Nobody travels to Ireland to stay in busy urban centers. The Ireland you were dreaming of when you first booked your plane tickets was one filled with rolling green hills, dewy meadows, and rustic stone walls lining a bumpy dirt road. One of the best places to base yourself out of to get in touch with the classical side of Ireland is Limerick. Not only will you be staying at the front door of some of the most gorgeous landscapes in the world, but Limerick is also home to a rich history and thriving culture.
In Limerick, you will find tons of old churches, castles, and villages to explore, but what may have you rethinking your trip to this rural idyllic town is the fact that it lacks hostels and cheap guesthouses for you budget backpackers out there.
Lucky for you, we made exploring the beauty of Ireland easy! With our one-stop guide, you will be able to find all the best hostels in Limerick, putting you up in dorm beds that fit your budget!
Pack your bags, the rolling hills of Ireland await you just after a few clicks of the mouse!
The Best Hostels in Limerick
Now we will kick off our list of the top hostels in Limerick! Each stay is a little different from the last so keep your eyes open for that one hostel or guesthouse that best suits you!
Best Overall Hostel in Limerick – Ballyhoura Luxury Hostel
- $$
- Lounge
- Shared Kitchen
- Games
Located in Kilfinane, Limerick Country Ballyhoura Luxury Hostel will hook you up with some of the cheapest beds in the entire region. With not much to choose from when it comes to backpacker’s accommodation, this hostel will have you saving money while exploring one of the most beautiful areas of Ireland.
Although you will be staying a bit off of the beaten path, Ballyhoura Luxury Hostel is right by some great restaurants and pubs, meaning you won’t have to wander the streets aimlessly hoping to run into a place to eat. Top it off with a lounge, shared kitchen (so you can cook up everything you picked up at the nearby farmer’s market!), and games, this is one of the few places where you can have an authentic backpacker experience in Limerick!
Best Hostel for Solo Travelers in Limerick – Cappavilla Village Castletroy
- $$
- Garden
- Bar
- Lounge
Although you may not have a whole lot to choose from when it comes to budget accommodation in Limerick, Cappavilla Village Castletroy will put you up in cheap private rooms with access to all of the perks of living on a college campus.
From single rooms with shared living rooms to fully furnished apartments, you have a range of options when it comes to how you will enjoy Limerick. Not only will you have everything you need to feel right at home at the hotel, but the surrounding college campus will also have tons of bars and restaurants to choose from every night!
Best Cheap Hostel in Limerick – Troy Self Catering Village
- $$
- Bike Hire
- Kitchen
- Lounge
At Troy Self Catering Village you will not only be getting some of the cheapest beds in all of Limerick, but you will also be staying in your very own private room for the same price as a dorm bed. There is no need to put yourself up in a hostel when you can pamper yourself by staying in your very own single room or apartment.
Not only will you have all the comfort of your own stay, but Troy Village is also located on the University of Limerick campus meaning you will have tons of bars and restaurants nearby. Top it off with having all the best sites in Limerick just a short walk away, you couldn’t ask for a better place to base yourself out of!
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View on Osprey View on REIBest Hostel for Couples in Limerick – Cathedral Lodge
- $$$
- BnB
- Shared Kitchen
- Lounge
Why don’t you and your special travel partner ditch the hostels for a few nights and reignite the romance by checking into a cozy B&B in the heart of Limerick? Located right in the middle of the downtown, in the center of the Medieval district, you will have all of the best sites of Limerick located right outside your door.
From cathedrals to museums, you simply have to take one step outside of your home and all of the beauty of Limerick is waiting for you. Top it off with tons of restaurants and pubs nearby, you could not ask for a better B&B to kick off your holiday in Limerick!
Best Hostel for Digital Nomads in Limerick – Courtbrack Accommodation
- $$
- Cafe
- Shared Kitchen
- Lounge
After some time on the road, all of you bloggers and vloggers out there will need to find a stay in Limerick to base yourself out of for a few days in order to catch up on some much-needed writing and editing. For digital nomads, the best place in Limerick to call home is Courtbrack Accommodation.
Although the name may not sound too imaginative, this budget guesthouse will be putting you up in cheap single rooms for the exact same price as a hostel. This means you will have all the peace and quiet you need to get your work down. Complete with a shared kitchen, lounge, and a cafe serving breakfast every morning, this is one stay in Limerick where you will be extending your stay night after night!
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Hide Yo’ Money!More of the Best Hostels in Limerick
Scapaflow BnB
- $$$
- Breakfast
- Lounge
- Garden
Sacaflow BnB is another homestay that will put you right up close and personal with true Irish living. Putting you far enough away from the city so you can enjoy the peace and quiet of the countryside but close enough to still enjoy all the cathedrals and museums of the downtown, you could not ask for a better place to stay. You will feel right at home at this BnB with their lounge, garden, and breakfast served every morning. What really makes this stay stand apart is the hosts who will make you feel welcome and part of the family while exploring the beauty of Limerick.
Fiona’s BnB
- $$
- BnB
- Shared Bathroom
- Garden
For the same price as some of the hostels, you can upgrade yourself by staying in a private room in this cozy BnB. Putting you just minutes away from downtown Limerick and the nearby university, you will have all of the best restaurants, bars, and sites of the city just a short drive away.
Even though the center of town is not too far away, Fiona’s BnB will have you immersed in the beauty of the Irish countryside. With its very own garden and stunning views of the surrounding farmland, you will find no better place in Limerick to wake up to every morning!
Lyntom House BnB
- $$$
- Terrace
- Breakfast Included
- Garden
Lyntom House is a place where you can totally get away from all of the tourists in Ireland and get in touch with a more authentic side to Limerick County.
Putting you in the heart of the countryside, this BnB will have you surrounded by gorgeous rolling hills, forests, and a peaceful rural atmosphere. Although you’ll be a bit more remote here, you will still have all the modern comforts you need to feel right at home. Top it off with a terrace, garden, and breakfast served every morning, you will feel as if you are part of the family.
Jeans’ BnB
- $$
- Located in Caherconlish
- Lounge
- Shared Kitchen
Even though you will be staying in a BnB you will have all of the comfort and privacy of calling this entire stay your own. Putting you up in a detached house in a quaint traditional Irish village, you will practically be moving into your very own slice of heaven in Limerick.
With a shared kitchen and lounge, you will always have the option of mixing with the hosts or getting some peace and quiet in your own room. Located 15 minutes away from downtown Limerick by car, you will be able to take in all the country bliss of the small village while still having all of the lively pubs with traditional music a short drive away!
Shanakyle House
- $$$
- BnB
- Shared Kitchen
- Garden
This is another cozy homestay that will put you a bit closer to all of the action happening in downtown Limerick while still enjoying the simplicity of traditional Irish country living. Perfect for budget backpackers, this single room will have you feeling right at home for a price that won’t totally bleed your wallet dry.
Top it off with a shared kitchen and a garden, you will feel more as if you are staying with family than some random hosts. With a location just minutes away from downtown Limerick, this is one of the best places in the county to kick off your holiday and base yourself out of to explore all the sleepy villages in the region!
What to Pack for your Limerick Hostel
Pants, socks, underwear, soap?! Take it from us, packing for a hostel stay is not always quite as straight forward as it seems. Working out what to bring and what to leave at home is an art we have perfected over many years.
Ear Plugs
Snoring dorm-mates can ruin your nights rest and seriously damage the hostel experience. This is why I always travel with a pack of decent ear plugs.
Hanging Laundry Bag
Trust us, this is an absolute game changer. Super compact, a hanging mesh laundry bag stops your dirty clothes from stinking, you don’t know how much you need one of these… so just get it, thank us later.
Sea To Summit Micro Towel
Hostel towels are scummy and take forever to dry. Microfibre towels dry quickly, are compact, lightweight, and can be used as a blanket or yoga mat if need be.
Monopoly Deal
Forget about Poker! Monopoly Deal is the single best travel card game that we have ever played. Works with 2-5 players and guarantees happy days.
Grayl Geopress Water Bottle
Always travel with a water bottle! They save you money and reduce your plastic footprint on our planet. The Grayl Geopress acts as a purifier AND temperature regulator. Boom!
Check out our definitive Hostel Packing list for our top packing tips!
Why you should travel to Limerick
Limerick may not have all that many hostels to choose from, but this also makes the great opportunity to leave the backpackers behind and see the city through a different lens by staying in a guesthouse or a BnB.
We totally understand if you are a bit torn between a couple of different stays in Limerick. If that is the case let us point you in the right direction! For a classic backpackers experience in Limerick, there is no place better to stay than Ballyhoura Luxury Hostel, our pick for the best hostel in Limerick!
FAQ about Hostels in Limerick
Here are some questions backpackers ask about hostels in Limerick.
Travel Safety Tips for Limerick
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More Epic Hostels in Ireland
Hopefully by now you’ve found the perfect hostel for your upcoming trip to Ireland.
Planning an epic trip all across Ireland or even Europe itself?
Don’t worry – we’ve got you covered!
For more cool hostel guides around Europe, check out:
Over to you
Strap on your boots and get ready to hit the road, with your walking stick in hand, you will be transported to a more romantic and simpler time in Limerick. With the traditional thatched roof houses, cobbled streets, and centuries-old churches, this is the kind of town where you could see yourself unpacking your bags and moving into for good!
The first speed bump you will face is finding a cheap backpackers hostel that will fit the budget of an adventurer traveling on a shoestring. Even if you are able to secure that bed, each stay will set the tone for your time in Limerick. So be sure to pick that one hostel that will have you enjoying Limerick the way that you want!
Have you ever traveled to Limerick and stayed at a great hostel we may have missed? Let us know in the comments below!
And for transparency’s sake, please know that some of the links in our content are affiliate links. That means that if you book your accommodation, buy your gear, or sort your insurance through our link, we earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you). That said, we only link to the gear we trust and never recommend services we don’t believe are up to scratch. Again, thank you!
