The Spoon and the Stars

**** hey guys - looking for help for 2020 and into next summer****

We are a homely 30-bed hostel in the town of Drogheda, which is located firmly within the historic Boyne River valley of Co Louth. Myself and Rory own and run the hostel. We have taken it from being known as the worst hostel in Ireland (under a previous name) to now being the 2nd best hostel/B&B accommodation in Drogheda on Trip Advisor.

We are a very down-to-earth, fun couple that love meeting new people and are always trying to create a unique & friendly experience for our guests and staff. Our aim is to change the corporate approach to hospitality in Ireland. We want our guests to experience the warm and friendly environment we grew up in. The 'True Ireland' with the back door always open, the tea always ready and the friendly faces always welcoming.

We are extremely proud of what we have accomplished in such a short time and are planning some very exciting projects for summer 2018!

The hostel is a 250 year old building with lots of character, it has an extremely homely feeling which we do our best to maintain and promote all year-round.

We are looking for helpers with fluent English to do about 25 hours a week spread over 5 days. We typically ask for people to come for a minimum of 2 months if possible but can make exceptions if we are in need of help for a few weeks.

In exchange for your enthusiasm and help we will provide a warm, comfy bed in our hostel with all linens, towels, breakfast & wifi access. You will also have the use of our kitchen and storage space for your food and belongings, as well as access to our budding garden and all the local amenities the town of Drogheda has to offer including green spaces, historic places of interest including nearby Newgrange, Knowth and Dowth, Slane Castle, Mellifont Abbey and others. We are a very short distance from the beaches along Clogherhead, Termonfeckin, Bettystown and we are equidistant (read as very conveniently located) between Dublin to the South and Newry and the incredibly picturesque Mourne Mountains in Northern Ireland.

General hostel duties include cleaning bedrooms, changing bed linen, small repairs and maintenance, reception duties, hostel laundry, gardening etc. We are also especially interested in hosting HelpXer's who have a great eye for ideas and helping us make enhancements and improvements that will help our guests enjoy an even better hostel experience.

Please do not apply if you are not willing to do your fair share of work, not willing to put our guests at the forefront of all that we do, or if you don't like Game of Thrones. Okay, okay, we can forgive you if you're not exactly a fan of the show - nobody's perfect! ;)

State your work experience, age, arrival & departure date, reason for wanting to work in our hostel, favourite colour and why?! Send your life experiences and a picture to make sure you have a head!!

This a great opportunity to work in a well established business, gain further fluency in English, and develop business & customer relation skills in a friendly relaxed work environment.
Hope to hear from you all soon.

Hannah & Rory

We are a very down-to-earth, fun couple that love meeting new people and are always trying to create a unique and friendly experience for our guests and staff. We place a huge emphasis on teamwork and we really do expect our volunteers to not be afraid of rolling up their sleeves and helping us define and refine our brand, uphold our expectations, and enjoy sharing the passion that comes with traveling and interacting with people from all over the globe who want to sample a taste a Ireland that is more down to earth. We set realistic expectations and we all work together as a team to handle all aspects of hostel life - from the daily cleaning of shared facilities and common areas, laundry, reception cover, minor and general repairs, as well as keeping a safe, secure and friendly environment for everybody to enjoy. In exchange for our volunteers' dedication and work ethic, we offer them more than a comfy bed and access to all the amenities our hostel has to offer, such as the opportunity to learn a variety of skills and a familiarity with hostel operations. Our existing staff team is also vastly experienced and will help you to better understand your new surroundings and get better acquainted with Ireland on various levels. We want our volunteers to feel a sense of ownership and pride, and of being part of a small family who cares about you and wants to help you make fun memories and discover and maintain lifelong friendships. Whether your goals are to manage your own hostel, explore the wildest tracks of Ireland North and South, or you want to improve your English or even use your hostel experience as the fist step in adopting Ireland as your new home, we'd love to form a part of your adventure. We've had the huge pleasure of and amazing experience of welcoming some wonderfully exceptional people in our wee hostel, many of which we regard as part of our extended family and remain in touch with to date. Our lovely volunteers have shared their enthusiasm and experiences with us coming from places as far away as Brazil, the USA, Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, Mexico, Belgium, Germany and other parts of Europe - and we hope that we may soon have the honour of hosting volunteers from even further abroad.

Top Host
This host receives a lot of worldpackers and has a high average rating.

Reviews

5.0
29 reviews29

Staff & Host

5.0

Hours & Tasks

4.5

Hostel

4.5

Learning & Fun

5.0

Germany

5

I had a really really good time at the spoon and the stars!! It’s great to meet new people from all over the world, everyone was nice and easy-going, I made amazing new friends :) The work is completely doable and freetime is always respected. Drogheda is a nice town and it’s not far to the beach, which is a big plus. All in all I can definitely recommend this workaway!

5 days ago

Germany

5

I had a great experience at Spoon & the Stars. The hostel is super cozy & familiar. The showers were premium ;) It was always a lot of fun to do something with the other volunteers. The working hours are fair, so I could travel a bit in Ireland.
Drogheda is a small town, but there is everything you need like restaurants, pubs/clubs, a shopping center, parks.. The location is great because Dublin/Belfast and a few beaches are close by.
I was there for a month, but I was still allowed to work at reception, which I liked a lot because I could improve my English a bit. Thank you & see you soon!

6 months ago

Canada

5

The Spoon & the Stars was such a lovely little home away from home - I stayed for six weeks and had a great time volunteering as a receptionist. The hours and tasks are fair, and Rory and Declan are really flexible and happy to work with you, and are super nice people. We had a really great team of volunteers and I've made some wonderful friends who I'll stay in touch with! Drogheda is accessible and it's easy to reach Dublin and Belfast on days off, so there's plenty to do in your free time. Rory is really kind and cares a lot about his staff. Would recommend!

10 months ago

United States

5

I had a great time volunteering at Spoon and the Stars. I also formed some very close friendships with my coworkers that I know will last. The owner and manager are very welcoming, helpful, and fair. It was a collaborative space where everyone can pitch in their ideas and there is mutual respect. Everything on their profile here is true to their word. I highly recommend them for anyone!

11 months ago

United States

5

Volunteering at Spoon and the Stars was an incredible experience! The owner Rory and manager Declan are an absolute pleasure to work with. They are always true to their word, treat all volunteers with respect, and keep the workplace lighthearted and fun. The long-term staff are always willing to help and make you feel like family. The work is fulfilling without being too challenging, and your shifts are short enough to still enjoy the city such as the local pubs/clubs, beach, and historic churches.

11 months ago


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