TL;DR

Youthful style: with natural wood, retro touches, and a design-led but relaxed feel.
Compact rooms: balanced by excellent shared spaces, a standout gym, and hydrotherapy pool.
Great location: just outside the centre, walkable to Galway’s main sights.
Check prices here

In 2022 The Dean expanded its small collection of Irish boutique hotels to Galway and it became an immediate success.

Youthful and stylish without feeling contrived, it’s a collection of natural wood, low lighting and mod colours that is well-designed and hip.

Some rooms definitely err on the small side, but they have good entry level pricing for such a nice hotel.

And, with plenty of common areas and a pretty excellent gym, it all adds to the good value.

You’ll find bold, mod patterning in every room, so if you don’t feel like being directed by Wes Anderson, this might not be for you.

If that does appeal, look no further.

You’ll have all the adventures you want between snug accommodation and the wonders of rooftop terraces, hydrotherapy pools, and cute blobby sculptures.

What are the rooms like?

100 rooms: across a mix of cosy spaces, standard doubles, and large suites.
Cosy rooms: are very compact, while suites and penthouses offer generous space and extras.
Retro design: with bold colours, modern furnishings, and well-chosen amenities.
See all the rooms in detail here

The smallest rooms earn their title. Termed the Cosy Rooms, they run around 12 square metres, which is well, pretty cosy.

Others are more standard. Doubles are a very reasonable size for two to comfortably share or sleep in twins.

The Balcony Suite is a nice, roomy, and airy space. And the Two-bedroom Penthouse is decidedly large, with a foosball table, a bar, and multiple couches.

They’re done up in classic, artsy boutique hotel with bright colours perfectly matched.

The Artwork is unique and abstract, the walls are painted and moulded, furnishings are modern and simple.

If you had to choose a style, you’d easily choose retro, but there’s a contemporary flair that keeps it from feeling dated.

Cosy rooms, though small, do have everything you need. Basic amenities include Smart TVs, rainfall showers, Marshall speakers, Nespresso machines, Smeg mini fridges, and a tray of local snacks.

What are prices like?

Check prices here

And what’s the food like? Any facilities we should know about?

Multiple venues: including rooftop dining, bars, a pub, and casual coffee options.
Rooftop favourite: Sophie’s offers views, cocktails, and Mediterranean-inspired menus.
Excellent gym: with hydrotherapy pool and sauna as standout facilities.

There are plenty of dining options.

Some are small, some are large, some are bars, and others have extensive food options.

They’re all quite cool. Our favourite is Sophie’s Restaurant – a stunner of a rooftop lounge.

It’s fully weatherproofed, with gorgeous views all year. Enjoy a cocktail, a beer, and a snack while you watch the sun shine or the rain fall.

For breakfast, lunch and dinner, you can choose from a selection of vaguely Mediterranean options.

There’s a snuggly little pub attached to the lobby called Peig’s, and an outpost of New Yorks famed Elephant & Castle for anyone who likes a pint and some wings.

DIME Coffee will give you a morning pick-me-up.

There are event spaces as well, but our favourite facility is Power Gym Galway.

This is partly because it’s a rare gem of a genuinely thought-out hotel gym, but mostly because of the hydrotherapy pool and sauna.

How is the neighbourhood? Anything interesting nearby?

Edge-of-centre: location with easy walks to Eyre Square & the Latin Quarter.
Good balance: between lively access and a slightly calmer immediate setting.
Ideal base: for city exploring and day trips into Connemara.

On the edge of Galway city centre, the hotel has an excellent location.

It sits right on Prospect Hill, or Bothermore, as it heads out of the city. You’re very slightly removed from the general hubbub, but not really.

It’s still an easy walk to Eyre Square, and just 15 minutes to the Spanish Arch and the Latin Quarter.

You can leave the pub and stumble home at your leisure.

And getting out of the city isn’t difficult either. The surrounding location is great for a day trip or two.

Grab a car and take a drive around Lough Corrib, or head into Connemara and Clifden for some inspirational scenery.

Other nice distractions in the area include Menlo Castle, and of course, the Aran Islands easily accessible by car ferry from Galway Port.

And what about the reviews? What did other guests think?

Some things guests liked:

“Location is excellent, only a short stroll to Eyre square. The room was small and quirky. The food was really good and the staff were very friendly….”

“We had a fabulous stay at the Dean this weekend, the rooms were clean and very comfortable and the gym and pool were excellent….”