Anyone searching for The Residence Hotel Galway is usually weighing whether a small, central hotel on Quay Street suits their trip. Kayak’s listing puts the property at 20 guest rooms. This review separates what the listings confirm from what they leave open, including the night-time noise that recurs across guest feedback. The sources range from tourism pages to editorial reviews and guest-review platforms, and conflicting claims are flagged rather than smoothed over.
Last checked: 2026-10-31
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Address: 14 Quay Street, Galway, H91 P628 · Star category: 3-star · Guest rooms: 20 rooms · Listed entry rate: From AU
Anyone searching for The Residence Hotel Galway is usually weighing whether a small, central hotel on Quay Street suits their trip. Kayak’s listing puts the property at 20 guest rooms. This review separates what the listings confirm from what they leave open, including the night-time noise that recurs across guest feedback. The sources range from tourism pages to editorial reviews and guest-review platforms, and conflicting claims are flagged rather than smoothed over.
92 per nightThe Residence Hotel Galway history
What the listings confirm about the property
The building on Quay Street, in Galway’s Latin Quarter, was originally a 16th-century Carmelite Convent, and This is Galway’s listing describes it that way. The hotel has 20 guest rooms and is rated 3 stars on HotelsCombined.
A Travelocity listing states the property was completely renovated in January 2020. This review could not confirm that date from a primary source.
What the inputs do not establish
The retrieved sources contain no founding date for the hotel as a business and no ownership history. No official hotel website was among them, so amenity details rest on booking platforms, editorial reviews and tourism listings.
Source conflict: Some sources call the attached bar M. Fitzgerald’s Bar and others call it 1520 Bar. This review uses M. Fitzgerald’s, the name in the Discover Ireland listing, and treats the naming as unresolved.
The bottom line: the building’s convent past is documented, but the hotel’s own business history is not.
The Residence Hotel Galway at a glance
- Approved by Fáilte Ireland and awarded a Tourist Accommodation Quality Standard (Discover Ireland)
- The 20 rooms are small but strikingly decorated with works by up-and-coming Irish artists, with street-art-style murals above the beds (TripExpert, quoting Lonely Planet)
- Rooms sit above a traditional Irish pub with live music every night, and rooms can be noisy (Oyster)
- Once a 16th-century Carmelite Convent, the building now holds 20 newly renovated guest rooms (This is Galway)
How we researched this
Last checked: 2026-10-31.
Sources reviewed: national and regional tourism listings, editorial travel reviews, online travel agency listings, aggregator review summaries, a guest-review platform, and an independent travel blog.
No on-site visit, no interview with hotel staff, no independent room-rate check, and no reading of individual guest reviews beyond the summaries and short excerpts provided.
Key facts at a glance
- 20 guest rooms: a boutique scale, with the bar sitting directly below the rooms, per Oyster’s description.
- 3 stars: a mid-category rating rather than a luxury tier.
- About 500 metres to city centre: a booking-partner figure, not a measured route.
- About 10 minutes’ walk to Galway train station: the main transfer for rail arrivals.
- Check-in from 15:00, check-out until 11:00: a fixed window that shapes arrival planning.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Address | 14 Quay Street, Galway, H91 P628 |
| Star category | 3-star |
| Guest rooms | 20 |
| Check-in | From 15:00 |
| Check-out | Until 11:00 |
| Phone | +353 91 569600 |
| Smoking | Smoke-free property |
| Pets | Not accepted |
Property specification from the listings
| Feature | What the sources say |
|---|---|
| Building origin | 16th-century Carmelite Convent, per This is Galway |
| Room style | Pop-art theme, per Kayak; street-art-style murals and Irish artwork, per Lonely Planet |
| In-room technology | Smart TV with Netflix, Nespresso machine, hairdryer, direct-dial phone, bedside USB charging |
| Attached bar | M. Fitzgerald’s Bar, a traditional Irish bar with food, cocktails and live music, per Discover Ireland; some sources name it 1520 Bar |
| Live music | Seven nights a week, per Trivago’s listing |
| Air conditioning | None; guests are provided fans, per Trip.com |
| Breakfast | Not served, per Oyster |
| In-room Wi-Fi | Not provided, per Oyster |
| Earplugs | Provided, per This is Galway and Kayak |
The Residence Hotel Galway restaurant
On-site restaurant and bar
Trivago’s review summary describes a boutique hotel with an integrated bar and restaurant offering live music. Discover Ireland names the attached venue as M. Fitzgerald’s, a traditional Irish bar serving food and cocktails.
Trivago also lists live music at M. Fitzgerald’s seven nights a week. That frequency rests on aggregator listings rather than on the bar’s own schedule.
Dining options in the immediate area
Two sources describe food, shops and pubs close by. Trivago’s summary lists immediate access to shops, pubs and restaurants, and one guest on TripAdvisor wrote of “lots of pubs, restaurants, shopping out your door.”
The retrieved sources contain no restaurant opening hours or menu for the hotel’s own kitchen.
The trade-off: on-site food and nearby options are convenient, but the bar that supplies the food is also the source of the noise covered below.
What is the main pub street in Galway?
Quay Street and the hotel’s address
The hotel is at 14 Quay Street, Galway, H91 P628. The Roaming Numeral describes Quay Street as pedestrian-only.
The retrieved sources describe Quay Street as a street with pubs, restaurants and shops, but none names it the city’s main pub street. This review therefore does not confirm that title.
Walking distance from the city centre
Book In Ireland describes the hotel as 500 metres from Galway city centre.
That figure comes from a booking-partner page, and the retrieved sources contain no measured walking route from the hotel.
What to watch: the distance is a booking-partner figure, so check it on a map before you book.
What is the best part of Galway to visit?
The retrieved sources do not rank parts of Galway, so this section treats the hotel as a base rather than as a verdict on the city.
The Latin Quarter setting
Trivago’s summary places the hotel directly on Quay Street in the heart of the Latin Quarter, with immediate access to shops, pubs and restaurants. Its parking note also names Spanish Arch as a nearby parking location.
Choosing this hotel as a base for exploring
Expedia places the hotel about 10 minutes’ walk from Galway train station (Ceannt).
Oyster reports two secure indoor garages within a five-minute walk, which matters mainly to guests who drive.
The implication: a walking-first itinerary fits this location better than one built around a car.
Strengths and trade-offs
Strengths
- A central Quay Street address, which Trivago’s summary describes as an unbeatable location close to shops, pubs and restaurants.
- Rooms decorated with works by Irish artists, as Lonely Planet describes them.
- In-room equipment including a Smart TV with Netflix, a Nespresso machine and bedside USB charging points.
- Staff described as friendly and helpful in Trivago’s review summary.
“Its 20 rooms are small but strikingly decorated with works by up-and-coming Irish artists…”
Lonely Planet, quoted by TripExpert
Trade-offs
- Night noise: guest reports on TripAdvisor describe pub music until around 1am, and some report it running until 2am on weekends.
- Air conditioning: Skyscanner’s guest-feedback summary cites night-time noise and a lack of air conditioning on warmer nights. Trip.com states there is none and provides fans.
- Breakfast and Wi-Fi: Oyster reports no breakfast and no in-room Wi-Fi. Readers comparing breakfast options can see our Hotel Breakfast Buffet: What to Expect & Top Picks in Dublin.
- Room age: Oyster calls the rooms dated, which sits against Lonely Planet’s praise for their décor.
“With the bar sitting directly below, rooms can be noisy.”
Oyster
Editor’s note: Some retrieved listings mention breakfast delivery bags, which conflicts with Oyster’s report that no breakfast is served. Confirm breakfast with the hotel before arriving.
The catch: the bar that gives the building its character is also the source of the noise, and no retrieved source describes a quiet-night policy.
Location and getting there
Quay Street is pedestrian-only. The Roaming Numeral’s review says luggage must be walked from Spanish Parade, about 100 feet away.
The train station is about 10 minutes on foot. Oyster reports two secure indoor garages within a five-minute walk, and the parking rate appears in the pricing section below.
Why this matters: with pedestrian-only access, the walk from parking or the station is part of the arrival.
Pricing signals and booking terms
The retrieved sources contain no verifiable nightly room rate, so this review gives no room price. The only price in the research is Trip.com’s note of approximately €10.00 a day for off-site public parking.
Skyscanner lists the hotel as smoke-free with no pets accepted. Book In Ireland says guests must show photo identification and a credit card at check-in, and HotelsCombined lists check-in from 15:00 and check-out until 11:00.
Practical tip: check the live rate on your booking platform before deciding, because none of the sources reviewed carries a dated room price.
The pattern: booking terms agree across sources, but no retrieved source gives a verifiable room rate.
Alternatives in the Galway set
The Lane – Boutique Residence is the closest comparison in the retrieved sources. Its Expedia listing describes an off-Eyre Square boutique with self check-in, one guest mention of air conditioning, and a quieter setting than the Quay Street hotel.
The Galmont Hotel and The Hardiman were named for comparison, but this review retrieved no listing for either, so it does not describe their rooms, locations or rates. For wider Irish options, see Best & Poshest Ireland Hotels Compared.
What this means: if noise is the deciding factor, The Lane is the alternative the sources describe as quieter, though fewer sources cover it.
Our pick: who should book this hotel
Our pick: The Residence Hotel Galway suits travellers who want a central base on Quay Street, a boutique-scale hotel with an attached bar and on-site food, and who can accept music from below until late.
Skip it if air conditioning, breakfast or quiet nights matter most. The sources reviewed describe no air conditioning, no breakfast, and noise running to around 1am, with some reports to 2am at weekends.
Practical tip: ask for a higher floor when booking, a step Trivago’s summary suggests to reduce street noise, and pack earplugs, which This is Galway lists among room features.
Map: Quay Street in the Latin Quarter
Frequently asked questions
How many rooms does The Residence Hotel Galway have?
It has 20 guest rooms.
What is the address of The Residence Hotel Galway?
The address is 14 Quay Street, Galway, H91 P628.
What is the star rating of The Residence Hotel Galway?
It is rated 3 stars on HotelsCombined’s listing.
Does The Residence Hotel Galway have a restaurant?
Yes. Trivago’s review summary describes an integrated bar and restaurant offering live music.
Does The Residence Hotel Galway have air conditioning?
No. Trip.com’s listing states the hotel has no air conditioning and provides guests with fans.
Is breakfast served at The Residence Hotel Galway?
Oyster reports that the hotel does not serve breakfast.
What is the phone number for The Residence Hotel Galway?
The phone number is +353 91 569600.