Students book into hostels for first semester

Around 100 students will stay in hostel accommodation – sharing dormitories with up to six people – for at least the first semester due to a lack of more suitable housing in the city.

The accommodation crisis for students in Galway is the worst for many years, with the NUI Galway Students’ Union office reporting a deluge of calls from people enquiring about how to defer their courses due to a lack of accommodation.

Kinlay Hostel off Eyre Square offered the student accommodation last year on a separate floor from other guests and is expecting to have its quota of 100 student beds booked out by this weekend when more offers for courses are sent out this week.

Such was the positive experience, some of this year’s occupants are returning students, explained manager Jessica Conneely.

“For a lot of people, it’s not their first choice sharing with that many people but then they see it includes free wifi, heating, breakfast, they like the social aspect as so many are coming on their own and they stop looking for alternatives,” she revealed.

“Most of them study at the college. There’s a large dining area, living room, we have free iMacs. We put on activities such as soccer every Wednesday, we’ve a pool table, movie nights . . . to be honest the feedback from students is very positive.”

The rate for a four-bed dormitory for five nights, Sunday to Friday, is €80, dropping to €70 sharing with six. There are also seven-day rates, costing €120 and €110. A deposit of €300 is required.

The students live on a dedicated student floor in the hostel, which accommodates 220 people and was voted the best hostel in Ireland two years in a row and best large hostel in the world by hostelworld.com.

The hostel had no problem accepting first year students and had no complaints about noise for their guests which range from backpackers to families, insists Jessica.

“We don’t tolerate noise in the corridors of the rooms after 11pm and we found them very respectful of that. We have a 24-hour reception and night porter so any problems are dealt with quickly. Last year most of the students did stay on for the full year.”

Accommodation at the NUI Galway residences – Donegan Court (54 students), Atlantis (80), Menlo Park (140), Cúirt na Coiribe (389), Dúnáras (409) and Gort na Coiribe (657) are full since February.

For more on the student accommodation crisis, see this week’s Galway City Tribune