My wife and I decided to stop in Dublin for three nights prior to heading home to the states. Where is a good area to stay in Dublin and any recommendations. We tend to stay in B&B's, guesthouses or boutique hotels. Lastly, please suggest any must sees, do not miss sites. We will not have a car during our stay.
Thanks,
Steve
We stayed in the Ariel House in Dublin which is a boutique hotel.. While it is not in the center, it is walkable to everything and an excellent breakfast is included with your stay. IMO things you should see are the Chester Beatty Museum, The National Museum of Ireland ( Archaeology), St Stephen's Green and Merrion Square. There probably will be other posters that will suggest Kilmainham Gaol, the Guiness Storehouse, Jameson Distillery, Trinity College and the Book of Kells as must sees but we didn't go to any of those.
We stayed at Buswell's. It was nice not fancy . There are fancier places, but it's a wonderful location; so you can check out where it is and see if it suits you or what else might be near there. Really enjoyed our stay. I booked a room for our then college age son in Temple Bar area before he started a study abroad program. Far too noisy at night. And after our entire trip around Ireland we returned to Dublin for one more night before an early airport departure the next morning. We stayed north or the river on O'Connell Street, and I don't really recommend that for lack of charm and what type of accommodations you typically reserve.
Enjoy!
Thanks to all.
A second vote for Ariel House. I stayed there 31 years ago -- in 1993 -- and still remember it. Ariel House is a little more expensive than typical B&Bs, but probably not by much.
A pleasant area is sometimes called the Dublin 4 district. If you Google "Dublin 4 B&Bs", you should get some good choices. Also, Google "Donnybrook B&Bs" and "Pembroke Park B&Bs" or "Pembroke Lane B&Bs". I once stayed in a B&B on Pembroke Park/Lane street, but can't remember that place's name. There were 4 other B&Bs I noticed on the same block. They were all quite nice.
The Donnybrook neighborhood of Dublin probably birthed the English word "Donnybrook". A long time ago, there was a market there.
I have the Buswell's booked for my upcoming trip. I picked it for its central location. Ariel House would be too far out for me. It’s a 30-minute walk to St. Stephen’s Green.
That sounds like a wonderful plan! For a cozy and charming stay, I recommend looking into Temple Bar, St. Stephen's Green, or Rathmines. These areas are well-connected and offer a variety of B&Bs, guesthouses, and boutique hotels.
As for must-see sites, don't miss:
Trinity College and the Book of Kells: A beautiful campus with a world-famous library.
St. Patrick's Cathedral: A stunning example of Gothic architecture.
The Guinness Storehouse: Learn about the history of Ireland's iconic beer.
Temple Bar District: Experience Dublin's vibrant nightlife and cultural scene.
Phoenix Park: A large urban park perfect for a relaxing stroll.
We have been many times in Dublin.
Most places to stay, are more like a hostel, or like a 2 star hotel.
or then there's the other side like, The Ashling, great hotel, great food , great location, not so great price
But that's what places are like in the city.
I can recommend the Davenport hotel.
I also had a horrible stay at Buswell's.
I've also stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn which was fine but I prefered the location of the Davenport.
On my first stay in Dublin I was at the Jury's Christchurch. Nothing to write home about.
Reservations are a must for the Kilmainham Gaol. It's also a top site to visit. Don't wait until the last minute as you won't get in.
We stayed at Stauntons on the Green and liked it. We wanted to stay at Number 31, but their family room was booked, and that looked equally nice with a good location.
South of St. Stephen's Green and Iveagh Gardens is The Wilder, https://www.thewilder.ie/en/hotel-location/, which we very much enjoyed. As for what to do in Dublin the proverbial response is what do you like to do. The truly unique site is Kilmainham Gaol which you book online in advance. Tickets become available 28 days in advance and sell out quickly. For museums consider the archeology museum and the Chester Beatty Library. For more history, 14 Henrietta Street and EPIC. Historic day trips outside of Dublin include Glendalough and Newgrange.
