City Manor Hostel

Staying at City Manor Hostel is certainly an experience. However, it not necessarily one I would want to repeat.

The Location

This hostel, like most in Dublin, is located in a safe and easily located area on Lower Gardiner Street, close to Dublin city centre, the DART rail station, Bus Aerus terminal and only a short walk to the Temple Bar area.

This hostel is situated on Lower Gardiner Street, close to Dublin city centre, the DART rail station, Bus Aerus terminal and only a short walk to the Temple Bar area. There are a lot of hostels are in this area so if it is full try there are lots of others nearby.

Rooms and Bathrooms

The dorm style rooms are located downstairs. Make sure you ask to see your bed before you pay, because once you hand over the money it is impossible to get a refund (trust me, we tried). The mattresses, which appear old and rather suspicious, turned out to be quite comfortable. However, that is where the positivity ends. The room we stayed in was poorly secured (with a broken lock to the hallway and a smoking entrance next to the beds), cramped, and is heated via a space heater attached to one of the bunk beds. The bedding is raggedy and mismatched, and we had to make our own beds. There are no lockers and the bathroom is probably the worst you'll ever see. Picture a bathroom in a fraternity house and, well, you get the idea.

Common Spaces

The kitchen is by far the best aspect of this hostel. It is large with several appliances and, compared to the rest of the building, surprisingly clean. It is attached to a common room with two comfortable couches, a television, and a shelf of brochures. However it is near the front door, which makes it drafty in the winter. For most of our stay, there was at least one person passed out in this room.

Summary

Overall, this hostel has an odd vibe. Many of the people staying here appear to also be somewhat employed by the facility and living in the dorm rooms. Several were extremely friendly, offered suggestions on sightseeing in Dublin, and had rather interesting background and life stories. However, the hostel is also the sketchiest place we ever stayed on our trip. It is not overly social, clean, or fun. Since several other hostels along the street are priced similarly, only stay at the City Manor as a last resort.

— Avis exclusif de Hostelz.com
July 2009