The Hostelz.com Review
In terms of location, Lovett's is really handy, with walking access to town in about 2-3 minutes from where you arrive by bus. It is well signposted on the road heading out of town. If you are coming from around the peninsula, go through town hugging the waters edge to the last roundabout on the main street. Turn right at the roundabout and right again down a small lane opposite the petrol station. If you are coming the other way, follow the signs to Dingle. At the round about on the waters edge turn left and the first right. Other hostels do a pickup from the main street of town in clearly marked vans.
The hostel is really a home in which a family live downstairs that they have converted to make into hostel rooms. However the home-like aspect of it also ends there. They have made very little effort with the rooms. All are plain, simple, and clean which may be all you need, but there are no personal touches. The dorms are bunk beds, the private rooms simply rooms with single or double beds. The dorm is downstairs while the private rooms are upstairs near the bathrooms.
The facilities are okay. The kitchen is worn but functionable. But there are no condiments provided at all (e.g. salt, sugar, oil etc.). The bathrooms have plenty of hot water and there is heating in the rooms. The family appeared to use the same bathrooms.
Where information could have been provided with maps, pictures, books, brochures, etc. there was nothing. And the family seems to find any interruption an inconvenience. You will be lucky to find them after you've paid your money. The only scerrick of information was a scrap of paper above the sink that asked you to wash your dishes. Any other requests for information are usually answered with a suggestion to go into town.
The hostel is really a home in which a family live downstairs that they have converted to make into hostel rooms. However the home-like aspect of it also ends there. They have made very little effort with the rooms. All are plain, simple, and clean which may be all you need, but there are no personal touches. The dorms are bunk beds, the private rooms simply rooms with single or double beds. The dorm is downstairs while the private rooms are upstairs near the bathrooms.
The facilities are okay. The kitchen is worn but functionable. But there are no condiments provided at all (e.g. salt, sugar, oil etc.). The bathrooms have plenty of hot water and there is heating in the rooms. The family appeared to use the same bathrooms.
Where information could have been provided with maps, pictures, books, brochures, etc. there was nothing. And the family seems to find any interruption an inconvenience. You will be lucky to find them after you've paid your money. The only scerrick of information was a scrap of paper above the sink that asked you to wash your dishes. Any other requests for information are usually answered with a suggestion to go into town.
— Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
August 2005
Their Description
Lovett's Hostel Details
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Hostelz.com Guest Reviews
NOT clean, NOT friendly I feel like an idiot since I read bad reviews before going to Dingle, but forgot. I had reserved someplace else, but felt I was overpaying based on everywhere else we were in Ireland. So we stopped in here and it seemed ok. First of all, cash or credit card? Not according to her when we were there, she wanted cash. The room looked ok, if basic, but on closer inspection, the carpet was so nasty, It had not been vacuumed in ages. There was dust on the surfaces. The bathrooms were reasonably clean, but didn't have so much as hand soap or a paper holder, so the TP was propped elsewhere or on the floor. It was so awkward that their kid was fixing his breakfast in the hostel kitchen. The kitchen was minimal, but adequate. There were two bathrooms for all these rooms. It was ridiculous. Helen, the owner was SO unfriendly. Even my husband was annoyed by it, and he's not the most social person. The morning we were leaving, she literally walked past us without saying a word. Not a Thanks or Goodbye. There is no wi-fi, so even tho we had our laptop, you had to use their antique computer if you wanted to go online. — andrea , USA (2011-09-15) Woman so ignorant Has to be most ignorant management ever. Did the women ever hear of manners? — Anonymous , Irish (2011-06-17) Great This is my first time staying in a hostel, but it was exactly what I expected. I don't see why people are complaining about service, if you want that you should surely go to a hotel? I went to a hostel because I wanted something cheap, comfortable, and close to town, and I got all three. I would recommend it. — Chris Finucane , Ireland (2011-06-14) Great value, great craic There's nothing fancy about this hostel just good old down to earth Irishness. The family that run the show were hilarious, with a real dry humour that could be mistaken for rudeness but definitely wasn't meant so. Conversing in English and Gaelic, they were friendly and helpful, supplying butter, clingfilm, and even a makeshift belt for my boyfriend's trousers! The rooms were spotless and comfortable and included a sink. The hostel is 2 minutes walk from Dingle town. The showers were electric so no fear of a cold one. The kitchen is a little bit pokey, but has all the utensils you could need. We felt really comfortable and welcome, would definitely recommend. Just have the craic with the owners and you'll be fine! — Aisling , Ireland (2011-06-13) Accommodation ok, staff rude I stayed in Lovetts House for two nights and when I arrived I really liked the place, which seemed more like a family house than a hostel. Close to the harbour it is well-situated and you can reach everything within minutes. At the beginning the woman who runs the hostel was very friendly, she seemed to be in a chatty mood and recommended places to go and gave us sightseeing tips. When we arrived at Lovett's House, she wasn't in,so her son told us to give him the money that was due for the two nights. In the evening when the woman was at home, she asked us for the money as well and didn't seem to believe that we had already given the money to her son for both nights. When we talked to her for a while she said it was ok but after this incident, she was very rude until we left. She didn't say hello when she saw us and on the next morning I had a shower and after 2 minutes there was no water anymore, so when I told her, she just asked me " How long are you having a shower for already??" in a very rude tone. Furthermore, I booked the 3 mixed dorm-room type and she led us into a 6dorm mixed room with three older men. To sum up, I'd say it was okay staying there if there wouldn't have been this incident with the money and her rude behaviour. I liked the rooms, compared to other Hostels they were really clean and nice and so was the kitchen. There are many kitchen utensils and it was ok to cook and eat there if you're demands aren't too high.The bathroom was ok as well, there are actually two of them upstairs, one is very small but the other one was ok except for the shower that seemed a little bit frugally with water. — Anonymous (2011-05-04) One of the worst for me This hostel was so poor that I'm taking the time to comment on it nearly five years after my stay! I didn't realize they were listed here on Hostelz until now. I've stayed at many many hostels around the globe and this is by far one of the worst in terms of service and resources. At the time of my stay, no one (management) would talk to me and the only other guests were a bunch of German men that got put in the same room as me (eighteen-year-old female) even though there were other rooms available. The woman running the place was unaffected by my pleas to switch to the empty dorm room when the men came in drunk and aggressive in the evening. The kitchen was also a mess. The whole experience was really quite unpleasant. Dingle itself, while beautiful, was somewhat disappointing too for a solo traveler, perhaps because the typical "locals" tips given by hostels weren't present here. — J , USA (2009-03-21) Average place Just the same. Woman was very unfriendly at most times, sometimes surprisingly nice. Everybody in the hostel said so. The place needs cleaning up! Very dodgy bathrooms! Dorm was ok, moved to twin, which was fine. On the other hand, one of the cheapest places to stay, nicely situated at the harbour of Dingle, perfect spot to go on day-trips to the peninsula. — Stefan , Germoney (2007-08-09) Stayed there in the summer of '06 and could not have been more disappointed or angry with the service. I do not expect too much from a dorm style hostel, but the attitude of the owner was so poor that two of my roommates left before spending a night and I was more or less asked to leave the next day for no apparent reason. The woman was rude to the point of comedy and her customer service was so poor that I thought I was involved in an Irish Candid Camera show. The town is awesome the other people are awesome, its just that this place is the worst that I stayed in for the twelve months I was away, and that is saying something. Do yourself a favour and stay somewhere else! — Andy (2007-01-16) This is one of the best hostels in which I have ever stayed. I've frequently hosteled in Europe over the past thirty years. Lovett's provided everything that makes for an enjoyable stay -- cleanliness, convenient location, comfortable beds, close access to bathroom and shower, sinks in the room, excellent kitchen, privacy, and a friendly host family. Whenever I return to Dingle I hope to stay there. — Mary Burkard (2006-07-04) my brother and i stayed here for a few nights. the family was so great (the young son gave us directions over the phone and checked us in and everything)!! i felt very comfortable here. highly recommended — Sierra Chappell (2005-12-08) I stayed there in 1998 and the family was great. It's close to town and reasonable! — Maureen (2005-02-02) This was a really nice hostel located in the center of town. I liked the relaxed atmosphere, even though someone stole my pillow. The family who owns it is really very nice. — Asher Chappell (2004-12-16)