Arch View Hostel

Horrible, Unsafe
Dirty place, foolish people. someone stole my phone during the night. I was disgusted. Places like that shouldn't be accepted.

I actually used to work at this hostel. I would have given it one star but for the (very) intersting experience that can be had here. The owner is a slum lord, and the revolving door of "managment" is usually out to...lunch. Still, if you fancy buckfast and a game of shithead, this is the place for you.

Please avoid this hostel if you are a woman!! A girl was sexually assaulted here in June 2005 — it was all over the papers and featured on the Gerry Ryan show. The staff and owner were horrible to her and refused to give her a refund for the nights she had pre-paid when she first arrived and they did nothing to help her after the assault. This place is not only dirty but also dangerous!

I've stayed in many hostels around the world of varying standards and this is the worst, most disgusting, grotty, dirty, foul and smelly place I have ever stayed in. (I stayed in July 2005.) We were forced to stay in here due to last minute booking and found it after trying every other hostel in town, which were all full. Before finding it, we contemplated sleeping in the car. This would have been significantly more pleasant. Under no cost should you stay here. There are reviews saying you can get to know good people etc., etc., but this does not even begin to make up for the appalling state of the place. From talking to people we were staying in a room with who had talked to the owner, they said that he himself said that he did not care about the standard as the nature of hostels is that they are for travelers who won't be back anyway. A great attitude, considering his business. I could go on to talk about the unhoovered floors, filthy kitchen, toilets/bathrooms, beds and windows, the ancient, and the hole-y mattresses no doubt rife with insect infestations, but I'll leave that to your imagination and hopefully not your experience.

This hostel is the main attraction for me in Galway. :) It has a great and weird social life inside. I've stayed there twice and I'm going to come back again!

Well, this hostel is sure not the best in Galway, but to meet people and party it is fantastic. But it's nothing for families and little children. It's a traveler's hostel. I had wonderful two months there; I enjoyed it so much!

I'm from Catalonia, and I live in this hostel now. For me, it was the best place to start my trip in Ireland. It's the cheapest, and the people are very interesting. Galway is the best city of Ireland!!!

I lived there for the summer. The guests are very friendly and it is a very unique hostel. I met people from all walks of life from different types of countries. I would definitely recommend it if you would like a good authentic hostel experience!! Wouldn't you agree?

This is the best place in the world. It has the best people in the world and the best atmosphere in the world. What else can I say?

I'm from Italy, and I was in Galway this summer. The Arch View Hostel is five-minute walk from the train or bus station. The prices are very low, but all the rooms are dormitories. It's the cheapest! Galway is a very, very, very, nice city!