General Information » Places To Stay » Hotels

In the past decade, cranes and drills have been a common sight on the streets of Dublin, as new hotels have sprung up like mushrooms. The Irish capital is a lucrative city for hoteliers, as last year’s Deloitte survey illustrated once again by ranking Ireland at number 16 in an index of 7,000 hotels in 165 cities according to the revenue earned per room. International hotel chains have recognised the appeal, and some big hotel names now form part of Dublin’s skyline. But traditional establishments have risen to the challenge, improving their standards and services to match or better those of their competitors. What some of them lack in amenities, they make up for in ‘x-factor’ – that particular Irish quality that sets them apart from international, often quite indistinguishable chains.

A particularly charming accommodation option is the opportunity to stay in historic establishments that have been converted (such as Clontarf Castle, p.32, or the Schoolhouse, p.34). Charming Georgian conversions and luxurious boutique hotels are also a popular choice.

Fáilte Ireland (www.failteireland.ie) grades hotels according to a star system, with prices starting at around €100 per night for a decent three-star choice. The majority of high-end, celeb favourites are clustered around Dublin 2 and Ballsbridge. While those on a shoestring are usually well advised to stay north of the Liffey, a special hotel B&B deal allows you to taste the life of society’s most privileged for a bargain price of as little as €160. Staying in one of the city’s top establishments may set you back anywhere from €450, with the penthouse suite at the Clarence Hotel priced at a staggering €2,600 (small change for U2’s Bono and The Edge, who are co-owners, no doubt).

Listings

Abbey Hotel

Arlington Hotel

Aston Hotel

Berkeley Court

Best Western Ashling Hotel

Bewley’s Hotel Ballsbridge

Blooms Hotel

Brooks Hotel

Brownes Hotel Dublin

Camden Court Hotel

Cassidys Hotel

Castle Hotel

Clarion Hotel IFSC

Crowne Plaza

Dergvale Hotel

Drury Court Hotel

Fitzpatrick Castle Dublin

Fitzsimons Hotel

Great Southern Hotel

Harding Hotel

Herbert Park Hotel

Hotel Isaacs

Jurys Inn Custom House

Kingston Hotel

Maple Hotel

Mercer Hotel

Mespil Hotel

O’Callaghan Alexander Hotel

O’Callaghan Davenport Hotel

Paramount Hotel

Parliament Hotel

Plaza Hotel

Portobello Hotel & Bar

Quality Hotel Dublin City

River House Hotel

Schoolhouse Hotel

Stephen’s Green Hotel

Stillorgan Park Hotel

Tara Towers Hotel

The Burlington

The Gresham

The Morgan

The Morrison

Trinity Capital Hotel