Recommendations for Dublin?

kamik86

DIS Veteran
Joined
Apr 28, 2010
I'm working on planning a trip to Ireland and was hoping for some help.

We have decided on a few nights in Dublin, Cork, Killarney, somewhere near Bunratty Castle, and Clare before heading back.

Any recommendations on where to stay in Dublin? Prices around the the center of the city seem really expensive (we are looking at either May or September for the trip haven't decided yet) any recommendations on an area a bit further away where its still easy to get into the city? I wasn't planning to pick up a rental car until we were ready to leave the Dublin area.

Trying to keep hotel costs relatively low as I much rather spend my money on things to do then places to sleep.
 
waves hi, I am from Dublin and I know abit about Cork and Kerry as I have family there.

Dublin city centre is expensive but Im sure I can find a place for you. Honestly for a first time USA tourist there not that many places I would recommend that are not city centre. Once you leave the city centre, the public transport is not that good

City Centre Hotels
Temple Bar area in Dublin is the tourist trap area. It would be similar to Bourbon Street in New Orleans or the Las Vegas Strip. It is the go to area for bachelor and bachelorette parties as there are alot of pubs and clubs in a small area. There are a number of hotels located here
https://www.fleethoteltemplebar.com/
https://www.blooms.ie/
http://www.themorgan.com/
https://www.fitzsimonshotel.com/

http://www.parliamenthotel.ie/ it says its in Temple Bar, but its at the very edge of Temple Bar, in a less grotty part and is across the street from Christ Church.

Just up the road, near Trinity College is http://www.mercantilehotel.ie/en/

This is the Irish hotel chain https://www.jurysinns.com/hotels/dublin/christchurch it is across the street from Christ Church.

This hotel is about 3 blocks from Christ Church and St Patricks but again a very central location https://www.radissonblu.com/en/royalhotel-dublin

This is where my friends stay when they come to Dublin http://www.arlington.ie/ Its about half a block from Dublins main Street O'Connell Street and about 2 blocks from one of the main shopping districts Henry St. Its about 10 minutes walk across the bridge from the south side of the city centre and places like Temple Bar, Trinity College, Dublin Castle Grafton Street etc etc

This hotel is on Dublins Main Street, O'Connell Street https://www.wynnshotel.ie/

This hotel is a UK chain, again a central location near St Stephens Green park and Grafton St shopping district https://www.travelodge.ie/hotels/560/Dublin-Stephens-Green-hotel

One of my friends stayed here a few years ago, its a really nice hotel and again very central http://www.trinitycityhotel.com/

This hotel is right on the edge of the city centre, I walk past it regularly and I have been to work Christmas parties there http://www.camdencourthotel.com/

This hotel is also just on the edge of the city centre http://www.harcourthotel.ie/, its located right by the tram stop.

Outside City Centre
This hotel is about 20 minutes by bus from the city centre. Its a budget hotel chain https://www.travelodge.ie/hotels/286/Dublin-City-Centre-Rathmines-hotel

In the opposite direction, this hotel http://www.ashlinghotel.ie/ is about 15 minutes by tram from the city centre. It is right beside the main train station.

I would advise you to go to Google Maps and map out each one. Then create a spreadsheet and do dummy bookings for each one for your dates and number of people and then find which one fits your party best
 
waves hi, I am from Dublin and I know abit about Cork and Kerry as I have family there.

Dublin city centre is expensive but Im sure I can find a place for you. Honestly for a first time USA tourist there not that many places I would recommend that are not city centre. Once you leave the city centre, the public transport is not that good

City Centre Hotels
Temple Bar area in Dublin is the tourist trap area. It would be similar to Bourbon Street in New Orleans or the Las Vegas Strip. It is the go to area for bachelor and bachelorette parties as there are alot of pubs and clubs in a small area. There are a number of hotels located here
https://www.fleethoteltemplebar.com/
https://www.blooms.ie/
http://www.themorgan.com/
https://www.fitzsimonshotel.com/

http://www.parliamenthotel.ie/ it says its in Temple Bar, but its at the very edge of Temple Bar, in a less grotty part and is across the street from Christ Church.

Just up the road, near Trinity College is http://www.mercantilehotel.ie/en/

This is the Irish hotel chain https://www.jurysinns.com/hotels/dublin/christchurch it is across the street from Christ Church.

This hotel is about 3 blocks from Christ Church and St Patricks but again a very central location https://www.radissonblu.com/en/royalhotel-dublin

This is where my friends stay when they come to Dublin http://www.arlington.ie/ Its about half a block from Dublins main Street O'Connell Street and about 2 blocks from one of the main shopping districts Henry St. Its about 10 minutes walk across the bridge from the south side of the city centre and places like Temple Bar, Trinity College, Dublin Castle Grafton Street etc etc

This hotel is on Dublins Main Street, O'Connell Street https://www.wynnshotel.ie/

This hotel is a UK chain, again a central location near St Stephens Green park and Grafton St shopping district https://www.travelodge.ie/hotels/560/Dublin-Stephens-Green-hotel

One of my friends stayed here a few years ago, its a really nice hotel and again very central http://www.trinitycityhotel.com/

This hotel is right on the edge of the city centre, I walk past it regularly and I have been to work Christmas parties there http://www.camdencourthotel.com/

This hotel is also just on the edge of the city centre http://www.harcourthotel.ie/, its located right by the tram stop.

Outside City Centre
This hotel is about 20 minutes by bus from the city centre. Its a budget hotel chain https://www.travelodge.ie/hotels/286/Dublin-City-Centre-Rathmines-hotel

In the opposite direction, this hotel http://www.ashlinghotel.ie/ is about 15 minutes by tram from the city centre. It is right beside the main train station.

I would advise you to go to Google Maps and map out each one. Then create a spreadsheet and do dummy bookings for each one for your dates and number of people and then find which one fits your party best
Thanks for the help.

I always do the dummy bookings spreadsheet. One of the thing I realized is I have to change my dates a bit, the original plan had us in dublin on the weekend and it seems prices go up much more in dublin then other places on the weekend.

I am doing planning pretty early for this one since we are trying to coordinate meeting up with a friend from Germany (who has also never been to Ireland). Any recommendations on when to go we were looking at late May or early September to start.
 
yes its very normal for prices to jump on weekends, its the same with flights :) the best way to avoid this is
1. arrive Thursday, leave Monday
2. arrive Monday, leave Wednesday or Thursday

For May arrive after Tuesday May 8 and leave before Thursday May 31. This is because in Ireland we have a holiday weekend on the weekend of May 5, 6, 7 and on June 2, 3, 4. Think of them like Labour Weekend in USA, prices are high, availability is low and everywhere is crowded.

I would go with September as a better time. Most schools and colleges are back by September 10 and we dont have any holoday weekends in September.

The weather is around the same in May and September.
 



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