Hotels in Dublin

Best time to visit Dublin

Dublin experiences cool summers and cold winters. The average summer temperature from June – August ranges from 55 – 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Summer is also the festival and event season, and attracts maximum tourist crowds. If you want to avoid peak tourist season, plan your trip in September when the weather remains in the same range as the summer months. Spring months of April – May, with average temperatures of around 45 – 50 degrees Fahrenheit, are also a good time to visit Dublin. If you’re looking for attractive deals and bargains on travel and accommodation, and don’t mind the winter temperatures of 35 – 40 degrees Fahrenheit, then carry your jackets and sweaters to visit Dublin between November – March. Be sure to book your accommodation in advance if you’re visiting during holidays such as St. Patrick’s Day, Christmas, or New Year’s Day.

Getting around Dublin

Dublin is a compact city which can be easily explored on foot. Most of the popular attractions are within a short walk from each other. Buses operated by Dublin Bus are another convenient way to get around. Fares are usually based on distance and zones traveled. Cash fare starts at €0.75 EUR for travel within the city center, while the reloadable smartcard, called Leap, allows you to travel the same distance in €0.60 EUR. A Leap card can be purchased for a €5.00 EUR (fully refundable) deposit and should be topped up with a minimum €5.00 EUR travel credit. The light-rail tram service operated by Luas is another option for traveling within and around Dublin. Cash fare on a single ticket costs €2.00 EUR – €3.30 EUR depending on the number of zones traveled. With the Leap card, the fare will range from €1.54 EUR – €2.50 EUR in peak hours. Taxis are easily available all over the city and fares usually start at €5.00 EUR. Hire a bike through the city’s bike share program called Just Eat Dublinbikes, where you can buy a 3-day ticket at €5.00 EUR and ride the bike free for the first 30 minutes, followed by a staggered rental charge for every subsequent hour or half hour. If possible, avoid driving in Dublin, as parking is not easily available and the fine for a driving offence or parking in prohibited areas is quite steep.

Best places to stay in Dublin

Dublin offers its visitors the richness of traditional Irish culture, fine literature, folklore, music and dance. Blended with this is a diverse and vibrant culinary scene which has emerged due to a fast-growing immigrant population. This buzzing little city, with friendly people and a generous supply of Guinness, has a number of neighborhoods, each with its unique charm. Here’s a look at a few areas and their special characteristics.

Georgian Dublin – south side

Merrion Square, St. Stephen’s Green, and Fitzwilliam Square with their finest Georgian architecture make up the Georgian Dublin neighborhood on the south side of the River Liffey. The area boasts beautiful terraces, parks, museums and striking architecture. Right across the Merrion Square, you can stay at The Merrion hotel which features period drawing rooms decorated with Ireland’s largest collection of private art, and beautifully appointed rooms and suites. Or, check out the red brick Victorian façade of The Shelbourne Dublin, A Renaissance Hotel near St. Stephen’s Green with swanky rooms and world-class amenities. You can also look at The Fitzwilliam Hotel which overlooks St. Stephen’s Green and is set amid all the shopping and entertainment venues in the area.

Grafton Street, Temple Bar and Trinity College

This neighborhood blends 18th-century architecture with glossy shopping and a buzzing nightlife, and also houses some of the best food and drink options in the city. Book one of the fabulously furnished rooms at The Westbury hotel on Grafton Street, amid funky cafés and stores. Or enjoy the stylish riverside rooms of The Clarence hotel nestled between the cobbled streets of Temple Bar and the Wellington Quay.

O’Connell Street Dublin – north side

North of the River Liffey, O’Conell Street is the main boulevard of Dublin and is home to the iconic General Post Office, the Abbey and Gate theatres, and The National Museum of Ireland. Enjoy the boutique accommodation of The Spencer Hotel on the banks of the River Liffey, just a 10-minute walk from O’Connell Street and a 2-minute walk from the nearest tram stop. Another option is the historic Wynn’s Hotel Dublin set in an ornate Victorian building dating back to the 1800s, located just a minute away from O’Connell Street and the Abbey Theatre.

Creative Quarter

Creative Quarter is a 6-block area in Dublin’s southern city center and is filled with locally-owned cafés, restaurants and independent boutiques. This area exudes a hip vibe and is a convenient location with easy access to popular sites. Check out the family-run Brooks Hotel on Drury Street, Dublin’s most fashionable shopping street in the heart of the Creative Quarter. A few blocks further, you also have Drury Court Hotel, located on the edge of Creative Quarter, featuring traditional-style rooms with a touch of luxury.

The Docklands

Dublin’s tech hub and a modern area filled with fancy architecture, glass buildings, organic food shops and upscale cafés may give you the feeling of being in a different city altogether. Enjoy a luxurious stay at the ultra-modern property of The Marker Hotel, featuring contemporary rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the sea. Right beside the Samuel Beckett Bridge, you can also check out the Clayton Hotel Cardiff Lane which offers simple, spacious rooms, located in the heart of the docklands.

Portobello

The best neighborhood to experience living like a Dublin local is Portobello. With street art at every corner, quirky cafés and a hipster vibe, this area in northern Dublin is still off the beaten track. In a brick building overlooking the Grand Canal, you have the Hilton Dublin Hotel featuring bright airy rooms with water views. For a mid-range budget option, you can look at the well-appointed modern rooms of Camden Court Hotel on Camden Street.

Cheap hotels in Dublin

Dublin has plenty of options for cheap accommodation, from hostels and traditional bed and breakfasts, to low budget hotels and holiday rentals. Look at the Portland House Bed & Breakfast set in a Georgian house on a quiet, tree-lined street, in the southern part of the city center. On College Street next to Trinity College, you have the Times Hostel-College Street which offers airy, dormitory-style rooms and is a short walk to several attractions. You can also consider the colorful Barnacles Hostel Dublin Galway, located on Temple Lane and filled with lively bars and restaurants. In the northern city center of Dublin, you have the Marian Guest House which offers simple, comfortable rooms and is just a 10-minute walk from the O’Connell Street.

A city with a rich offering of history, food, music, architecture, and, of course, pubs, Dublin caters to all kinds of tourists and travelers. There is so much to see and do in Dublin that a single trip may not be enough. Try and put some of these activities at the top of your Dublin itinerary.

• Visit the largest cathedral in Dublin and the national cathedral of Ireland, the St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
• Wander around the campus and admire the grand structure of the Trinity College, then visit the Old Library to see the famous, priceless illustration of the gospels in ‘The Book of Kells’.
• Spend a leisurely day or enjoy a picnic in lush greenery in central Dublin at the St. Stephen’s Green Park.
• Visit one of Europe’s most notable museums, the Chester Beatty Library which houses an extensive collection of rare books, manuscripts and drawings from across Asia, Africa, Europe and the Middle East, dating back to 2700 B.C.
• Get away from the hustle and bustle of the city and relax for a few hours at Europe’s largest public park, the Phoenix Park. The 1700-acre park is home to the medieval structure of Ashtown Castle, the 78-acre Edwardian house called Farmleigh and the Dublin Zoo.
• Get a glimpse of Ireland’s dark history at the Kilmainham Gaol, a jail that housed several prominent Irish freedom fighters.
• Visit Dublin Castle in the heart of the city, just a few blocks away from Trinity College.
• Art lovers must not miss a tour of the National Gallery of Ireland, which is home to works of renowned French impressionists and artists such as Caravaggio and Van Gogh.
• Walk down the pedestrianized Grafton Street which runs from Trinity College to St. Stephen’s Green, to browse through familiar branded stores as well as scores of shops selling unique and quirky items. Stop by to watch the street performers and musicians, and do hand them a Euro or two in appreciation.
• Sports lovers must try and catch a Gaelic football game at the Croke Park stadium at the northern side of Dublin.
• Get an insider view of the history and process behind the storied stout at the Guinness Storehouse, and the Irish whisky by the Jameson family at the Old Jameson Distillery.
• Watch a show or go for a backstage tour of the swanky Abbey Theatre, located north of the River Liffey.
• Walk across the pedestrianized Ha’penny Bridge, the oldest bridge over River Liffey, for excellent photo opportunities of the scenic Dublin city on both sides.
• Book tickets for a classical performance, an opera, or jazz at the National Concert Hall located next to the picturesque Iveagh Gardens.
• Click your heels to Irish music and go pub-hopping in Dublin’s entertainment hub, the Temple Bar neighborhood.
• Enjoy some of the hearty Irish delicacies such as savory stews, fresh fish and chips and piping hot meat pies.
• Dine in a traditional Irish pub with a live band playing Irish folk music. Chat with the locals for a quintessential Dublin experience.