The Hostelz.com Review
Isaac's Hostel is conveniently located next to the bus station and Connelly train station (trains bound north of Dublin). It is a twenty-minute tram ride away from Heuston train station (trains bound west and south of Dublin). O'Connell Street is about five blocks away, seven or eight blocks to Temple Bar. While fairly walkable for the active, if you're not feeling inactive, the tram that stops half a block away every ten to fifteen minutes can get you closer for just under two Euro each way.
Isaac's has a large room in front of reception that is filled with bench-lined tables. This serves at the TV area at one end as well as the dining area. There is also a patio off this multi-use area. They have a large self-catering kitchen that is stocked and serves "breakfast" every morning. The breakfast included with your nights stay is a muffin and tea or coffee.
They have many amenities available -- most for an additional fee. These include luggage storage lockers, irons, laundry and, internet. Hot water in the punch-button showers is hit or miss and the large number of people sharing the facilities usually means that the bathrooms aren't the tidiest. The dorms are roomy enough and the beds a bit on the firm side.
The multi-use area always seem to house a crowd of folks dining or playing games. The late night crowd tend to be loud and it doesn't seem that the hostel goes to sleep until well after last call at the surrounding pubs.
If you're looking for an active hostel with lots of people and lots of amenities available -- and you don't mind paying for them -- Isaac's is your place.
Isaac's has a large room in front of reception that is filled with bench-lined tables. This serves at the TV area at one end as well as the dining area. There is also a patio off this multi-use area. They have a large self-catering kitchen that is stocked and serves "breakfast" every morning. The breakfast included with your nights stay is a muffin and tea or coffee.
They have many amenities available -- most for an additional fee. These include luggage storage lockers, irons, laundry and, internet. Hot water in the punch-button showers is hit or miss and the large number of people sharing the facilities usually means that the bathrooms aren't the tidiest. The dorms are roomy enough and the beds a bit on the firm side.
The multi-use area always seem to house a crowd of folks dining or playing games. The late night crowd tend to be loud and it doesn't seem that the hostel goes to sleep until well after last call at the surrounding pubs.
If you're looking for an active hostel with lots of people and lots of amenities available -- and you don't mind paying for them -- Isaac's is your place.
— Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
July 2006
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Loud trains and cranky staff I stayed at Isaac's in January 2009 because I heard good reviews about it. We stayed for one night before flying out the next morning. It was fairly late when we arrived, so we grabbed sandwiches from a convenience store before checking in. They told us we couldn't eat in the common area. The room was average, but the trains run literally next to the window ALL NIGHT! Shouldn't they stop at some point? I wish we had been warned. Also, it's next to the bus station, which gets a little dodgy at night. — Caroline , USA (2011-08-02) Good enough for the price Well the price, location and atmosphere was pretty good. Great little reception area and basement to hang out in. However, the heating was up too high so we had to leave the window open to the noise of the trains and random drunks on a Friday night. Also the shower and toilet facilities could've done with some cleaning and fixing, one of the showers I went into had the head stuck facing the corner. The kitchen got really crowded during meal times, not enough cutlery in there and only one microwave even though there was two pizza ovens. You could survive it for a few days in order to take advantage of its location but honestly there's probably better hostels in the area. — Anoni , Australia (2009-01-23) Pretty bad The location is good, but I wouldn't return to this hostel. I was there with some friends back in june 2005. The rooms looked decent and clean, but they weren't. I got a skin infection from the bedbugs in there. Bathrooms are ok, could be much better. Food isn't great, but it's free. I would recommend you stay somewhere else, trust me, there are way much better places. — Kacha , Mexico (2008-05-14) Cold, noisy I stayed there for two nights in April 2008. There was no heating and it was freezing cold in the room. It is also very noisy and if you intend to sleep ever during the night, better go someplace else. — Eli (2008-04-13) There is a reason why it is cheap There is no denying that the location, though not the best in Dublin is pretty central. But Oh My God what a rancid little s**t-hole. The rooms are dirty. The fact that on the floor I was staying on only had two cubicles between what I assume to be about fifty people, is the bad enough. But I have seen cleaner public toilets! They are disgusting and the fact that they are beside the showers means you have to shower amongst the smell of them. I'll not describe the showers except to say that they are ancient and absolutely disgusting! It took me an hour of sitting in my room to build up the courage to use them. Do not stay in this hostel! It is also very noisy -- but that is one of the lesser problems I had with Isaacs Hostel. — Brendan Breen , Northern Ireland (2007-11-13) Good hostel to stay in Dublin We have stayed there five nights. The only problems we found were the train noise (every fifteen to thirty minutes, until midnight) and the stairs (we were in the third floor, no elevator). The room is what you expect from a hostel room, but with a plus of privacy in our case because we were segregated from the other guests with an open wall. The showers are mixed, even when a panel says that is only for men or women. But it's not a problem because there are stalls with a door and a curtain that protects your privacy. But the best in the hostel are the common areas. There are a lot of space to stay, TVs, a pool table, and a free sauna! Every afternoon you can use the sauna free if you bring your own towel or you can rent a towel for 2 euros. Fantastic! — Ivan GS , Spain (2007-10-15) Cold showers but friendly staff If it wasn't for the horrible cold showers that there were usually a line for, this wouldn't be a bad place. The location is great. It's very secure, almost to a point where it's annoying to show your registration and use the credit card locks on every door. That said, after leaving to go to Northern Ireland, I came back here for my final night before flying home because of the location and I was feeling lazy. The staff however is very helpful. — Ben , USA (2007-06-02) By far the worst youth hostel I've every stayed at. I stayed there in September 2006. The rooms were scummy with cheap uncomfortable beds. The shower facilities were poor and dirty -- I have used much better facilities at campsites. The breakfasts were dire, consisting of not much more than a muffin. The hostel is also located right next to a railway line, so the noise of the trains going past were enough to wake me up constantly. It was so bad I nearly got a hotel at one point. — Chris , British (2007-04-12) not a very homey sort of feeling, more like an industrial hostel. HUGE, hard to meet people. The hostel had a lot of facilities but it didn't seem like a good place to hang out and meet others. The staff were very friendly. The hostel, however, did not feel very safe. It's cheap though, so if you are just looking for a bed to sleep in, then go for it. But if you are looking for a more comfortable place to chill out and meet other travelers, stay somewhere else. — gab (2006-12-21) well the showers are cold and dirty... and there are no shower heads, so the water pours from a hole in the wall, and you have to cup water from the wall with your hand to wash.
brings lots of money because you will have to pay deposits for every possible thing in the hostel... card keys, luggage storage, you name it. and don't bother with the computers, they eat the money and are run by another company, so you won't be reimbursed. — Love that dirty water... (2006-12-04) Over a year later and we're still laughing about this place. Who doesn't love sharing their personal space with homeless people? There's nothing better than waking up to the noise of drunk people who are old enough to be your grandparents singing in the reception area. Our favorite aspect of the hostel -- having to hold a button to get water in the shower in the coed bathrooms. It's great that they have internet access here but it sucks when the computer steals your money without providing internet service and the hostel won't reimburse you. All in all, a memorable experience! — Scott and Heather (2006-06-02) I chose this hostel because it was cheap and easy to get to. And I got what I was looking for, not much more.
Pros:
— The larger dorms can be very cheap, about 11 euros when I stayed.
— The linen and bedroom were quite clean and not too cramped.
— The location is excellent, really close to a train station and the Busarus, where the inter-city and airport buses stop. It's easy to walk to most major places: O'Connell St., Temple Bar, Trinity College, and the National Museum.
— The downstairs common area is pretty social and there was always someone there to chat with.
Cons:
— Some of the worst showers I've ever seen, dirty, cramped, cold.
— The breakfast is not worth hanging out for at all — buy your own cornflakes and keep the muffin for morning tea! — Anarae (2005-11-10) Well, where do I start? This place is the ultimate sh*t hole. If you want your wallet, camera and even your food stolen this is the place to visit. Why not check out the dorms that have their own train running through them all day and indeed at night. Oh yeah, the "free breakfast" — I was sick for a week. The location is handy. The showers are freezing. The staff are snappy. Yeah, they snap your head off if you ask for anything. Don't go there, it's not even cheap!!! — Anonymous (2005-05-17) My wallet bag and money were stolen while I slept. My passport was left behind in the hostel. The staff seemed totally disinterested and were quite rude before this ever happened. When I asked if a passport had been handed in, they said no. They had my passport retained in the lost and found, but never contacted me to tell me, and when I called in several times to see if they had it they said no. — Anonymous (2004-12-02) I really liked it here. Yes, the showers were a bit cold and dirty, but apart from that I'd have to say it's one of the nicest hostels I have ever stayed in. The reception area is nice, with music playing. The kitchen area is nice and big and clean. Our rooms were nice and warm — I can't complain at all! — Sarah (2004-11-22)