Irish Holiday Hostels of Ireland
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THE 2008 INDEPENDENT HOLIDAY HOSTELS OF IRELAND GUIDE IS NOW AVAILABLE. TO REQUEST YOUR FREE COPY, PLEASE EMAIL US AT
INFO@HOSTELS-IRELAND.COM
In 2008 we welcome Kilfenora Hostel in County Clare to Independent Holiday Hostels!
Frequently Asked Questions
WHAT IS A HOSTEL?
Hostels have shared dining, kitchen and common rooms and all have some shared bedrooms. You may find yourself making friends with people from around the globe as you cook your evening meal, then heading down to the local bar with them later for a pint and some local music. Most hostellers cook their own meals.
A typical modern hostel offers a range of bedrooms. from shared rooms (dormitories - usually with bunk beds) to private rooms for couples, families and individuals.
Rooms are often en-suite.
Families and small groups can usually book a bedroom for themselves.
WHAT CAN I EXPECT AT AN IHH HOSTEL?
IHH HOSTELS STAY OPEN ALL DAY, REQUIRE NO MEMBERSHIP CARD AND WELCOME ALL AGES. THERE IS NO CURFEW IN THE MAJORITY OF IHH HOSTELS.
All INDEPENDENT HOLIDAY HOSTELS are approved by Failte Ireland (Irish Tourist Board) or the Northern Ireland Tourist Board and comply fully with fire regulations.
IHH hostels come in many different shapes and sizes; each is unique and reflects the individuality of its owner and the diversity of Ireland. From a Georgian house in the capital to an old mill in Donegal or an island off the West Coast, people can expect the same warmth and friendliness throughout.
Whether you are travelling alone or with friends, you can always find someone to talk to over a cup of tea in the common room. Sharing experiences on the road is half the fun. Over 50% of hostellers travel alone.
Most IHH hostels are owner-operated and reflect that “personal touch”. Bulletin boards will have maps and local information to help you enjoy your stay.
In keeping with the “activity-oriented” side of hostelling, many IHH hostels organise workshops, music sessions, horse riding, canoeing, etc., and can certainly direct you on good local walks and to the best pub.
Practical Information, IHH hostels:
Facilities:
HOW CAN I GET A JOB IN IRELAND?
All hostels provide fully equipped kitchens, common rooms, dormitories and hot showers.
Most hostels have twins, doubles and family rooms.
Many hostels have approved camping facilities; make enquiries locally.
See HOSTEL FACILITIES on current IHH annual Guide for detailed information about each hostel.
Prices
Prices shown are per person, per night, and should be as published for the current season.
Bedding
All linen and bedding is provided.
Children
Children are welcome in most IHH hostels. It is advisable to book a family room before arriving.
Groups
Groups will usually qualify for a group discount and can “Book a Hostel” for sole use by arrangement.
Booking:
1 Booking from one IHH hostel to another IHH hostel – time permitting, hostel owners will endeavour to assist you with booking a bed at the next hostel.
2 Advance Postal Bookings – write directly to the hostel of your choice giving dates and beds required. A deposit or advance payment will be requested. Please confirm your booking the day before arrival.
3 Online and Other Bookings – phone, fax or email the hostel of choice directly and reserve your bed. Confirmed bookings can be made online for many IHH hostels.
CONTACT:
MONSTER
www.monster.com
Irish Job Search Engine
irelandjobs.ie
HOTJOBS, a Yahoo! Company
www.hotjobs.com
Jobs.ie
www.jobs.ie
Nixers
www.nixers.com
CALLCENTREJOBS
www.callcentrejobs.ie
An Online Recruitment Service for Ireland's Shared Services and Tele-Service sector. We seek English and Multi-Lingual job candidates for a wide range of roles including:
Noel Recruitment
www.noelrecruit.ie
Noel Recruitment, Dublin, operates city-wide in five specific fields:
WHAT ARE THE MAIN NEWSPAPERS IN IRELAND?
The main national daily newspapers are, The Irish Times, The Irish Independent and the Examiner.
www.ireland.com (Incorporating Irish Times)
www.unison.ie (Incorporating Irish Independent)
WHAT DO I DO IN CASE OF ILLNESS AND EMERGENCY?
Visitors from EU countries have a right to free medical and hospital treatment and should get form E111 from their national health authorities before travelling. The emergency telephone number in Ireland is 999.
IS IT EASY TO USE AND FIND A PUBLIC TELEPHONE?
Public telephone kiosks will be found throughout Ireland, and telephoning is also possible in pubs, hotels, and many shops. Telephone cards are widely available (from post offices and most news newspaper shops), and in larger towns a number of telephone kiosks have recently been opened from where you can phone abroad at greatly reduced rates. The international access code is 00 followed by the country code.
WHAT ARE THE EMERGENCY SERVICES TELEPHONE NUMBERS?
Should you need the emergency services (Fire, Police, Ambulance or Sea/Air/Mountain/Cave Rescue), they can be contacted free by dialling 999 or 112 (in the Republic of Ireland). On answer, state which service you require, wait to be connected to that service, then clearly state the location of where the assistance is required.
WHAT ARE THE POLICE CALLED IN IRELAND?
In the Republic of Ireland the law enforcement entity is called the Garda Síhana, with both male and female officers known as Gardaípronounced "gardee"), Garda singular. Northern Ireland's police force is called the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).
ARE DISABLED VISITORS CATERED FOR?
Many accommodations and tourist attractions have upgraded their facilities for visitors with disabilities. For more detailed information contact (In the Republic of Ireland):
Access Department
The National Rehabilitation Board,
25 Clyde Road,
Dublin 4
Tel: ++353 1 668 4181
Fax: ++353 1 668 5029
or in Northern Ireland:
Disability Action,
2 Annadale Avenue,
Belfast, BT7 3JH
Tel No. ++44(0)1232 491011
Fax No. ++44(0)1232 491627
ARE PASSPORTS AND VISAS REQUIRED?
You need a valid passport to enter any European country. Visas are not required for everyone depending on the length and purpose of your visit. More visa information is available from the Irish Dept of Foreign Affairs .
WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS OF IRISH CUSTOMS ON ENTRY INTO IRELAND?
Various allowances apply for EU and non-EU residents, and for duty free goods. These are outlined at points of entry and exit. The importation of certain foodstuffs is also prohibited. Check at your departure point for more information.
WHERE DO I FIND MAPS OF IRELAND?
Maps are generally available in newsagents, booksellers, petrol station shops and Tourist Information Offices. The maps are produced by the Ordnance Survey of Ireland and the Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland, many being jointly produced. There is a regional "Discovery Series" of about 40 maps that have good coverage of the west and southeast, and cost about €7. Various road maps are available from about €4 upwards. The Ordnance Survey also has an excellent map of Dublin and roadmap of Ireland with a hard-wearing cover at a cost of about €10.
MONEY MATTERS
WHAT ARE THE CURRENCIES IN IRELAND?
There are two currencies: the Euro in the Republic of Ireland and Sterling in Northern Ireland. There are 100 cent to one Euro and 100 pence to one pound. Some areas near the border can operate on a dual currency basis. In Northern Ireland it is very common for the banks to issue their own notes which some people in the UK may not accept due to unfamiliarity.
The Euro currency (which fixes exchange rates between most European countries) has been established since 1/1/1999. It has now been in use in 12 European countries since 1/1/2002.
For more information on the Euro currency go to http://www.fvo.nl/html/euro/index.htm
WHERE IS THE BEST PLACE TO EXCHANGE MONEY?
The best exchange rates are normally at Banks (Mon - Fri, 10am - 4pm). There are many Bureau de Change offering slightly less local currency for your money. There are Exchange facilities in many Post Offices - a good place to get money on A saturday morning. If in doubt, secure enough local currency before travelling out of urban areas. While Traveller's Cheques are accepted in many major hotels and restaurants, it is advisable to check with those establishments first.
WHAT ARE THE BANKING HOURS?
Generally, in the Republic of Ireland the banking hours of business are Monday to Friday from 10am (10:00) to 4pm (16:00), though some banks do close for lunch, from 12:30pm (12:30) to 1:30pm (13:30). Most banks open late one day of the week (Thursday in Dublin). The Permanent TSB has later closing times: 5pm (17:00) and 7pm (19:00) on Thursdays. In Northern Ireland, banks in main towns are open 9.30am-4.30pm Mon-Fri. Elsewhere, some may close from 12.30-1.30pm. In small villages, the bank may not open every day, so get cash in bigger centres. Building society banks are open longer (and, often, on Saturdays).
Almost all banks have twenty-four-hour ATM machines, and many of these can accept major credit cards. Contact your credit card information line for more details.
IS TIPPING STANDARD?
Hotels and restaurants often add 10-15% to the bill, especially for large parties. This is not mandatory in the Republic of Ireland but is normal and of course, tipping is always appreciated. Tipping in pubs is unusual except for table service.
WHAT CREDIT CARDS ARE ACCEPTED?
Visa, MasterCard and Eurocard are accepted practically everywhere in service and retail outlets. Diners Club and American Express cards are also accepted by many outlets. Maestro and EDC (European Debit Card) are accepted in most places which accept Visa and MasterCard. Most credit cards can be used in ATMs, especially the Bank of Ireland and Allied Irish Bank ATMs, except for American Express which can be used at Cashere machines.
In the event of your cards being lost or stolen you should call the following numbers as appropriate:
American Express
From Republic:
1-800 709 907
From Northern Ireland:
01273-696933
Eurocard/Mastercard
- From Republic:
1-800 557 378
From Northern Ireland:
0800-964767
Visa
- From Republic:
1-800 558 002
From Northern Ireland:
0800-895082
Diners Club
- From Republic:
1-800 709 944
From Northern Ireland:
0800-460800
Calls to 1-800 numbers are free within the Republic of Ireland.
Calls to 0800 numbers are free within Northern Ireland.
ARE THERE ANY EXCHANGE CONTROLS IN IRELAND?
There are no exchange controls in Ireland. Any sums of money in any currency can be freely brought into or taken out of the country without disclosure or other formalities.
HOW DO I CLAIM VALUE ADDED TAX/SALES TAX REFUNDS?
Visitors returning to non-EU countries can claim back VAT on purchases being brought home. This is refunded to your credit card account or into a currency of your choice at the airport on leaving. Ask when purchasing goods in shops for a tax-free shopping form with each purchase.
Travel Tax
There is £10 travel tax charged usually when purchasing a ticket to the Republic. This does not apply to travellers from Northern Ireland.
COMMUNICATION
WHAT ARE THE LANGUAGES/ACCENTS OF IRELAND?
The main languages are English and Irish and most signposts in the Republic are bilingual. English is spoken by everyone while Irish is generally confined to pockets of the southwest, west and northwestern coastal areas, but it can sometimes be heard anywhere.
Regional accents can often seem impenetrable to visitors, particularly to those who do not have English as their first language.
WHAT IS THE STANDARD POSTAGE RATE IN IRELAND?
Stamps are not interchangeable between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. An Post handles mail in the Republic of Ireland. Costs are 48c to the EU, 58c elsewhere for letters up to 25g and less than C5 (half A4).
Royal Mail handles post in Northern Ireland. The first class mail cost for items under 60g is 27p and 19p for second class for EU destinations. The Airmail postage for postcards is 37p to EU destinations, 40p to the rest of Europe and 37p to all other destinations. For other prices, consult your local post office.
IS THERE EASY INTERNET ACCESS?
There are now fully-equipped Internet Caféin almost every major town or city in Ireland. They charge nominal sums for e-mail or web access. Membership is not usually required.
WHAT ARE THE PUBLIC HOLIDAYS?
Public Holidays in the Republic of Ireland in 2006 are:
2 & 3 Jan, 17 March, 17 April, 1 May, 5 June, 7 August, 28 August, 30 October, 25 & 26 December
Public Holidays in Northern Ireland in 2006 are:
2 & 3 Jan, 17 March, 14 April, 17 April, 1 May, 29 May, 12 July, 28 August, 25 & 26 December
WHAT KIND OF ELECTRICITY IS USED IN IRELAND?
The Republic of Ireland operates at 220V at 50Hz and 230/240V 50Hz in Northern Ireland. The electricity supplied is AC and plugs generally conform to BS1363 for 3-pin plugs except for shaving sockets which support most common international variants and are two-pin.
WHAT ARE THE UNITS OF MEASUREMENT?
Officially, the Metric system applies across most of Europe and Ireland. However, most adults in Ireland will be conversant with both Metric and Imperial measurements. Some local traders still measure by the pound and ounce by default.
WHAT IS THE ALCOHOL AGE LIMIT?
The legal age limit for the consumption of alcohol is 18 years.
WHAT IS THE WEATHER GENERALLY LIKE?
The climate in Ireland is mild and temperate. The average temperatures range from about 4°C in the winter and 16°C - 20°C in summer. Be sure to take some rain protection especially during winter and when travelling in the West or mountains at any time.
WHAT ARE THE SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
In mid-winter the sunrise times are about 8am (08:00) and sunset times about 4pm (16:00). During mid-summer, sunrise is at about 5am (05:00) and sunset at about 9:45pm (21:45).
WHAT ARE WINTER/SUMMER TIMES
From the last week of March to the last week of October Ireland is on GMT.
From the last week of October to the last week of March Ireland is on GMT + 1 hour
CAN ONE TAKE PETS INTO IRELAND?
Restrictions and quarantines apply to the import of pets from all countries other than the UK. Check the Dept of Agriculture's information sheet for more information.
WHAT ARE THE REGULATIONS REGARDING SMOKING IN IRELAND?
Smoking in the Republic of Ireland is banned in any place of work, which essentially means inside any building anywhere other than private houses. Exceptions are hotel bedrooms, prisons, mental institutions and hostel bedrooms (in practice, smoking is strictly forbidden in IHH hostel bedrooms).