Any recommendations? I am finding quite a few that are expensive. I was hoping to find a nice place around $200 a night at the most.
two schools of thought. You can stay in a average room in a 5-star, or a spectacular room in a 3-star.
We opted for a nice suite at the Trinity Capital. King bed, jacuzzi, very comfy
http://www.mountherberthotel.ie/
This price at this cozy hotel has increased dramatically since I stayed there in 2004, but it looks like its just a small amount above your asking price. Although the location lies outside of the downtown area, there is a DART station within 500 feet. The walk to Temple Bar is about 20-30 minutes from here. One disadvantage is that the airport shuttle does not stop directly in fron the of hotel. It stops by the nearby Juries of Ballsbridge hotel, a confusing 10 minute walk from the Mount Herbert (and to make matters more confusing, there is another nearby hotel that also has Mount Herbert in its name...)
We stayed at a place called Aston Hotel on Aston Quay right at the river and the corner of Temple Bar. The room was nice and about $100 a night. It was noisy the Saturday night though with partiers so beware that but otherwise you can't beat the location for the price.