I‘ve slept in a lot of different hostels in Dublin City Centre over the years. Some have been great. And others have been absolutely terrible.
In this guide, I’m going to show you the best hostels in Dublin, based on my own personal experiences, most of which have been pretty good.
You’ll find review scores, prices and everything else you need to know about each hostel, each of which is accurate at the time of typing.
Some quick need-to-knows before booking into any of the hostels in Dublin
Photos via Booking.com
Note: if you book a stay through one of the links below we may make a tiny commission that helps us keep this site going. You won’t pay extra, but we really do appreciate it.
1. Location matters. A lot!
Dublin is a very walkable city, however, if you’re only here for a few days and you’re looking to keep costs as low as possible, being central matters. Although many Dublin hostels are central, others are a good walk from the heart of the city, so check the location first.
2. Be very clear on the room type
Hostels in Dublin are the same as you’d find anywhere in the world, and each comes with many different room types. If you’re booking online, be very clear that the room type you’re booking is what you’re comfortable with, as you may not be able to change when you arrive.
3. Take ‘party hostels’ with a pinch of salt
So, I get annoyed when reading Dublin hostel guides by people that don’t live here, as they’ll often say that there are clear party hostels in Dublin, but that just isn’t the case. Some hostels host drink nights, but they tend to be rare. You could just as easily encounter a rowdy crowd in a ‘quiet’ hostel and you could in a so-called ‘party hostel’.
4. Some hostels are as expensive as a B&B
When deciding where to stay in Dublin on a budget, don’t immediately assume hostels are the cheapest option. Often, you’ll find that some (not all!) B&Bs in Dublin will be just as reasonable, so make sure to browse before you book.
What we think are the best hostels in Dublin City Centre
Photos via Booking.com
The first section of our Dublin hostels guide takes a look at our favourites – these are hostels that one or more of The Irish Road Trip Team have stayed in over the years.
Below, you’ll find everywhere from The Generator and Jacobs Inn to Abigail’s and some often overlooked cheap hostels in Dublin City Centre.
1. Generator Hostel Dublin
Photos via Booking.com
Based in Smithfield, The award-winning Generator Hostel is a handy stroll away from some of Dublin’s top tourist hotspots like the Guinness Storehouse, Trinity College and the many pubs in Temple Bar.
Boasting a cafe that’s home to one of the best burgers in Dublin and situated right next-door to the Jameson Distillery – The Generator won’t fail to disappoint.
The interior of this Dublin hostel is hard to beat, with funky decor, a bar, a banging breakfast menu, regular DJs and live bands, quizzes, movie nights and more.
Some need to knows
- Location: Smithfield
- Booking.com review score: 8/10 from 3,267 reviews
- Room types: Mixed Dorm, Family Room for 4, Private 4 Bedroom, Quadruple Room with Shared Bathroom, Deluxe Twin and Deluxe King Room
- Breakfast: Available for €7.50
Check prices + see more photos here
2. Abigail’s Hostel
Photos via Booking.com
Our next Dublin hostel is a world away from The Generator in terms of appearance, but it’s location is hard to beat.
Less than a minute away from Temple Bar, Abigail’s is one of the more popular hostels in Dublin City, mainly thanks to it’s location.
The bedrooms in Abigail’s Hostel look reasonably dated, but many are nice and bright, and they have private and dorm rooms on offer.
Some need to knows
- Location: Aston Quay near Temple Bar
- Booking.com review score: 8.1/10 from 2,301 reviews
- Room types: Twin Room en suite, Double Room En suite and Dorm Rooms
- Breakfast: From what I can tell, there’s a basic breakfast included (but make sure to confirm before you book)
Check prices + see more photos here
3. Jacobs Inn Hostel
Photos via Booking.com
You’ll find Jacobs Inn at Talbot Place, a handy 5-minute stroll from the EPIC Museum and a 15-minute walk from Trinity College.
Jacobs Inn is arguably one of the most unique hostels Dublin has to offer, as you can see from the photos above.
Here, it’s all about pod-life, with each room, regardless of whether it’s a dorm or a private room, boasting it’s very own pods for you to kip in.
I’ve never stayed in a place like this, personally but, as you’ll see from the review score below, this is arguably the best hostel Dublin has to offer.
Some need to knows
- Location: Talbot Place
- Booking.com review score: 8.5/10 from 4,545 reviews
- Room types: 6-Pod Private room, 4-Pod Private room, Deluxe Twin Room and multiple different Pod Dorms
- Breakfast: €6 extra
Check prices + see more photos here
4. Gardiner House
Photos via Booking.com
You’ll find our next Dublin hostel, Gardiner House, a 15-minute walk from O’Connell Street. Now, personally, I’d go from the 3 hostels mentioned previously over this one, if it came to location.
It’s not that it’s far out, it’s just that, having lived in Dublin for many years, I wouldn’t be a big fan of the area around Gardiner Street, but maybe that’s just me.
Review wise, Gardiner House is flying, and the rooms are lovely and bright, too, which makes a change. If you’re looking for cheap hostels in Dublin City, this is a solid option.
Some need to knows
- Location: Gardiner Street
- Booking.com review score: 8.5/10 from 2,120 reviews
- Room types: Double Room with Private Bathroom, Twin Room with Shared Bathroom, Double Room with Shared Bathroom and numerous Dorm Rooms
- Breakfast: Included
Check prices + see more photos here
Other popular Dublin hostels with good reviews online
Now that we have what we think are the best hostels in Dublin City out of the way, it’s time to see what else the capital has to offer.
Below, you’ll find everywhere from the very popular Abbey Court and the finely located Garden Lane Backpackers to Kinlay Hostel Dublin and more.
1. Ashfield Hostel Dublin
Photos via Booking.com
Ashfield is another Dublin hostel with an enviable view, and you’ll find it a 5-minute walk from the Book of Kells and under a 10-minute ramble from Grafton Street.
When compared with some of the hostels above, the rooms at Ashfield are pretty dated, but the reviews say that they’re clean and perfect for a short stay.
If you’re looking to visit the many pubs in Dublin during your visit, you’ll be happy to hear that there’s no curfew here. There’s also a kitchen, luggage storage and common areas.
Some need to knows
- Location: D’Olier Street
- Booking.com review score: 8/10 from 1,336 reviews
- Room types: 3 Bed Private Room Ensuite, Twin room private Ensuite, Double Room Private Ensuite and multiple Dorm Rooms
- Breakfast: Included
Check prices + see more photos here
2. Abbey Court
Photos via Booking.com
The Abbey Court is another hostel in Dublin City Centre that boasts premises just feet from the action – literally!
Situated on Bachelors Walk right beside the River Liffey, this hostel is located a cool 30 seconds from Dublin’s historic O’Connell Street.
They also run a free walking tour of Dublin each morning (make sure to check whether it’s still running), which is pretty decent, along with a free to join Dublin pub crawl on certain evenings.
Some need to knows
- Location: Bachelors Walk
- Booking.com review score: 8.3/10 from 4,453 reviews
- Room types: Standard Double Bed Private Ensuite and multiple Dorm Rooms
- Breakfast: None
Check prices + see more photos here
3. Garden Lane Backpackers
Photos via Booking.com
Another handy option for those of you in search of cheap hostels in Dublin City Centre, Garden Lane Backpackers is finely located just 600m from St Patrick’s Cathedral.
Although the rooms here are no-fuss, they’re nice and bright, with plenty of daylight pouring in through the windows.
You’ll find a continental breakfast served up each morning and plenty of communal space to kick-back in during your stay.
Some need to knows
- Location: Christchurch
- Booking.com review score: 8.5/10 from 726 reviews
- Room types: Standard Twin Room with Shared Bathroom and multiple Dorm Rooms
- Breakfast: Included
Check prices + see more photos here
4. Kinlay Hostel Dublin
Photos via Booking.com
Kinlay House is another one on the list that proudly calls the busy Temple Bar district home. Similar to some of the Dublin hostels above, Kinlays’ biggest draw is its location.
That being said, if you’ve ever stayed in one of the other Kinlay hostels in Ireland (the one in Galway is excellent), you’ll know they’re well run and reliable.
The rooms here are again, fairly dated looking but if you’re just using it as a base while visiting the various Dublin attractions, that won’t matter to you.
Some need to knows
- Location: Lord Edward Street
- Booking.com review score: 7.4/10 from 2,750 reviews
- Room types: Classic Quadruple Room, Twin Room en suite, Twin Room with Shared Bathroom and multiple Dorm Rooms
- Breakfast: Continental breakfast included
Check prices + see more photos here
FAQs about the best hostels Dublin has to offer
We’ve had a lot of questions over the years asking about everything from the best youth hostels in Dublin City Centre to what Dublin hostels are best for couples traveling together.
In the section below, we’ve popped in the most FAQs that we’ve received. If you have a question that we haven’t tackled, ask away in the comments section below.
What are the best hostels in Dublin?
In my opinion, the best hostel Dublin has to offer is The Generator, however, Abigail’s and Jacobs Inn are worth checking out, too.
What Dublin hostels are best for groups?
When it comes to group hostels in Dublin City Centre, you really can’t go wrong with The Generator.
I was born in a quiet corner of a Gaeltacht on the Dingle Peninsula. Over the years, I’ve explored Ireland far and wide, from the wilds of West Clare to the shores of Sherkin. Particularly fond of heritage, history and hikes (and words beginning with ‘H’, apparently…).