The best hotels in Galway

Eyre Square is the heart of Galway and staying here means everything is walkable. Shop Street is 3 minutes on foot. The bus station at Ceannt is right on the square. Trains to Dublin depart from the same spot. It's genuinely the most practical place to base yourself in this city.

Three of our picks are here. Kinlay Hostel at $45-75/night for the budget crowd, The Skeffington Arms at $105-160/night for mid-range comfort, and Hotel Meyrick at $155-230/night if you want proper style. Hotel Meyrick is a Victorian landmark on the square with a bar that fills up on weekend nights with locals, not just tourists.

The one downside: Eyre Square itself gets noisy on weekend nights. Rooms facing the square in cheaper hotels can be loud until 2am. Ask for a room on the upper floors or facing away from the square if you're a light sleeper.

The Latin Quarter runs from Shop Street down to Quay Street and ends at the Spanish Arch and the River Corrib. This is Galway's pedestrianised soul. Buskers, independent restaurants, the Galway Saturday Market near St. Nicholas' Church, and the best pub crawl in the city are all within a 5-minute walk of anything in this zone.

Jurys Inn sits right on Quay Street at $110-175/night, which is fair for this address. House Hotel is near the Spanish Arch at $140-200/night and feels genuinely boutique. The Long Walk along the river is 2 minutes from House Hotel's front door and it's one of the better morning walks in any Irish city.

This area is busy during peak season. Quay Street in particular is packed from 6pm onwards in July and August. That energy is the whole point for most people. But if you want a quiet dinner, walk 10 minutes to the Westend neighbourhood around Sea Road where the locals actually eat.

Salthill is where Galway goes at the weekend. The promenade stretches along the coast for about 2km, the Salthill beach is walkable, and Blackrock Diving Board has been a local landmark for generations. It's a proper neighbourhood with its own pubs, restaurants, and a rhythm completely separate from the city centre.

The Salthill Hotel at $120-185/night is the main option here and it's rated 8.2 for good reason. You're getting coastal views, a quieter sleep, and a base that still connects back to the city via the 401 bus every 20 minutes. The fare is €2.60 and the journey takes 15 minutes to Eyre Square.

This region suits returning visitors and couples who don't need the city noise every night. First-timers who want to experience Galway's pub scene will find themselves commuting more than they expected.

Lough Atalia is east of the city centre, about 15 minutes walk from Eyre Square along the waterfront. It's not a neighbourhood that'll charm you on foot but it's where Galway's two biggest hotel complexes sit. The Galmont Hotel and Spa at $130-210/night is the most popular hotel on our list for a reason. The spa is proper, the rooms are large by Irish city standards, and the Lough Atalia waterfront is genuinely peaceful.

Wellpark is further east still, about 20 minutes walk or a quick cab from Shop Street. The g Hotel is here at $260-380/night and it's as close to a design hotel as Galway gets. Philip Treacy's interiors are theatrical and the spa competes with anything in the city. Don't expect to walk to dinner though. A taxi into the Latin Quarter costs about €10 each way.

These two hotels are best booked when you want facilities over footfall. If your plan involves spa days, late breakfasts, and a taxi into town in the evening, this region makes complete sense. If you want to wander out at 10pm for a Guinness, you'll find it annoying.

Bushypark is 5km northwest of the city centre on the banks of Lough Corrib. Glenlo Abbey Hotel and Estate sits here, rated 9.3 on our list and priced at $295-480/night. This is not a city hotel. It's a country house with formal gardens, its own golf course, and the extraordinary Pullman Restaurant in vintage Orient Express railway carriages.

Getting into the city takes about 15 minutes by taxi and costs €15-18 each way. Most guests don't mind because Glenlo Abbey is the kind of place you stay in rather than use as a base. The estate itself gives you enough to do. Walking the grounds along Lough Corrib in the morning is worth the room rate on its own.

This is Galway's top-rated option for a reason. Couples celebrating something, families who want space and luxury, and anyone who wants the Connemara landscape outside their window without driving to it. Book 6-8 weeks out for summer weekends. It sells out.