I spent a night in Clink – the brand new 630-bed mega hostel in the heart of Dublin’s city centre

Clink i Lár opened on Dublin’s Abbey Street in October, offering an affordable alternative to hotels and Airbnb for backpackers, students and families alike. But what’s it like inside?

The brand new 630-bed mega hostel in the heart of Dublin’s city centre

Azmia Riaz

The Christmas lights are up at Clink i Lár Hostel on Abbey Street – Dublin’s newest and largest hostel. Just as the name suggests, it’s smack bang in the middle of the city centre and right next to the Jervis Luas stop with restaurants and bars surrounding it.

On a Wednesday evening, the newly opened mega hostel is full of people at different stages of their journeys – backpackers catching a few minutes of sleep on bean bags before heading to the airport, a couple playing board games and some people hunched over their laptops.