BUG Review
The Old Monastery is in a big old stone house with loads of character that is cluttered with various bits of artwork and other nik naks. When we visited it was undergoing extensive renovation, which should see an improvement, but it is still not the sort of place that would suit everyone. Facilities include a kitchen and several lounges with open fires.
Price Dorm bed €13-15 Double/twin room €40-50
Prices include breakfast Prices are in local currency and are inclusive of all taxes.
Wow! Great atmosphere, beautiful building, great people, good food. Paradise!!!
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(Review ID: 7046)
Charming and quirky, February 25, 2006
Reviewer:
pawrie@yahoo.com
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Hot showers, hot 3 course dinner for 10 Euro, open fires, cosy homely atmosphere, double beds, great FREE breakfast, bike hire, friendly staff, tidy if ramshackle old house. If the old fashioned charm of this place fails to grab you then you are seriously lacking in imagination. I was thrilled to find a place that wasn't sterile, characterless or institutional in the least, the type of traditional irish country homestead that makes a most welcome break from the bland and uniform, not to mention cramped hostels elsewhere in the country.
3 of
3 people found this review helpful
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(Review ID: 7047)
Peaceful place in a nice landscape, November 11, 2005
Reviewer:
Gano
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I've been there more longer than I though before. In low season the place is really peaceful. And cheap (13 with a very good breakfast). From there you can go for a wonderful hike on top of the Diamond Hill, part of Connemara National Park, go for walk along the shore... I like it !!!!! I'll be back and you should do.
2 of
2 people found this review helpful
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(Review ID: 7048)
An holiday romance, April 6, 2005
Reviewer:
paula_ohare@yahoo.com
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I had a great time. I went to the hostel with a group of students from the international society at Cork Uni about three years ago and I fell in love - with the place. I intend to go back this weekend.
1 of
2 people found this review helpful
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(Review ID: 7049)
A Pause In Time, June 19, 2004
Reviewer:
mhilsden03
( marty03h@eircom.net)
from Israel
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World-weary travellers looking for a break from the norm, will heave a sigh of relief as they spot the Old Monastary Hostel for the first time, they'll know they've reached the right place. For a warm (even if slightly delayed!) and friendly welcome, for a clean bed, and a hot endless shower, for a cozy common room with peat fire, for an idylic moment on the outside (covered, - for the smokers among us!) deck, the Old Monastary Hostel is a travellers prayer answered! For 12.00 euro a night for a dorm bed, which includes breakfest, unlimited hot showers, great company, instant family comfort, I'd say that's a hot deal.Don't be put off by previous reviews. Instead of "old building", try "Listed" and "Historical". The building was indeed a Monastary. Over the last few months, the Hostel has been affectionately given a grand old face lift, and rather than detract from the uniqueness of the place, has enhanced the entire atmosphere. A traveller landing here, on leaving, knows he/she has found a special little haven for life.It's in a great position as well, two minutes walk from village (pubs and shops), National Park, and a bikeride (or short drive) away from the 12 Bens, incredible beaches, a Dive Centre, Adventure Centre etc.A small note about the owner, Stephen; He runs the place like you would run a home, ie. he makes you feel like a welcome guest in his own home. He's a great cook, fresh warm bread in the mornings at breakfast just a sampler; He'll always have a story to tell, if you want to listen (just watch that twinkle in his eye, to be certain that you are not being teased!) and he's not bad eyecandy either! If he ever does shout, I'd say he'd have pretty good reason to!I'm not a biased worker, or family. I have lived in Limerick for the last two years, and fell on this place by chance, and come up here any chance I get! As Hostels go, I'd say this one is pretty much As Good As It Gets. Four stars, coz no-where's perfect, not even home!
10 of
11 people found this review helpful
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(Review ID: 7050)
Great Place to Stay in the West of Ireland, April 9, 2004
Reviewer:
Tim Warbout
( tim@warbout.com)
from Den Helder, The Netherlands
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The Old Monastery Hostel in Letterfrack is a great place to stay. It is as Irish as you can get, relaxed, nice atmosphere, no annoying DO NOT signs. I stayed there several times over the last four years and never had any problem whatsoever. I would recommend this hostel to every backpacker in the world, because this is the place any hostel should be.Tim WarboutP.S. Don't waste your time reading bad reviews posted by people that don't have the guts to sign of with their proper names.
4 of
5 people found this review helpful
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(Review ID: 7051)
An amazing place to stay, March 9, 2004
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Anonymous
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I first came to the Old Monastery Hostel 2 years ago and immediately fell in love with the place. The atmosphere is amazing and homey, the staff friendly (but not in an annoying fake way!) and the area is gorgeous. I don't really understand all the complaints about the owner Stephen since I always found him to be very friendly -very "Irish" which I suppose some people can misinterpret. The building may be old but the important things were always spotless. The toilets and showers were very clean and the sheets were changed daily, the kitchen tidy, the breakfast was great.... I could go on and on. In short - an amazing place that I'll go back to again and again. Don't let some bad reviews keep you from going to this hostel -trust me, you won't be sorry!
6 of
7 people found this review helpful
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(Review ID: 7052)
A nightmare of a hostel, February 1, 2004
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Anonymous
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I stayed there 2 years ago and i can only agree that it is indeed a dirty place. The bedsheets looked unwashed and used. The cat was lying on every bed spreading her fleas and i don't want to start about the dog. The place has character, but it needs a lot of fixing. There is filth everywhere and Steve the owner offended people so harsh that he sent one woman crying in her room.He woke me up in the middle of the night and was menacing me when he came back home drunk from a pub just because i was sleeping in the wrong bed and he scared me as i was on my own in the dorm. I was about to report him to the police. I regret i didn't because of the lack of witnesses. I know that this hostel is very popular in Ireland, but its only the old building that makes the place special and maybe the breakfast, but i wonder if the private kitchen looks as dirty as the rest of the hostel. Take my advise, stay somewhere else, as far as i know there is a new hostel in Letterfrack, so you are better of spending your money there and feel safe as to get ruled and offended by a scary owner.
4 of
14 people found this review helpful
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(Review ID: 7053)
went in, looked around, ran away, November 27, 2003
Reviewer:
Annemaart
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OK, I didn't actually stay here, so I'm not sure how nice the staff is and how friendly the athmosphere. I can only tell you what state I found the place in in summer 2002. The hallways were dirty, the dorms were dusty and stuffed full of beds, the showers were joined and I won't even begin about the toilets. After our little tour through this warzone, we decided to leave. My friend has astma and I was in desperate need of a nice hot shower after a long and tiring journey. I must add however that, every time we mentioned that we'd been to letterfrack, people immediately asked us whether we stayed at the monestary hostel and when we said we didn't they all said 'ahhh' in these disappointed tones. So either the place has quite a lot of fans, or all the irish people we met along the way are sadist, one or the other.
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(Review ID: 7054)
dirtiest rooms of Ireland - most impertinent owner, August 31, 2003
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Anonymous
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We - a group of 25 people - found the rooms of this hostel in an incredible dirty condition. We visited 7 hostels of Connemara: Old monastry was the worst at all. One boy of our group got an allergy because of the dusty beds. Another one got an allergy because of the mould at his bedroom-wall. Only one of three showers worked. The very dirty and unkempt dog was most awful: always running around in the kitchen, lying on the chairs and the couch of the living room and spreading his fleas everywhere. But most horrible at all was Stephen the owner! He obviously likes offendig people who pay him a lot of money for staying in a ruin of a hostel.
