The Buswells Hotel

The corner where the hotel is located is pretty quiet. If you ask for an interior room perhaps that would suit you best. Have fun on the tour!

I didn’t have any issues with noise when I stayed there last year. I did mention another issue I had with that hotel in my trip report:

The hotel was nicer than I was expecting—very clean room and a
friendly staff. It has new owners as of November 2024. So, anyone
checking reviews, make sure to check the more recent ones. My one
complaint is their key policy. You are not allowed to leave the hotel
with the key. So, it’s a stop at reception each time you leave and
return. A minor inconvenience, but an inconvenience just the same.
It’s certainly not done for safety reasons as was no real check on
what keys they were handing out. One time I said I had changed hotels
a few times and couldn’t remember if I was room 401 or 402. Well, the
guy handed me both keys. Thanks buddy!

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/solo-in-ireland-may-2025-my-trip-report

I stayed here on the tour and had a couple of issues, but noise wasn't one of them. One thing I really liked is their showers are in large glass stalls & I think this was the hotel with complete instructions etched in the glass on how to turn the water off and on & control the spray and temperature. My issues were: the safe was on the floor & there was no way I could get down on the floor to use it, the fan they brought me because of the heat was absolutely filthy & the cord was frayed and dangerous, there were stairs to my room after the elevator ride (with no warning so I could have asked for assistance with my luggage) and finally the dirty laundry stayed all over the hallways late in to the afternoon. All pretty minor issues, I know, but I think it was the totality of them that makes me remember. Plus, I literally had to wait for hours to check in and they were checking in others while I waited. I asked why & never received any answer other than 'you'll just have to wait your turn.' I did leave my luggage & explored the neighborhood (very nice), but still had to wait when I returned. I hope your experience is better. I loved Ireland and it is still one of the best tours I have taken. This was more than 5 years ago & things may have improved.

Carrie, many of the older family run hotels that RS tours frequently use have asked that we drop our key at the front desk, on our Best of Germany last May, I think there were two. Most hotels are now using card keys but I have come to like the older drop off ones where I don’t have to worry about where I put the card or deal with an inactive card because it’s been too close to a cell phone and then have to trudge down to the front desk.

And we’ve stayed at Buswell’s three times and have no complaints. I don’t remember any of our rooms to have been noisy but there are a few quirky places with unexpected steps but not unmanageable, in my opinion.

Thanks, Margie. I think it bothered me more because I frequently return to my room throughout the day, and I sometimes had to wait to get my key. Being handed keys to two different rooms also left me concerned about how carefully they checked who was picking up each key.

I stayed at this hotel two months ago after attending an art workshop for a week outside of Dublin. My room looked out the front of the hotel. There’s buses that go on that street, but when I closed my window, I slept fine. Here’s what I wrote about it in my trip report:

“The Buswell Hotel is almost adjacent to the Archeological Museum - good location. The room floors are uneven & squeak - just some character to this building, and I could have washed my hands in the sink in the cramped bathroom while also sitting on the toilet! But the only negative for me is that I want dependable wifi, and it was constantly dropping. One night was okay, but I was very glad I chose the Temple Bar Inn for my first three nights….and it’s location was more fun!”