Reader Question: Which of these hotels should I stay at in Dublin?
I offer free personalized hotel recommendations and a reader asked me for me help deciding between some hotels in Dublin. You can read the question and my advice below.
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From The Reader
"We arrive early in the morning at 5am. We’re hoping to either secure an early check-in or possibly book the night before to ensure we can check in right away.
We plan to spend 3 nights sightseeing the historic sites such as the Book of Kells, Dublin Castle and the Guinness Storehouse and enjoying Dublin’s restaurants and pubs.
We’re currently considering the following hotels:
- The Leinster – low availability but offering great deals
- The Chancery – great value with the option to add extras such as champagne, chocolates and other nice treats.
- The Alex – only available for 2 nights, which would require moving to another hotel for the third night.
- The Shelbourne – a 5-star option, though quite expensive. It does connect with Marriott, so we’d earn points.
- The Westbury – excellent reviews and hospitality, similar location to The Chancery, but limited availability with one more affordable option left.
Since this trip is meant to be more relaxed and celebratory, we’d love your recommendation on which hotel would be the best fit for us from this list—taking into account location, comfort, and the possibility of early check-in"
My Response
The good news is that I'd happily recommend any of these hotels, but looking at the specifics of your trip, I would pick the Chancery. This is why:
Why I Recommend the Chancery
- When you land at 5am, it's difficult to get an early check-in. It's also too early to wander the streets killing time. Dublin is a slow starting city, nothing is open and it's still dark. Therefore, being able to check-in is more a requirement than a 'would be nice'. So you should book the night before to guarantee that. Since the Chancery is great value, adding the extra night won't hurt the wallet too much.
- The Chancery is on a quiet street where you can get a few hours of quality sleep when you check-in and be fresh to explore the city before noon.
- The Chancery is very central. It overlooks Dublin Castle and is midway between the Book of Kells & Guinness.
- It's a superb hotel. I have many of my walking tour guests stay there and I hear nothing but good things about it.
👉 Check Availability at the Chancery
The Other Hotels
- The Leinster: I do love the Leinster. It's a beautiful hotel, but it is a little further away from your points of interest & it's a quieter part of town for the bars & restaurants that you mentioned. It's a 15 minute walk to Trinity College, which is the centre of the city.
- The Alex: If they only have availability for 2 nights and you'd have to change, that rules it out for me. Lovely hotel though.
- The Shelbourne: This is the landmark hotel in Dublin, and especially for a special occasion, I would highly recommend it if money was no object. But if it's already at the edge of your budget, and now you have to add on the extra night before you arrive. Much as I love it, I'd be happier taking the good value at the Chancery and spend the money saved elsewhere.
- The Westbury: Another beautiful 5 Star Dublin hotel, but for similar reasons as the Shelbourne, I'd take the lower priced option elsewhere.
What To Do In Dublin
Here are some ideas for what to do in your time in Dublin
Ireland by Locals
Ireland by Locals
Things To Do For A Special Occasion
- Go for afternoon tea at The Shelbourne. You can have the 5 star experience for a few hours. This is a very popular thing that Irish people do for birthdays.
- The Afternoon Tea Bus Tour is another good option that people love. See the city and have tea.
- Do the Connoisseur Tour at Guinness. The regular tour at Guinness is self guided and very busy. But the Connoisseur tour is a private tasting in your own bar with a guide. Worth splurging for the occasion.
Hotel Recommendation Service
If you would like a personalized hotel recommendation just like this, please email me and I'll be happy to help.
Ireland by Locals
