BUG Review
Sheila's is a very good hostel that is converted from two Victorian houses. It features two kitchens, two dining rooms, a TV lounge, sauna and a small outdoor terrace.
Price Dorm bed €13-17 Twin room €44-52 Prices are in local currency and are inclusive of all taxes.
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Okay, the big hill to get there was a real &#%¤? - especially after a bus ride from Northern Ireland, but I thought it was well worth it! The tv room was great!! And, although Cork is not one of my fav places in Ireland, there sure are some great folks there if you want to get out and have some fun!!! Actually, the party started at Sheila's and ended there as well!!I will admit that the room conditions are to be desired, and I probably wouldn't be saying this if I had to stay for more than a couple of days, but a couple of days at Sheila's for fun and good times is great!!!Met loads of great people - and a few I still talk with!!!I found the staff really cool also!!!
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(Review ID: 5658)
not as bad as everyone makes out!!, August 16, 2005
Reviewer:
Jackie
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I stayed in Sheila's for 3 weeks whilst finding work in Cork (ended up getting fired so hired a car and drove round ireland- highly reccomend!!).. loved Sheila's. Sure its not the hilton! and cork isn't the big apple! But I really enjoyed my time there with friendly and helpful staff, not a bad location, met heaps of really great travellers, not too pricey, and spent most of my time in the living areas where we all hung out. Kinlay House is an OK option, but I loved Sheila's. If you can get up the hill from the train and bus staion, its well worth it. And Cork gets a rough review, but the pubs, the people (if you can get past the corky accents!!), the trad music events, and the beautiful countryside are all worth the visit!
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(Review ID: 5659)
pretty stinky, October 20, 2003
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Anonymous
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i guess it depends on who you stay with, but our room was so crampt and smelly. the bathrooms were really inconvenient. there was like a school trip when we were there which was super annoying. the comforter was the scariest i have ever encountered at a hostel. and there's this big ass hill you have to climb to get there. not too fun after a long day of travel.
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(Review ID: 5660)
Agree with JT, October 16, 2003
Reviewer:
Gosia
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Kinlay House is much better having stayed in both at different times.Great location - friendly staff - Free Brekkie - Cool TV Lounge - Big rooms
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(Review ID: 5661)
Woudn't stay there again, August 26, 2003
Reviewer:
simonvinyl
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I try to avoid large hostals. My first night was ok but then having been travelling all the previous night and the morning from England, then Dublin, I was fairly knackered and had just escaped staying at Arran House, which is near Cork train station and very dossy, but the second night my sleep was interrupted by Friday night drunks hanging around outside the front door, ie just underneath the dorm I was in. If you are into good food to cook ie you know how to cook, go to the English market in the centre of Cork - it is very good.
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(Review ID: 5662)
A Big Dissapointment, May 16, 2003
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Anonymous
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For many reasons, this hostel scored quite poorly in my books. Dorm rooms were stuffy and cell-like, the men's washroom and shower facilities were small and untidy, the staff were removed and distracted, there was intense construction that began early in the morning (spreading dust and soot everywhere), and there was a cast of long-term guests who were aloof and negative, providing a chilly reception to those of us passing through. The kitchen facilites were passable, and the hostel is located far enough out of downtown that outside noise wasn't a real problem, but all in all, I must say I learned my lesson about blindly following guide-book recommendations. If possible, go for the safe bet and make your way to Kinlay House.
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(Review ID: 5663)
Depends on what you're looking for., April 13, 2003
Reviewer:
JT
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I stayed here 2 nights...however not back to back. The first night I was probably in my room for a good 2 minutes. Why? Because I was downstairs in the game room meeting lots and lots of cool people from Germany, New Zealand, South Africa and Ireland as well. It was quite a blast. We played cards, monopoly(which the Hostel provides as well as other games, chess, etc..), talked it up and learned lots of games from our native lands. The German kid had the best game involving dice(no not craps)...lots of good times were had all through the night.That night, my mom and I had a 4 bed dorm room but it must not have been too busy as no one else was put in our room. I believe they had a free breakfast as well but don't recall eating one. Eh. The kitchen is pretty small on one side of the stairwell...you can use it for free as well as the cooking utensils and fridge. There were lots of people making food when we were there that first night. The other set of stairs there is a bathroom...much larger than the ones found in the rooms(which in itself not all rooms have bathrooms connected...as the 4 person room my mom and I stayed at didn't). The internet was fairly pricy. I believe it was like 1 euro for 20 minutes or so. Eh. That's a lot to me. There are 2 computers there so you usually don't have to wait too long. The hostel is open 24/7. Which is great! The employees were fairly cool. One guy from France was really nice. Didn't get to know many others. Anyhow, I stayed here again later on by myself. It wasn't half as much fun as the first time. I watched Enemy of the State(good movie) in their TV room(which is pretty cool) with a handful of other people. The Hostel has a fair amount of VHS tapes if I recall correctly. There is also a nice couch in there. Otherwise, that 2nd night I was there, I was pretty darn tired from travelling and I believe I fell asleep at like 10pm...don't really recall horrible beds or anything like that...really wasn't paying attention as to how tired I was.I know that I was in a 6 bed room with a bathroom and some cool guys I was in the room with I met again the next day many miles later as we ended up in the same room in Galway(haha).Hostel was fairly priced if I say myself. Something like 15-16 Euros for a dorm bed. Not too bad. I do agree those bathrooms in the rooms are small though. The bigger hostel bathroom is open 24-7 so you should have no problems releaving yourself if someone in your room is taking a shower in your room or whatnot. I also suggest picking up food at many of the convience stores and cooking or putting it together back at the hostel. I believe I bought a 2-liter of pop a couple rolls of really inexpensive(but delicious) bread at a convenience store a couple blocks away and it only cost me 5 euros or so and I was full.That hill people are complaining about is nothing. The only problem with the hostel's location is there are a couple street lights you have to cross from the bus station....and that just devours time. I guess that's all there is to say on this place. Sheila's is a decent place. I had a blast that first night but the atmosphere wasn't that great the 2nd time around. For that I've docked off a star. 5 stars, although not exactly the perfect hostel with its small bathrooms. On another note, my mom stayed at the Kinlay House Hostel (also north of the river in town) as she also returned to the city later on in our trip by herself, and she said it was a lot better than Sheila's. So you may wanna check that one out as well. I didn't stay at Kinlay, so I can't compare the two. Happy travelings in Cork!
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(Review ID: 5664)
Chaotic, March 29, 2003
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Anonymous
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We had read good reviews of Sheila's and were very excited to get there, but were very disappointed with the actual experience. The duvets and pillows smelled like the most putrid body odor I've ever smelt in my life. The bathrooms are teeny tiny and your body will touch some part of the shower while you're in there. Also, it is loud. There are tons of people around, which is nice to return home from the pubs to. They are doing a lot of construction which made the mornings difficult. The staff was nice enough, and the computer access is a major plus. Be careful asking for recommendations about where to eat- we were advised to go one place, and the joke was on us because all there was were BK and Mickey D's. Funny joke. :( Close proximity to bus stop is nice, but the hill with a 40 lb. pack on your back isn't too fun. I had a bad experience, in a 6 bed room with toilet and shower en suite... so I can imagine what the other bigger rooms are like! Be wary.
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(Review ID: 5665)
ok, January 5, 2003
Reviewer:
Kai
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I agree with Anne. showers are way too hot! beds are old and you can hardly turn around in the rooms. there is a pc with internet access. but a lot depends on the people you're staying with.
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(Review ID: 5666)
toot sweet(sorry for all errors i.e. grammatical ect.., December 23, 2002
Reviewer:
E. Rogan
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the hostel was really great, they sell wine and you can drink in the common room which was nice. Also, the common room was just plain great- i actually ended up living in cork for a few months and me and my friends would still hang out there from time to time.the room are small and cramped- but very clean- the lady that cleans the rooms would come in at 10am- and clean around me- sort of irritating when you hung over. But it was her job, right.also the ensuite bathrooms are the size of an airplane lavetory- what ones there are. also no comp breaky- excellent coffee for sale though.the staff was really nice- except for Lurch- but apparently if you give him candy- he'll be nice to you.Someone told me this and i'm still wondering what sort of candy(pretend candy is in italics) she was giving him???????????? also lots of aussie guys there- mostly hot- was it fate- or just coincedence????
