This really is a splendid hotel. It is in a fantastic location, and our room, although at the front of the hotel was quiet. The staff were helpful and friendly and the hot tub on the roof, over looking the bay was just wonderful!!!! Would highly recommend it, and when the building work has been completed at Eyre Square ( the square on which the hotel overlooks) it really will be a fabulous place to stay!!

The Great Southern's lobby was still decorated for the holidays when my mother and I arrived and it looked beautiful and elegant. Since we were staying for five nights, we were upgraded to an executive room on the second floor. The room was quite impressive, with high ceilings and a chandelier. Though we overlooked the construction work taking place in Eyre Square, it was still very enjoyable. It can get quite noisy around 2 AM, especially near the end of the week, though.
The location is great--a short distance from shopping areas and attractions, and just down the street from the bus/train station and tourist information center. This hotel is a steal during the winter months!

I stayed at the Southern Hotel Galway Dec 2005, based on its online profile, and hoping to have a good base to explore western Ireland. I was placed in a room in an addition to the older section, and the new section i was in was terrible. 1. it was FREEZING. I asked the front desk to please help, and they said "oh, the heat doesn't go on for another two hours (at six pm). Brrr! Even later in the evening, the room was still frigid. The bathroom was tiny, made with the crummiest materials (plastic, cheap metal siding) and it was so cold that I didn't even bathe or shower, though I really wished to do so. At check in, the woman at the front desk was the only person in the entire country i had met whom I would describe as "surly". A woman on the plane over had advised me to stay at Jury's hotel, Galway, at the end of Quay (pronounced "key") Street; i now wish i had listened to her. I went to the Southern because it appeared more luxurious. For that kind of luxury, I would have been better off sleeping in the car!

my wife and i stayed in the great southern last week on a weekend break, our first time there although we are frequent visitors to galway. the hotel is old, although has recently been totally renovated. rooms ours on the fifth floor were excellent, bed very comfortable, the room was quiet and very clean. desk staff were efficient, and our car was collected by the valet efficiently and returned the following day, after we had checked out - they kept it as long as we wanted. did not have breajfast in the hotel as we were on room only, anyway there is no shortage or breakfast places - try red square hotel/bar nearby.
the renovations on the square outside will eventually be finished by spring, at any rate they dont affect hotel, only the view. bar downstairs is cosy - basement bar called o'flahertys.
one small gripe - no sports channels on tv, and the pay per view films although new releases, seemed a bit pricey.
overall, fine, some of the other comments here seem a bit pernickety, to be honest, if all you can find to complain about is a squeaky closet, then its not too bad!