Barnacles

I stayed at Barnacles Hostel in Dublin for 2 nights in October while traveling around Europe. I booked my stay on Hostel World and picked this hostel because of it’s reviews and ratings, the location in the center of Dublin, and because of the reasonable rate.
Pros:
This hostel is located in Temple Bar literally steps away from the world famous Temple Bar bar. Dublin is such a walkable city so many bars and restaurants are within a short walk of this locating making it very easy to get around and explore. Another thing I liked about this hostel was the fact that each room had it’s own bathroom meaning I didn’t need to share with 20 random people. The staff was also very friendly and seemed to waive every posted fee for the additional services I required (towel, luggage storage, etc.).
Cons:
Unfortunately there are far more cons with this hostel than there are pros. This hostel was old and outdated. I stayed in a 6 person mixed room which was cramped to say the least. I was also assigned a top bunk by the window which turned out to be a nightmare. My room was located right above the lobby facing the street right near the Temple Bar bar. This meant that it was nearly impossible to get to sleep before 4am because of all the drunk fools smoking, drinking, and vomiting in the street all night. The windows were closed and the heavy curtains were drawn yet you could still hear every word of every conversation happening on the street. I also found the bed to be barely softer than concrete so what sleep I did get was bad sleep.
Also, when I arrived for check in I realized I was early. I got there at 1pm and was told I’d have to wait until 3pm to get my key. I came back at 4pm and was told my room was still not ready. The girl at the front desk said I could go hang out in the lounge and she’d call up when my room was available. I did just that and waited more than an hour without hearing from the front desk. When I went back down to the lobby she had left for the day and forgot to call me or forgot to tell her colleagues to communicate that rooms were ready.
Would I go back? No chance in hell. I realize that when staying at a hostel you won’t get the most lavish accommodations or that privacy is often compromised in a room full of strangers but I literally could not wait to check out and head to my next destination. I have stayed at other hostels but none of them have been as bad as this one. This place served its purpose of providing a bed to sleep in but those two nights were horrid. 2 Stars.

I really enjoyed staying at this hostel! It was ver spacious even in the 11 bed dorm! There was a bathroom in the room which was nice but sometimes hard to actually get in during certain hours. The hostel is located in a great are! Lots of bars and food nearby. The beds are super uncomfortable though, but I don’t expect much from a hostel. The staff was super friendly. Then only annoying thing I had to deal with was coming in at late hours sometimes the person watching the front puts up a «back in five minutes» sign and is gone forever while you wait for him to unlock the door. Other than that if was super clean! They have nice lockers under the bed and they will hold on to your luggage after check out for € 1.50 a day! If you want some where cheap to stay while you’re in Dublin choose this place! I’ve been to several other hostels during other trips to Dublin and they didn’t really make the cut.

Not the first place I would recommend in Dublin
Pros first: the location, it’s in the heart of Dublin and you’re close to everything
The rooms feature their own bathroom… no more sharing a shower with 30people…
And that’s about it.
The cons now: you can tell they capitalize on the fact that they are the most famous hostel in town. The area is not just touristy, it’s tourists only. Don’t try and find a dubliner around, you won’t.
The lobby of the hostel gives you the impression you’re here to get parlour time with an inmate. The checking in is more complicated than in any other place. The staff is okay, friendly but not that much. They’re doing the job, no more, no less.
You’ll get free breakfast but will have to pay for everything else… Borrowing an adapter (5e deposit + 1e), towels, anything you might need. You may be a poor traveler that comes to a hostel to save money, but they’re a company that is making money, not social work.
The weirdest thing then, they’ll make you pay yo store your luggage… Which I personally find crazy since I had already paid for the room
Nice atmosphere if you’re here to meet people, but I would recommend Sky backpackers, that has a genuinely nice staff and good services.

Had lots of fun, met some great folks from around the world, this place is great for singles or small groups who love to randomly meet folks, and the staff is always helpful.

Stayed here for two nights whilst sightseeing in Dublin, booked through Hosteworld. I arrived early on the morning on the first day and they didn’t have the room ready as expected, I came back at the prescribed time and the room was still not ready. When I finally got into my room I found it to be really small, a closet size bathroom, and there was just enough room to walk around the bed. Inside of the room I could access wifi, but besides that there is a wall for you to look at.
The hostel has no elevators so get ready to lug your bags, the hostel’s common room was kind of dead both the nights that I was there, granted this is suppose to be one of the most happening hostel in the area, and since this is located in Temple bar the party is only steps away.
I took a shuttle to the airport with the assistance from hostel and it was cheap and direct, no waiting for the airport bus, plus it was like at 4am.

Barnacles is absolutely the only choice for a traveller on a budget and who is serious about having a good time. Situated in Temple Bar, actually directly next to THE Temple Bar Pub, this hostel provides for easy access to public transport, walking access to a multitude of pubs and all major attractions in Dublin City.
The hostel itself offers mainly dorm style accommodations sleeping from two to eleven people. (if interested in meeting other travelers, the 11 person room is the way to go) The staff are all super helpful, friendly and willing to lend a hand when needed. If you are looking for tours outside of Dublin, you can book with the front desk in addition to renting/​purchasing any much needed item. They also offer Pub Crawls to some of the more interesting spots in town.
If you are looking for a quiet night passing through Dublin, this hostel is not your spot. Between buskers going almost all day, the hustle and bustle of the Temple Bar foot traffic, the songs of the pub goers into the wee hours of the morning on a daily basis and the early morning crash of trash and kegs, quiet is probably the only thing you will not find at this hostel.
I’ve always felt safe and felt my belongings were secure in this hostel, and have never had a problem making this my home away from home.

don’t go if rugby
meat heads all around dublin
should have saved money
This place is A-​OK. Great location. Good fun. BUT expensive during rugby season… My friend and I had no idea. The room was tiny. Beds: tiny. I couldn’t sit up in the top bunk without fearing hitting my head. Breakfast: toast, tea, coffee. People were nice. Security seemed pretty good. But seriously, can’t complain about the location. Temple bar is the place to be if you are willing to spend the money to receive a bed that’s only good for one lonely drunk person to pass out in.

Me and 5 of my girlfriends stayed here back in 2010 and had a great time. The location is great if you want to be right down town and in the middle of the bar scene. You can walk out your door and be at like 10 bars within a block! I felt the neighborhood was very safe since it was quite busy and full of tourists. The rooms were clean but very very small. There’s a kitchen which was pretty good and the front desk people were so helpful– they helped us book a room for the day we were leaving at their sister hostel in Galway. We also returned to this hostel later in the week when we came back through Dublin. I would stay here again for the great price and convenience. We took the city bus from the airport and it dropped us off a few blocks from the hostel– pretty handy! There was also a lounge room with internet connection that was nice.

I spent 5 nights here while I was visiting Dublin a few years ago, and for the most part the experience was pretty good. I booked myself in a 6-​bed room, and I ended up spending most of my stay with another Canadian girl and four rowdy Aussies. The bathroom was in the room, which was nice. You really can’t beat the location, which is right in the Temple Bar district –a great place to be as a young traveller.
The staff were friendly and I felt secure while I was staying there, although the bathrooms were a bit dated. I had just come from Berlin where the hostels are really terrific, so I think I was a bit spoiled by my experience in Germany.
Overall I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this place to a young traveller visiting Dublin, although now that I’m in my late-​twenties I don’t know if I would find a stay here to be quite as charming.

Barnacles is a great place, especially for newbie travelers as I was (am). Located right in the heart of Temple Bar, you are close to bars, food, shopping and buses, including airport shuttles. It was affordable, I even took advantage of their laundry service which was only € 7. The room I was in had 10 or so bunks and it was pretty full which made for a crowded, loud and sometimes smelly experience. Hot shower (when you got your chance) and free continental (toast and juice) breakfast. The noise from the street was fairly loud, but I was so tired it hardly affected me. Overall I’d stay there again, but probably in a smaller room.

This was my first hostel experience. It was a pleasant one. I appreciate the incredibly nice people you find working here! It’s fairly safe, awesome location, great staff, fairly clean, and you get free wifi. The wifi is offered only in the common room and that closes at midnight. I wish it was opened for longer, but I guess that’s where the location comes in. It’s literally next door to Temple Bar. There’s a bus that takes you really close to the place from the airport. It was a really wonderful value for my friend and I. We paid 55Euros and got a night in Dublin, a day tour to the Cliffs of Moher, a night in Galway, and the trip back into Dublin. We got into one of the bigger rooms because the deal required it. I was hoping it wouldn’t be packed, but of course it was. Sharing one bathroom with ten other people was a bit awkward for a first-​timer. They have private doubles that you can book though. Definitely a fan of this place.

I lived in this hostel for about 6 weeks when I first moved to Dublin.
The good:
1) Brilliant location, right in the heart of Temple Bar
2) Friendly and knowledgeable front desk staff
3) Fairly clean-​ish
4) Fully equipped kitchen, free cheapo breakfast
The bad:
1) LOUD — Try to get a room that doesn’t face the street, otherwise you’re f*cked if you actually want to get any sleep. The Temple Bar area is full of tourists out of the piss at all hours. Prepared to be awakened by drunk singing Scotsmen at 4:30am
2) Many of the rooms are CRAMPED (bunks on either side with only 4 feet of space in between. Annoying) The larger dorms are actually better than the 4 – 6 bed ones because there is a lot more floor space.

Barnacles is a great place to stay for a couple of nights maximum. It has a central location that is practically on top of Temple Bar. It’s very safe and someone is always at the desk if you need assistance. The beds are decent and clean linens are provided too. There is also a personal light above each bed, which is convenient if you are up late at night. It seems to attract a pretty cool crowd, although I’m sure it is circumstantial.
The downside: cramped rooms, dirty kitchen, and a mediocre breakfast. Our 12 person room felt like third class steerage on the Titanic. No room to walk around or hang out in the room unless you were sitting hunched over on your bunk. It also can be loud at night since its location is surrounded by pubs.

Quite fond of this place! Great little hostel close to everything Temple Bar, safe, convenient, and free wifi. I can even get it in my room, from my bed like now! Most hostels only offer it in common rooms, which is unfortunate, but not this one! Rooms are small but clean, bathroom is pretty clean, but some of the toilets you do have to fight with to get to flush. They offer food, towels, lockers, linen, and laundry service all for a price but you won’t be paying much for a nightly stay so it’s not so bad. Perfect place if you were out partying all night in Temple Bar and need somewhere to stagger back to during the day. Common room area large and spacious and they offer free breakfast in the morning (not much, but at least it’s free), Dorms are generally co-​ed, so if you’ve something against that or would rather just stay with all men or women this may not be the best place, but iit was fine for me, the only thing is I do not like how men tend to snore (loudly) more than women!

Nettes kleines Hostel im Herzen von Dublins altem Kneipenviertel Temple Bar. Den Fußweg zum nächsten Wasserloch kann man eigentlich nicht mal so nennen, man könnte theoretisch einfach den Weg 20 Sekunden lang herunterkullern und wäre dort wo sich die Nachtschwärmer herumtreiben. Das tun sie übrigens logischerweise auch lautstark unterhalb der Fenster, aber empfindlich darf man in so einer Lage nicht sein.
Vom Zweierzimmer mit Privatsphäre bis zum Gruppenschlafsaal mit 11 Betten ist alles buchbar; Preise liegen gestaffelt von 10 Euro für die Gruppenhöhle bis 43,50 Euro für die private Kemenate, Preise sind auch nach Wochentagen und Anlässen unterschiedlich.
Die Sicherheit des Gepäcks wird durch Gitterkästen garantiert welche mit einem Vorhängeschloss gesichert werden können (und sollten). Hat man den Stromadapter, das Schloss, die Handtücher oder irgendetwas Anderes vergessen kann man es gegen eine geringe Gebühr am Empfang leihen. Anreise ist auch nachts möglich, es ist immer jemand an der Rezeption. Man gelangt mit einem Chip ins Innere des Hostels, Besuch ist nicht gestattet um Diebstahl zu vermeiden.
Es wird ein Frühstück im Preis angeboten; dies besteht aus Toast, Butter, Marmelade, Aufgusskaffee und Tee. Die große Küche samt Essbereich bietet viel Platz zum gemeinsamen Frühstück, es sind zwei Kühlschränke und eine gut sortierte Auswahl an Utensilien zur Hand. Wer es herzhaft mag sollte sich in den nahegelegenen Supermärkten etwas zum Frühstücken dazu holen, aber egal wie geht man morgens zumindest nicht mit leerem Magen aus dem Haus.
Es wird täglich saubergemacht, das Hostel riecht ein wenig chlorig — aber wenn man das Gegenteil in manchen Häusern erlebt hat ist man davon eher positiv beeindruckt. Wir sind mit unserem Aufenthalt dort sehr zufrieden gewesen und würden jederzeit wiederkommen.

Voyage en 2006, très bonne auberge

The formula for success at Barnacles seems so simple –clean, comfortable, safe and sensible –but then why was it such a relief to find a hostel that employed those easy principles?
Rooms here are plain and comfortable with options to rent a bed in dorms for eleven, ten, six, four and two people. While guests are generally respectful when it comes to noise, Dublin County Council may not be so kind; late nighters be warned that the week-​day morning trash collection happens quite early in the alleys your windows look out onto.
With 24-​hour front desk service, coded locks for safety, lots of areas to lounge with fellow travellers, a lovely open kitchen (with plenty of bread for toasting), plus it’s central Temple Bar location putting you minutes away from almost everything the City Centre has to offer –makes Barnacles a top spot for adventurers with a taste for city life.

This hostel has some great things to offer Dublin visitors. You can’t do much better for location. Barnacles is up the street from Temple Bar pub, on one of the quieter (but not too quiet) laneways.
The hostel is very clean and modern looking. You don’t get the impression that they haven’t changed their furniture in years. You get free breakfast, all rooms have an ensuite and it’s open 24 hours. They too have free internet and WIFI but have the added bonus of offering their guests access to DVD player and Playstation.
It’s a very cool spot and not that much more expensive than other hostels.