St. Jude's B&B Guesthouse in Galway city was the best B&B I stayed in during my whole trip to Ireland. It sounds cliche but I wish I could have taken it along with us as we continued on our trip. I had noticed a posting on igougo.com that raved about St. Jude's after I had already made my reservations at another B&B in Galway city, however, I was able to cancel the previous reservation and booked two nights at St. Jude's and was so happy I did. St. Jude's proved to be everything and more than was expected. An excellent stay for a reasonable price. Other more expensive places did not come close to the quality rooms, central location, food and ambiance of this wonderful B&B.
St. Jude's is located in a quiet neighborhood within walking distance (20 to 25 minutes) of the center city (Quay Street and Eyre Square), or, you can take a city bus right outside the gate of the B&B. It has a wonderful old-world look to the exterior, with a private off-street gated area to park. Parking can be a problem in Galway so this was very helpful.
The interior is beautifully decorated, with a quaint charm, and the rooms are very quiet and private. There is a private lounge with a fireplace, and the rooms are clean, with the best display of linens, creamy white damask covers, softer than soft sheets, and great comfy pillows. Usually we were anxious to spend an evening in a pub, but on a cold winter night we enjoyed an evening with wine and cheese in the lounge. The shower is hot and has a lot of pressure with a towel warmer to boot. There are additional heaters provided and it was warm and cozy even in the winter month of November.
Yet even more memorable was the dining room and breakfast with thick padded white linen tablecloths, wonderful gleaming dishes, and shiny pots of tea and coffee. It had a menu from the traditional Irish breakfast of eggs, bacon (ham), sausage and breads to stewed fruits and porridge. Ita Johnstone was a very gracious hostess, quiet and very accommodating offering us any information we needed. We were warmly welcomed and enjoyed her two adorable poodle dogs that stay in the kitchen if you wanted to visit with them. In the warmer months there is a lovely patio garden to take refuge in surrounded in roses.
I can't say enough about St. Jude's. You will not be disappointed. One of the nicest things about it's location is that it can be easily found coming from County Clare or the coastal and mountain routes of Connemara.