Ireland: Accommodations Listings
Included in this section:
64. The Dingle Peninsula: A Gaelic Bike Ride
65. Northern Ireland and Belfast
64. Dingle Peninsula: A Gaelic Bike Ride
Sleeping in Dingle Town
(€1 = about $1.40, country code: 353, area code: 066)
Prices vary with the season, with winter cheap and August tops.
O'Neill's B&B is homey and friendly, with six decent rooms on a quiet street at the top of town (Db-€70–80, family deals, cash only, strictly non-smoking, parking, John Street, tel. 066/915-1639, oneills@godingle.com, Mary O'Neill).
Kelliher's Ballyegan House is a big, plain building with six fresh, comfortable rooms on the edge of town and great harbor views (Db-€75, Tb-€110, cash only, non-smoking, parking, Upper John Street, tel. 066/915-1702, Hannah and James Kelliher).
Greenmount House sits among chilly palm trees in the countryside at the top of town. A five-minute hike up from the town center, this guest house commands a fine view of the bay and mountains. John and Mary Curran run one of Ireland's best B&Bs, with two fine rooms (Db-€110), three superb rooms (Db-€140), and seven sprawling suites (Db-€170) in a modern building with lavish public areas and breakfast in a solarium (reserve in advance, most rooms at ground level, Wi-Fi, parking, top of John Street, tel. 066/915-1414, fax 066/915-1974, www.greenmount-house.ie, info@greenmounthouse.ie). Seek out the hot tub in their back garden cabin.
Best Budget Options in Dingle Town
Hideout Hostel is friendly and central, just across the lane from the movie theater. Michael (MEE-hall) grew up on this street and manages a relaxed, fun atmosphere while screening out loud stag/hen-party gangs (€18/person in 4-bed dorm room, additional nights-€15/person, Db-€50, these rates good only with 2010 edition of Rick Steves' Europe Through the Back Door or Rick Steves' Ireland, family room available, includes continental breakfast, all non-smoking, Wi-Fi, Dykegate Street, tel. 066/915-0559, fax 066/915-0562, www.thehideouthostel.com, info@thehideouthostel.com).
65. Northern Ireland and Belfast
Sleeping in Belfast, Northern Ireland
(£1 = about $1.60, country code: 44)
Many of Belfast's best budget beds cluster in a comfortable, leafy neighborhood of row houses just south of Queen's University (and the Ulster Museum). Two train stations (Botanic and Adelaide) are nearby, and buses (£1.50) zip down Malone Road every 20 minutes. Any bus on Malone Road goes to Donegall Square East. Taxis take you downtown for about £4 (your host can call one).
Malone Lodge Hotel, by far the classiest listing in this neighborhood, provides slick, business-class comfort in 84 spacious rooms on a quiet street (Db-£85–150, superior Db-£120–175, weekend deals, elevator, Wi-Fi, restaurant, 60 Eglantine Avenue, tel. 028/9038-8000, fax 028/9038-8088, www.malonelodgehotel.com, info@malonelodgehotel.com).
Malone Guest House is a crisp, stand-alone Victorian house fronting the busy Malone Road. It's homey and well run by Geraldine and Byron Quinn, who rent 13 prim rooms (Sb-£35–50, Db-£60–65, Tb-£70–80, 79 Malone Road, at intersection with Adelaide Park and bus stop, tel. 028/9066-9565, fax 028/9037-5090, www.maloneguesthousebelfast.co.uk, maloneguesthousebelfast@yahoo.co.uk).
Jurys Inn, an American-style place that rents its 190 identical modern rooms for one simple price, is perfectly located two blocks from City Hall (up to 3 adults or 2 adults and 2 kids for £69–120, breakfast-£10 extra/person, all non-smoking, Fisherwick Place, tel. 028/9053-3500, fax 028/9053-3511, www.jurysinns.com, jurysinnbelfast@jurysinns.com).
Best Budget Option in Belfast
Belfast International City Hostel, providing the best value among Belfast's hostels with its 200 beds, is big and creatively run. It offers single and double rooms along with dorms, and is located near Botanic Station, in the heart of the lively university district and close to the center. Features include free lockers, elevator, baggage storage, pay Internet access and Wi-Fi, kitchen, self-serve laundry (£3.50), cheap breakfast-only cafeteria, elevator, 24-hour reception, and no curfew (bed in 6-bed dorm-£10, bed in quad-£12, S-£22, D-£28–31, Db-£37, 22–32 Donegall Road, tel. 028/9031-5435, fax 028/9043-9699, www.hini.org.uk, info@hini.org.uk). Paul, the manager of the hostel, is a veritable TI, with a passion for his work.
Updated for 2009. For lots more information, check out our best-selling Rick Steves' Ireland guidebook.