera to E-mail pictures to friends! The rooms and beds are all labeled with different themes so you can remember where to lay your head after a night out at the pub. The rooms were also warm and had sinks in the rooms with an armoire for your belongings if you are staying that long. The co-ed bathrooms were showing their age and were a little too smelly. The showers did have hot water, but very little water pressure. The kitchen was clean and comfortable to make a meal. There are no laundry facilities and there is not a launderette nearby.

Comment by Glòria Tuneu, Barcelona, Catalonia

January 2005

This hostel was very clean and comfortable. The staff were great and friendly. In addition, Stephen was phenomenal!! Don't forget to take his walking tour. Stephen was the best tour guide I had on my Ireland trip. He knows Ireland, its history, and its people and he has a nice sense of humor. I had lot of fun, and I could have listened to him for hours. It was like a master class in Irish history and "the Troubles." In addition, the fact he speaks Irish is a bonus, too. I had fun sharing my little knowledge of the Gaelic language with him. I hope he stays on for many years to come. And next time I come to Ireland I hope to have him as a guide again. Please, please don't change.

Comment by Jenny

December 2004

I was there last week for one night — thank goodness it was only one night! They didn't supply keys, just left one key under the doormat for twelve people to use. There are no locks on the doors, dorms are mixed, the bathrooms were filthy and the staff were unfriendly. I was still trying to get to sleep at 3:30 a.m. in the morning while the staff partied on below in the lounge room playing loud music. In the morning the lounge room was a complete mess. I've stayed in hostels in 22 cities in Europe and I've never seen such unprofessional staff. If you're bored with your jobs, ladies, go back to New Zealand! Don't make hostelling a sleepless experience for others.

Comment by Anonymous

September 2004

I thought this was a lovely place to stay. The staff were lovely, and I recommend this place to anyone, especially families.

Comment by Anonymous

April 2004

No locks on bedroom doors, so keep an eye on your stuff. Our room had three bunkbeds crammed into a space big enough for two, so prepare to get cozy with your neighbors. The showers were decent with nice hot water (a plus after cold showers at my last two stops!). The staff seemed overworked but friendly enough. Walking distance to pubs, clubs, supermarket, and cheap restaurants. Not my favorite hostel, but overall a pretty good place to stay.

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2 of 5

Hostels in Derry

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