Updated August 2023–Is Galway City on your itinerary when you get to Ireland?
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It’s a fun city for sure but like any other urban area, it can be expensive, which is why finding affordable accommodation in Galway City is key.
Here are 10 affordable hotel stays in Galway that you should consider when planning a vacation in the City of the Tribes.
All prices are approximate and valid at the time that they were checked. In addition, they will depend on the season.
The exchange rate reflects the current rate as of Aug. 30, 2023. Obviously the numbers will fluctuate according to the financial markets.
1. The Nest Boutique Hostel
(Budget)
For value and convenience, The Nest is a great option for travelers who are on a budget.
Technically, this is considered a hostel, but there are also 1, 2, and 3-bedroom self-catering apartments available across the city that are suitable for up to 5 people.
They include the Salthill Sea View Apartment, along with three other apartments in the heart of Galway’s Westend.
Each apartment comes with a fully equipped kitchen, comfortable living room, and of course bedrooms.
The Nest boutique hostel offers equally good accommodation. Most of their twin and double rooms are ensuite, meaning they come with a toilet and electric shower.
Family bedrooms are also available, and for groups or individuals, the Nest Hostel offers six and seven-bed dorms, all ensuite, in addition to one dorm with a shared bathroom.
The open areas of the boutique are ideal for relaxing, and a guest kitchen is a great alternative for those who want to prepare their own meals.
There is an additional charge for continental breakfast, which consists of fresh bread, pastries, cheese, fruit, yogurt, cereal, as well as tea and coffee.
Free parking is available on site. However, there are only 5 parking spaces. You can try parking on the street outside the hostel if you can get it.
Rate: A twin ensuite room at The Nest Boutique Hostel is approximately €125/$136 US/£107 Sterling/$184 CAD/$210 AUD per night.
2. The Eyre Square Hotel
(Mid-Range)
The Eyre Square Hotel has been a fixture in the city center for more than 20 years.
The 3-star hotel is, as the name implies, located in Eyre Square and is within walking distance of the city’s iconic landmarks, restaurants, and the railway/bus station (handy if you’re not renting a car).
At the Eyre Square Hotel, its 80 bedrooms have been designed to a high standard, with all the conveniences you would expect in Ireland's hotel accommodation.
They include en-suite bathrooms, cable TV, tea and coffee machines, and free Wifi.
You can choose from double, twin, and triple-sized rooms.
A full Irish and Continental breakfast are both available in the hotel’s Merchant Bar and Café at an additional cost.
The hotel does not have on-site parking, but there is discounted public parking available nearby. Discounted rates of €9 are available for a 24-hour period, with hourly rates set at €2.70.
The parking lot is open from 7 a.m. through 10 p.m. Be sure to get a discounted ticket at the front desk.
Rate: A room with a double bed at The Eyre Square Hotel is approximately $207 US/£162 Sterling/$280 CAD/$319 AUD per night.
3. The Connacht Hotel
(Mid-Range)
This is another great 3-star hotel, which is located about 2 km (1.24 miles) from the city center.
With 358 bedrooms, suites, and self-catering apartments, there’s a lot to choose from.
The Connacht, a Travel & Hospitality Award-winner, is popular with Irish families looking for a short break away from home, given its abundance of bunk bed family rooms and family suites, some of which are interconnecting.
There are also bedrooms with twin, double, triple, and quad beds.
The bright and modern rooms all include the usual conveniences you’d expect of a hotel these days, with free Wifi and the delivery of a daily newspaper.
If you are thinking of staying in Galway for a week or so, the self-catering apartments are ideal.
The one- and two-bedroom units include comfortable living rooms, dining areas, bedrooms, and modern kitchens.
A minimum 2-night stay is required. Rates are from €75 ($83) per night.
The hotel also includes a leisure center and a 24-hour fitness center.
Breakfast, at an additional cost, is available at the hotel’s Reubens Restaurant and its Bar Solo is a great spot to grab a quick bite to eat or relax in the evening as you listen to live music groups.
Free parking is available at the hotel, but if you don’t want to bring your car to the city center, no worries. There’s a bus stop outside the hotel with regular services to downtown Galway and other areas of the city.
Rate: A room with a double bed at The Connacht Hotel is approximately €179/$195 US/£153 Sterling/$264 CAD/$301 AUD per night. This rate does not include breakfast.
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4. The Imperial Hotel
(Mid-Range)
This is another great city center option.
The 3-star Imperial Hotel is within a half-mile (1 kilometer) of Eyre Square and 2 miles (3 km) from the busy and popular Shop Street area.
There are 80 guestrooms in this family-owned accommodation, each equipped with flat-screen TVs, free Wifi, coffee and tea makers, and all the other amenities that you’d expect to find in a hotel these days.
A free newspaper is also delivered to your room each day.
Enjoy breakfast, at an additional cost of around €9, in the hotel’s restaurant. There is also a bar and lounge where you can relax in the evenings.
Carvery lunch is served daily from noon to 4 p.m.
Parking is not available onsite. You can use the Merchants Street public car park. The rate is around €10 for 24 hours.
Rate: A room with a double bed at The Imperial Hotel is approximately $192 US/£150 Sterling/$259 CAD/$296 AUD per night. This rate includes breakfast.
5. The Nox Hotel
(Mid-Range)
Not quite in the city center but still, within walking distance (about 20 minutes) of all the tourist sites and shops, the Nox Hotel is ideal if you are traveling by car since this hotel has its own free on-site parking.
The 3-star hotel has a trendy, modern vibe to it and its 102 bedrooms include the usual amenities like free Wifi and flat-screen TVs.
The rooms at The Nox Hotel are clean and comfortable. You’ll find solo, duo, trio, and quad rooms at this accommodation, as well as the hotel’s Signature King rooms.
Enjoy the hotel’s award-winning breakfast, at an additional charge.
Its Fork Restaurant serves up a full Irish breakfast for €12 and a mini-Irish breakfast for €9. Continental breakfast is also offered.
In 2018, the hotel received an Irish Breakfast Award from the Irish hospitality reviewer Georgina Campbell.
You can also avail of lunch and dinner in the restaurant, and a bar and lounge is also part of the hotel and the ideal place to rewind after a busy day of sightseeing.
Rate: A room with a king-size bed and a single bed at The Nox Hotel is approximately €150/$163 US/£128 Sterling/$221 CAD/$253 AUD per night.
Read More: The Best in Irish Food: Traveling Through Mayo and Galway
6. The Menlo Park Hotel
(Mid-Range)
Like The Nox Hotel, this Galway City accommodation has its own private parking facilities.
Located on the Headford Road, this 4-star hotel has 81 stylishly furnished rooms that are available as classic guest rooms (single, twin, double, or king rooms) or a Superior King, complete with a six-foot bed and more elaborate furnishings.
Free Wifi is available throughout the hotel, which is about 20 minutes from the city center.
A nice touch is a welcome tray that guests receive when they check-in.
Breakfast (which includes homemade bread and jams) is served in the Bia Beo Restaurant at an additional cost.
A full Irish and Continental breakfast is available. Carvery lunch is served between noon and 3 p.m. on weekdays and between 12:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Sundays.
The hotel bar offers live music at night.
Rate: A room with a double and a twin-size bed at The Menlo Park Hotel is approximately €157/$171 US/£134 Sterling/$232 CAD/$264 AUD per night.
7. The Western Hotel
(Mid-Range)
This 3-star hotel is a short walk from the city center, which makes it a very convenient choice for tourists who want to spend some time exploring downtown Galway.
Its 40 rooms were renovated in 2016 and include tea and coffee-making facilities, free Wifi, and updated bathrooms.
The rooms do not have air conditioning and are not equipped with mini-fridges or safes to store valuables.
Single, twin, and double beds are available in the triple, quad, and family-style rooms.
Breakfast is served daily in the hotel’s on-site restaurant, at a cost of about €10 per person. Lunch and dinner are also available, and you’ll find lively Irish music in the hotel bar most evenings.
Free on-site parking is available but can be limited depending on the number of guests staying at the hotel.
Rate: A double deluxe room at The Western Hotel is approximately €169/$184 US/£145 Sterling/$249 CAD/$284 AUD per night.
8. Western Hotel Citypoint Apartments
(Mid-Range)
The hotel also owns the Western Citypoint Holiday Apartments, which are suitable for up to 4 people per apartment and are conveniently located in the city center.
The two-bedroom apartments, which are in two separate buildings, come with a washing machine/dryer, dishwasher, stove, microwave, fridge, freezer, flat-screen TV, electric fireplace, and more.
Free parking is available for each apartment dweller at The Western Hotel.
Rate: A 1-bedroom apartment at The Western Hotel Citypoint Apartments is approximately €215/$234 US/£184 Sterling/$317 CAD/$362 AUD per night for 2 people. The accommodation is self-catering.
9. The Skeffington Arms Hotel
(Mid-Range)
If you’re looking for convenience, you can’t beat The Skeffington Arms Hotel, which has been a fixture in the city since 1850, when it was formally established as a hotel.
The “Skeff,” as it is affectionately known among Galwegians, is listed as a National Landmark Building.
Today, it is a popular choice for locals and tourists alike.
There are only 24 bedrooms in this 3-star accommodation, each with flat-screen TVs, free Wifi, private bathrooms, and complimentary toiletries.
Avail of breakfast in The Skeff Bar & Kitchen, at an additional cost of about €10 per person.
The Skeff Bar really comes to life in the evening hours.
It includes 6 individual bars over several floors, offering cocktails and beer.
Parking is available at the nearby Q car park at a 50 percent reduced rate, but you must get a hotel stamp before paying. The lot is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Rate: A room with a double bed at The Skeffington Hotel is approximately €250/$273 US/£214 Sterling/$369 CAD/$421 AUD per night.
10. Jury’s Inn (now called Leonardo's)
(Expensive)
Located in Galway City’s Latin Quarter, this 130-room hotel is part of a mid-range hotel chain in Ireland, with various hotels across the country.
Everything is convenient to the Jury’s Inn, including shops and tourist attractions like the Spanish Arch and the various trendy restaurants that surround it.
Rooms are clean and comfortable and include flat-screen TVs, coffee, and tea-making facilities and free Wifi. You’ll find some with views of the nearby Corrib River.
Most, however, do not have air conditioning (not an absolute in Ireland given its mild climate during the summer months).
The hotel does not have any fitness or spa facilities.
A Continental breakfast and a hot buffet selection is available each day, at an additional cost.
The beer garden at Jury’s Inn Galway is one of the largest in the city, overlooking the Claddagh and Galway Fishery watchtower. You can enjoy a coffee during the day or a few drinks at night.
Parking is available in a public lot adjacent to the hotel. It costs about €10 for a 24-hour period.
Rate: A superior double/single room at The Leonardo Hotel Galway is approximately €315/$344 US/£270 Sterling/$465 CAD/$531 AUD per night.
Have you considered any of these 10 affordable hotel stays in Galway? If so, let me know in the comments below.
