em2005

Hello all,
I'm planning on traveling to Dublin, first time, in the fall. I have a reservation for a private room at the Avalon House Hostel. Has anyone stayed there? How was it? Some of the reviews on the Trip Advisor web site were really bad. Other suggestions for comparable lodging.

Also, I'll be traveling alone, so any suggestions for places to eat. Somewhere a female, late 40's, could eat alone without feeling out of place.

Thanks.

neejas

My family and I have been to Ireland 3 different occassions. I found the Irish to be the most friendly people in Europe. Dublin is a great place to begin your trip. Females traveling alone will be no problem. Even late at night, we walked around the city and felt very safe. People love for you to come up and strike a conversation and welcome chat. Dublin was easy city to walk around. Temple Bar is a section full of pubs and Dickens like streets. You can do the pub crawl there. The weather is always cool and you'll run across wet days, but it's a great experience. The wet weather or cool days and nights will not spoil your trip. It's an experience. I don't know about the Avalon House. We stayed at the Holiday Inn off Pierce Street. If you get a chance go into the West of Ireland. Also, about a 45 min drive to the south there's Glendalough in the Wicklow Mountains. You feel like your in a storybook setting. I think you'll definitly be safe and you'll have an awesome time with the locals.

12perfectdays

DH and I will be on our 1st trip to Ireland this October and have booked a few nights in the Avalon as well.

I saw the posts you are talking about and had to admit to some concern. I talked it over with a college co-worker who spent a year in Europe and always stayed in hostels and I really think that it was point of view. I mean its a hostel not a grand resort.

If you go to hostelworld.com and look up the Avalon, they have a 360 degree view of all the rooms. You can see the shower is tiny and the faucets are different. My friend also said the push button showers were pretty much the norm. for the hostels.

Anyway, that is what I am telling myself as I keep my reservations. I have so much planned for Dublin that we will barely have time to sleep anyway!

That being said, my friend that clued me in on all of this stayed at Kinlay House Hostel by Christ Church Cathedral and rated it as one of the top 3 hostels she stayed throughout Europe.

I tried but the ensuite doubles were all booked and DH is willing to adventure only so far.

Good luck!

SiobhanP

I live here and would feel more comfortable for a single woman to stay at Kinlay house rather than the Avalon. It is more central and is an area with more people walking around than say the Avalon. How much is it per night?

There are lots of nice casual cafes etc off Grafton street and pubs that do lunch. A woman in a pub alone is not like being in a bar alone in the U.S. I would often got for lunch off Grafton street and have my lunch and a paper in a pub or a drink when waiting for someone.

There are several tours that would be good in the evenings and social for someone on their own like:

Literary pub crawl, Starts in Duke Pub on Duke Street off Grafton Street

Musical Pub Crawl in the Oliver St John Gogherty Pub, Fleet Street tempole bar - Evenings

Day time-
hop on/of bus.
1916 rebellion tour.
Chester Beatty Libraty does tours on certain week days and is located behind Dublin castle. Nice cafe (Silk road cafe)to eat in with excellent coffee.

There are several centrally located museums for art and history as well as the Writers Museum I believe in Parnell Square.

To eat:

Gruel, Dame street - meant to be excellent food.

Milano - Temple Bar or Dawson street - I eat here often on my own.

or lunch there is a food court that openend this year in St Stephens Green Shopping centre. Also at the top is a cafe called the Dome that has lovely hot foods and salads and a view over St Stephens Green. Its cafeteria style.

Cafe Bar Deli in the old Bewleys on Grafton street.

Wagamamma- King Street (Asian chain) you sit at communal tables and I also eat here alone.

At the Corner of Chatham and S. William street are 2 cafes with seating outside and nice for lunch. One is Metro cafe and opposite is Busy feet and Coco Cafe.

To chill out with a book go into Powerscourt Townhouse (its an old estate house turnes into a mini shopping arcade. Inside are several restaurants but go all the way to the top to Fresh. Its a veggie cafe but the fod is fantastic and you can sit and relax with a book and lunch here.

Silk road Cafe in the Chester Beatty Library. Its such a relaxing place outside the lunch crown and they make the best coffee and Semolina cake.

You will not be odd eating on your own and treat yourself to a nice meal at least once in the evening. There are a lot more early bird menus.

If you want to know anything more specific just post and I will try to answer.


Here is a mappy of the area around grafton street where some of these places are mentioned

http://www22.mappy.com/sidJ6D1w4BaCp...mp;x=0&y=0

LarryJ

EM2005

I never stayed at a hostel until just a few weeks ago. I spent a month in Europe and with intra-Europe airfares and car rentals the trip got expensive so I decided in Dublin to stay at a hostel. I stayed at the Kinlay House near Christchurch and it was fine. The rooms are ultra spartan, no tv in the room or anything else but it was clean, they have a tv room, cheap internet service and all you want toast, coffee, tea, juice etc type breakfast. You can also cook if that's your thing as they let you use the kitchen complete with all the pots, pans, etc you need. You can also use the fridge. The place is mostly young kids but there I saw a few middle age people too. The kids were a great bunch of kids.

As I spend little time in my room anyway I liked it and would do it again. The location is great, very close to center city and Temple Bar area in particular.

Safety is not a concern here either.

Larry J

Canadian6

I was in Dublin just last week and spend a night at Avalon House. Security is definitely not an issue as they have a 24 hour watch on the door and your need your pass to get in after dark. Security lockers are provided and are free if you have your own lock. Rooms are probably the biggest out of any hostel I stayed in over my 10 days in Ireland and they are clean. Breakfast was the only downfall that I experienced with only toast and marmalade being offered. As far as location goes you are a good 10 minute walk from the Temple Bar action which we had no problem with but the walk can get a little "shady" after midnight, especially if you are a female walking alone. If you want to stay somewhere a little closer to the action you might want to try Barnacles Temple Bar House on Temple Lane. We were 4 guys travelling and on one of the nights we stayed there we shared a room with a 39 year old women from Sydney who she said she was very happy with the 3 days she spent there. As far as eating out goes you will be fine anywhere as most everyone is very, very friendly and if you are comfortable striking up a conversation with a stranger you will more then likely make some friends in the process. If a private room is a must for you then you might want to try Ashfield House on D'Olier St as we also stayed there and were quite satisfied.

Have a great trip!

Indygirl2

I used to date a Dubliner and everytime I visited him, I'd insist on going to this kebab place on Parliament, near the city center, called Zaytoons. The food was cheap but good and the atmosphere was always very lively. It seemed like a popular place with the locals, and is open at all hours. There's a kind of "bar" that runs along the perimeter of the dining room that's great to sit and watch people go by if you're on your own.

I'm a frequent solo traveler and I understand the challenge of eating alone. I like to mix it up between nicer restaurants and more casual places. I wish I could remember other places by name in Dublin to recommend. We ate at several Indian restaurants that were quite good, but in a pinch, there's plenty of cheaper, more casual places to eat, including a tremendous number of pubs. Dublin is a great place to be on your own. It's a little rowdy at night, but everyone is very friendly and helpful. I think you'll feel very welcome.

Happy travels,

Kate

Padhraicin

I live in Dublin. Haven't stayed in the hostels but both Avalon and Kinlay House are very centrally located. I would suggest that you avoid Temple Bar at night, big drinking scene for tourists.
However, you cannot visit Dubin without going to the pub. Pubs are ok to visit during the day and good value for lunch "pub grub". Some pubs that I find ok to visit alone (as a woman) Mulligans, Poolbeg St. (old pub, great Guinness); Brazen Head, Bridge St.(oldest pub in Dublin - music at night, tourist stop); Hughes, Chancery St. (near 4 Courts) good for traditional music; The Cobblestone, Smithfield (traditional music most nights). Those pubs are all very relaxed and you will feel ok on your own in any of them night or day. Agree with Siobhan's tips - make sure you get Dublin Bus hop/on hop/off tour the one with live commentary. (green/yellow bus). Also pick up Dublin Events Guide free newspaper available in cafes, tourist offices etc. and check out 'What's on'.

travelphile

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...hile&fid=2

See my trip report from 1.5 yrs ago for info -we spent 4 days in Dublin.

- Trav

SiobhanP

Indygirl, my partners eyes glaze over when he sees Zaytoon especially after a pint. Its open all day and delicious. Not the usual scabby kebaba bit lovely fresh bakd bread etc. Eeven veggie plate with hummous.

I would avoid Barnacles in Temple bar as they have had a spate of robberies recently. The one on D'Olier street sounds good as well and a busier area to walk at night as opposed to Avalon which as stated before is fine but a tiny bit shady at night.

The Brazen head has music in the day on Sundays and decent food and you could go and have some oub grub and listen to music. Don't be totally isolated though and take some tours as it will be a nice social night out. Also there are day tours to Glendolough, Newgrange, Avoca, powerscourt etc.