The word “hostel” can have negative connotations for many people, evoking images of grotty bedrooms and backpacks. However, one visit to Ballyhoura Luxury Hostel in Kilfinane, Co Limerick, is enough to dispel any lingering doubts.

The 14-bed dorm hostel was formerly the family home of Seamus Nunan, who, as a trained carpenter, designed and built the place from scratch. Alongside his partner Teresa Crummy, he has been running the hostel for just over two years. From the sauna, comfortable beds and comfortable living room, it’s far from the stereotypical image one may have of a hostel – and visitors, unsure of what to expect, are often surprised by what is on offer.

“Everything is different here,” says Seamus. “From the outside it still looks like a family home. When they come inside they are shocked by the quality – this follows through with the bedrooms and the rest of the hostel.

ADVERTISEMENT

“The problem we’re finding is that the word hostel is so abused. There is very little legislation around it and there’s such a variation. We’ve all had bad experiences in hotels, but we’ll keep going back. One bad experience in a hostel and you won’t try another. It’s hard to break the mindset.”

Something different

So why set up a hostel in rural Ireland? Seamus, who had lived away from his native Kilfinane for over 20 years in Dublin and abroad, decided to move back after reconnecting with his hometown.

“It was the 2009/2010 season, and the hurlers won the Junior All-Ireland. I was up and down for an awful lot for games, more so than I had been with the 20 years away, and I just fell in love with the place again,” he explains.

“You know what the GAA can do – the craic was brilliant. There were 90-year-olds to nine-month-olds going absolutely bananas and connecting. It was lovely, it was old style, it was what I was reared in: this old rural mountain village that is the main road to nowhere.”

During his travels, he noticed that the mountain biking trade seemed to be booming.

“I saw all these cars and vans going up and down with bikes on the back of them. I thought it was time to do something.”

A few months before moving home, he met farmer’s daughter Teresa, who is originally from Sligo but worked as a primary school teacher in Dublin. She moved down to Kilfinane last year to run the business with Seamus.

“This was a building site. Teresa would come down every second weekend and I’d be like a camel storing up the food,” he says. “There was a lot of stress and heartache during the build. On the emotional level, we went through a lot in a short time.”

Helpful neighbours

They opened on the May bank holiday weekend in 2014, with neighbours pitching in to help with the finishing touches.

“God bless our neighbours, a load of them came in and dressed the beds for us. They pitched up with dusters and notepads and it was brilliant,” says Teresa.

“I remember the night before we opened. It was lovely, myself and Seamus had the place to ourselves. I was thinking, what is it going to be like when people are here? Is it going to feel right, or is it going to feel wrong? We were talking about it afterwards, and it felt so right to have people here.

“This place is at its best when there’s people in it. Of course it’s nice of a Sunday to sit here on our own with the fire, but it’s supposed to have people in it. After the weekend we both realised we were going to love it and it’s going to be great.”

After two years, Seamus and Teresa have found the clientele is more diverse than originally anticipated, from hens and stags to Gaisce trips.

“The biking isn’t the be- all and end-all, and that’s what I perceived it to be. I thought it would be 50% of the clientele, but it’s less,” he says.

“Kilfinane is the most central point in Munster and that has turned out to be great for touring groups.The perceived disadvantages are proving to be an advantage. It’s rural but only a stone’s throw from Limerick, and we have the clay pigeon shooting, 4x4 driving and Ballyhaise lakes nearby.”

Despite lacking a background in hospitality, the pair have found that running the hostel is a very natural fit.

“From the start, it was straight-up and honest,” says Seamus. “I’m the youngest of seven and this was a hostel before I made it into an actual hostel. Teresa comes from a large family of five, and they’re friendly and outgoing. For us, we don’t try. It’s very rewarding to make people happy. It’s just natural.”

Ballyhoura Hostel has two family rooms sleeping four and five respectively, two four-bed dorms, a five-bed dorm and a six-bed dorm.

Ballyhoura Hostel

Tel: 063-91625/087-975 5093

www.ballyhourahostel.ie