Paddy'S Palace Hostel

We stayed here during our Paddywagon Tour. The place has been renamed 'Kingdom Lodge' and fully renovated, and the rooms were impeccable with lovely ensuite bathrooms. They were still doing some renovations, so breakfast wasn't available yet, but they arranged a free breakfast for us at a local restaurant instead. Very well handled. I'd definitely return.

The hostel was decent for what you pay, with clean rooms and a great location close to the cathedral. Breakfast is basic, the kitchen closes at 10, and there's only one shower for 8 people. The staff were really helpful, even making a call for us without us asking.

The place was freezing, even though it was March and 6 out, and they kept switching off the heat. Breakfast was okay at best. The owners or workers seemed like a disgruntled couple who were annoyed to be running a hostel, and the atmosphere wasn't good, with odd closing times and harsh rules. We paid 8 euros a night at first, then moved to a nicer room for 15, and it was so much better. The extra couple euros are well worth it. If you're looking here, I'd recommend paying a bit more for the Neptune down the road.

The staff were very friendly, and the place looked clean at first, but I found quite a lot of mould in some bathroom areas. Looking up from my bunk, I saw mould covering the mattress above me and worried I might be breathing in spores. There weren't any hooks in the bathrooms for towels, clothes, or bags, so I had to put my things over a damp sink, on the floor, or on the shared toilet seat. Of the three showers I used, only one had hot water. Maybe the plumbing isn't set up for low season, and I'd worry about the summer peaks. The internet was down most of our stay, which seemed normal to some longer-term guests. I used 6gig of my limited phone data to do work and upload files.