I believe in some countries the hostels have people of all ages, including even families. Are Ireland hostels more for the 20ish group or more wide-ranged? Or are there specific hostels that are geared toward older travelers? Myself & two buddies are heading there March 4-12 '08 & we're in our early & late 30's. Any input would be much appreciated, cheers!

I found the age range of hostel goers in Ireland alot broader then say Australia. Alot of the Hostels in Ireland have private rooms as well as dorm rooms, which are aimed at families and older travelers (mainly becuase they tend to have more to spend)
I don't know where your heading but if your in the County Clare area you should really check out the Aille river hostel in Doolin (near the cliffs and the islands), The hostel is one of the nicest i've stayed at with nightly music sessions, open fires, rocking chairs and a very friendly vibe.

Have fun!

I agree w/ skipp1. A lot of the hostels around Ireland, especially the ones in smaller towns & out along the west coast have a huge diversity/variety in ages & generations. In Dublin, it seemed like the "20ish" groups you speak of hit the hostels in & around Temple Bar (and notice that a lot of the ads for such hostels advertise their proximity to it) while the more age-diverse ones were elsehwere in Dublin. The Avalon House comes to mind as a good choice.

And, like skipp said, a lot if not most of them have smaller rooms either in addition to or instead of the "you & a hundred strangers" dorms.

Hey Vberchicago, If you're back and found some nice hostels -will you please post them here? My husband and I are planning to go this route this upcoming May.

Hope your trip was a fantastic one.

Thanks!
Sharon

sharon4wanderlust wrote:Hey Vberchicago, If you're back and found some nice hostels -will you please post them here? My husband and I are planning to go this route this upcoming May.

Hope your trip was a fantastic one.

Thanks!
Sharon

Same here, traveling with a friend. She's 35 and I'm 42.

My daughter and I just got back from Ireland this week. We mostly stayed in B&Bs but stayed one night in the hostel in Tarbert. We had a family room with a double bed (mine) and two bunk beds (my daughter's). We had a private bathroom too. Oh yeah! I'm not saying I'm old but my daughter is 41.