Abigails Hostel

While not exactly a party hostel, Abigails Hostel is popular among groups of backpackers who can often be found socializing in the pleasant ground-floor lounge whose floor-to-ceiling shop-front-style windows look out on the street. The design is bright and functional -- with silk-screen-style wall art and lots of lipstick-red accents. White
plastic tables and chairs, and leather tub seats and sofas provide plenty of seating. The modern kitchen is stylishly decked out in red, and hallways
are painted white and yellow, with a few giant murals livening up the walls. 

Located on Aston Quay across from the Liffey River in the Temple Bar area, this hostel is within a six- to eight-minute walk of the shops on O'Connell and Grafton Streets. There are bus stops right outside the hostel, and it’s a two-minute walk to historic
Ha’penny Bridge. Trinity College is a five-minute walk, and Dublin Castle is a
seven-minute walk away. The National Library of Ireland is a
12-minute walk, or a nine-minute bus ride from Abigails, while the Dublin Writers Museum is
a 15-minute walk or a nine-minute trip by bus. The
National Museum of Ireland, Kilmainham Gaol prison museum, and the Guinness
Storehouse are all less than a 10-minute drive from the hostel, or between 11
and 19 minutes away by bus. Connolly Railway Station is about a 15-minute walk, or a seven-minute cab ride; it’s a six-minute drive or
10-minute bus ride to Heuston train station. The intercity bus station is an
11-minute walk or seven-minute taxi ride away, while it’s a 12-minute drive or 24-minute
bus ride to Dublin Port. Dublin Airport is a 16-minute drive or 31-minute bus
ride from the hostel.

Abigails Hostel's single,
twin, double and triple private rooms come with closets and full-length
mirrors, while generally spacious coed and women-only dorms have between three
and 12 beds. Some rooms have double beds with blue-metal-frame bunk beds. Decor is a little
old-fashioned, with patterned dark-red linens, red curtains, and large windows, with gray carpeting or linoleum flooring; patterned
accent walls are a nice touch. All have individual heating, and most bunks have
individual shelves with reading lights, and USB sockets.All rooms
have large ensuite bathrooms in one of two setups -- some larger dorms
have multiple shower rooms, while other rooms have separate toilet and shower areas, with shower cubicles with fixed showerheads. Some rooms
have pleasant river views, but others look onto little more than the hostel’s trash cans.
Hairdryers and hair straighteners are available from reception. The hotel can also provide ironing equipment and earplugs. Guests staying in dorm rooms are
required to make up and strip their beds, and dorm rooms don't come with free towels, but they can be rented. Rooms don't have lockers, but they can be rented for a fee in the common rooms. There have been complaints about maintenance and
housekeeping, and noise that travels between rooms. Be aware that Wi-Fi can be patchy in
rooms, and that guests younger than 16 must stay in private rooms or
single-occupancy dorms. 

Abigails' amenities start with a continental breakfast that’s included in the rates. The common area has a large, flat-screen TV and a party photo booth, and while it's large, it's the only place for guests to congregate, and it can get crowded. The self-catering kitchen is clean and equipped with an oven and stovetop, microwaves, toasters, a refrigerator, and
coffee- and tea-making facilities, but it doesn't stay open late.There’s a luggage storage room, with lockers available for an hourly or daily fee. The front desk operates 24/7, and the staff can book tours and provide free
maps. Ironing equipment, earplugs, power adapters, and
board games are also available on request, and there's a book exchange. Computers with Internet access are available in the common room for a fee. The hostel offers free
daily walking tours, and nightly pub crawls for a fee, and runs an early morning airport shuttle bus for a fee. Discounted parking is
available at a secure car park nearby. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the hostel, but the signal can be shaky in rooms.