9 Best Hotels in Dublin, Ireland

The homemade preserves and oven-warm scones are reason enough to stay at this redbrick 1850 Victorian guesthouse, in one of Dublin's poshest tree-lined suburbs a 15-minute walk from St. Stephen's Green. Restored rooms in the main house are lovingly decorated with Georgian antiques, Victoriana, and period wallpaper and drapes. The 13 rooms at the back of the house are less luxurious, but all are immaculate. A Waterford-crystal chandelier hangs over the comfortable leather and mahogany furniture in the gracious, fireplace-warmed drawing room where afternoon tea is served.

Only a short distance from the city, this hotel nestled next to leafy Herbert Park and the doddering Dodder River feels pleasantly secluded—to maximize enjoyment, you'll want to secure a room overlooking the park, or go for one of the two suites with balconies. Relaxing shades of cream and white predominate in the spacious rooms, along with splashes of red. The hotel's large, light-filled lobby has floor-to-ceiling windows and a slanted glass roof. The bar, terrace lounge, and restaurant are Japanese-inspired minimalist in style.

While the exterior of this no-nonsense chain hotel in the historic Kilmainham district is distinctly functional, the higher-floor rooms have some of the most stunning panoramas in the whole city. Make sure you ask for a room with a view, ideally one with floor-to-ceiling windows, and sit back and take in Dublin from an angle most visitors never get to enjoy. There's a decent restaurant, and the lively bar has a lovely terrace for lounging on long summer nights. The beautiful grounds of the Irish Museum of Modern Art are so close they could be your private garden.

Just a five-minute walk from St. Stephen's Green, this mid-19th-century terraced guesthouse, with its elegant white facade and cozy sitting-room fire, will welcome you home at the end of a long day's sightseeing. Some of the guest rooms are quite basic, in cream and beige, but they are all airy and bright, and the richly patterned wallpaper and carpets and orthopedic beds (rather rare in Dublin guesthouses) give them a touch of class.

“Townhouse" does not do justice to the splendor of the place, but it does hint at the cozy, relaxed atmosphere of the Pembroke, a superb example of classic 18th-century grandeur. The fan-windowed front door leads into a stately reception area, complete with Grecian pillars. The bright, airy, high-ceiling rooms are all individually designed in a gentle clash of contemporary chic and Georgian symmetry. Nearly every wall bears a striking piece of contemporary Irish art. The hearty breakfast—including sautéed lamb's liver if desired—is served in the serene dining room.

Get a top-floor suite at this modernized Georgian town house just off St. Stephen's Green and lord it over the whole Southside. The suites, considerably larger than the average hotel room, include one or two bedrooms, a separate sitting room, a fully equipped kitchen, washing machine, and bath. You can request two single beds in one of the rooms, so this place is great for families.

Pardon the pun, but this converted Victorian parochial school just off the Grand Canal really is A-plus—set in a gorgeous example of 19th-century architecture complete with turrets and soaring nave (now the setting for the restaurant), this may be the most uniquely upcycled hotel in Ireland. The headliner here is the beautiful, light-filled former chapel, now home to the classy, modern-Irish Gastrobar complete with an iron-work chandelier. Guest rooms—each named for a famous Irish writer and hung with a corresponding portrait—are very old-school (again, excuse the pun) luxury, with thick rugs matching the quilted bedspreads, plus beautiful oak chairs and desks, and an array of historic edition wallpapers. Enjoy the in-room spa treatments to take the edge off after a hard day's shopping.

Smithfield's newest hotel might look a little mundane with its redbrick, officelike exterior, but inside it's a lot more fun. Street art is what sets the cool Hendrick apart from the crowd, with 259 original pieces crammed into every nook and public space. Rooms can be small and very white, but their clever designs (with an extra bunk bed in some doubles) and striking splashes of colorful art help compensate. The cocktail bar is already a favorite hangout for locals.

A few doors down from the Abbey Theatre, Wynn's began its life as a Dublin boardinghouse in 1845, and its beautiful stained-glass awning has become something of a landmark as a romantic meeting spot for locals. Although the rooms are not huge, they include nice touches, such as fireplaces and ornate cherrywood beds, and there's a surprising amount of space in the bathrooms. The decor attempts to blend a hint of the past with a sleeker modern look, not always successfully, but overall there's a warm, comforting feel to the design. Abbey Street has an excited buzz around curtain time, but is otherwise very quiet, so you should get a sound sleep. Its restaurant does a pre-theater special where you can pop back for coffee after the show.