I travelled for a weekend trip to Dublin with 4 friends in August. We had booked a room at the Times Hostel which had great reviews but when we got there they had stuffed up the booking and could not give us a whole room as we'd booked. They rang around and said we could have a whole room at The Shining hostel. Having no other choice we went there. It was in a dodgy neighbourhood and was very dirty so we tried to find a room at another hostel while we waited to check in but no luck. They gave us a 6 bed room and we walked up the very filthy staircase to the room. By this stage we were just happy we had a place to lock our stuff and went out to explore Dublin. The Friday night was ok but after we got back around 2:30am on the Saturday night there was a party going on in the hostel. At first we thought it was for the people staying there and a couple of us went to join in. We soon realised that they were charging people to come in and it got very busy after 3am when the bars close. They had a dj in the kitchen and were selling beers for 5 EUR! We tried to talk to them about how this is not allowed and stayed up hours trying to reason with the so called 'manager' and what seemed like the 'party organiser'. In the end after not being able to sleep and feeling very unsafe we called the police. They would only come after we said they were selling alcohol on the premises which is obviously illegal and they came and shut down the party around 5:30am. We felt very uncomfortable and worried for our safety and were quickly out of there in the morning. Do not stay here! I am amazed they have been allowed to do this and have not been shut down.

Staff were unhelpful, had to pay for a member of our group who didn't turn up, even though the bed was rented out to someone else so they didn't lose any money.

No bed linen given, everything was either out of order or very old. Not worth the money. Won't be back.

I spent 4 weeks in this hostel while I was looking for a job in Dublin.
It is the terrible hostel I ever saw.
It is very dirty and cold. I saw also animals in the kitchen.
I booked through a good website for hostels. In the reservation they said that the breakfast was in the price but one day the director decided to take it over, without any reason (and by the way the breakfast provided is terrible)
I stayed in a 18 mixed room.
The price is very good and if you don't care and you handle how to survive.
If you come in ireland just for few days, please spend a bit more but don't attempt to your healty!

This hostel was rotten. The toilet and shower were growing bacteria. The toilet set was dirty and unstable. My friends and i were kept awake the whole night long with loud noises from outside the building. The location is terrible at night. i felt like it was truly unsafe. I didn't sleep a wink and im almost 100% certain i could hear rats running in the corridor from the opened door which lead to an outside smoking area. Worst experience ever. i will never be back!