Is Dublin on your list of places to visit in 2023? If so, you’ll need to know if affordable accommodation is available.
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Like other European cities, accommodation in Dublin can run high, especially during the peak tourist season.
Here are 8 affordable hotels and guesthouses in Dublin that are close to the city’s main attractions with all one but one of them under $200 per night during the summer.
You’ll get even cheaper rates if you visit Ireland during the shoulder season (mid-April through May and late September through October).
Wynn’s Hotel
This historic family-run hotel located on Abbey Street has been part of the Dublin city landscape since 1845.
The pristine 3-star accommodation once played a vital role leading up to the 1916 Easter Rising. It was subsequently burned to the ground during the conflict and rebuilt. Ten years later, in 1926, it was re-opened.
Expect plush furnishings, a distinct Victorian style, beautiful stained glass, and plenty of value at Wynn’s Hotel.
You’ll discover comfortable bedrooms at Wynn’s – there are single bedrooms, double, treble, and even quads available. All come with large bathrooms.
You won’t go hungry at Wynn’s.
The hotel’s Playwright Restaurant will satisfy, with hearty meals in the evening and an excellent breakfast that includes a full Irish or Continental.
Relax in the Saints and Scholars lounge for a drink or a quick coffee, but you can also get meals there too, including a carvery lunch.
Cost: Approximate rate for two at Wynn’s Hotel in January – $159 per night, and in the high season – $192 per night. Breakfast included.
Location: Excellent – close to many city-center attractions, the city’s main thoroughfare, O’Connell Street, and its shopping district, Henry Street. It’s also close to public transportation. The Luas tram stops outside the hotel.
Other Pluses: On-site gym, parking, and free Wifi.
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Ariel House
The Ariel House is actually a combination of two Victorian townhouses in the well-heeled neighborhood of Ballsbridge.
You’ll feel instantly at ease in this beautiful small Dublin accommodation, which includes a living room equipped with a grand piano that guests are welcome to use.
The staff is friendly and willing to help, including offering information on city attractions, tickets for bus tours, and more.
The Ariel House has 37 en-suite bedrooms located in the property’s garden wing. Standard rooms are quite comfortable, but if you want a room with more lavish furnishings, you’ll need to upgrade. In my opinion, the standard rooms are just fine.
Hearty breakfasts are the norm at Ariel House, with the usual full Irish or pancakes stacked with cream and berries.
Afternoon tea is also available at an additional cost of about €20 per person ($22).
Cost: Approximate rate for two at the Ariel House in January – $115 per night, and in the high season – $180. Breakfast included.
Location: Good – the Landsdowne DART station is about 2 minutes away from the property, which will get you into the city center, about 3 kilometers (1.86 miles) away.
Other Pluses: Free Wifi.
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The Maldron Hotel Smithfield
If the Jameson Distillery is at the top of your attractions list once you get to Dublin, then staying at the Maldron Hotel Smithfield is a hop and a skip away (less than a minute’s walk).
The Smithfield section of the city, where the hotel is located, was once the site of Dublin’s colorful horse markets, but these days it is a striking urban space.
This comfortable, budget-friendly accommodation has 92 rooms spread over 5 floors. They are spacious and come with all the facilities you’d expect from a modern hotel.
Food is available at the hotel’s Grill and Grain restaurant, where you can get breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Breakfast is not included in the nightly rate (rates for breakfast are around €12/$13.61 per person).
You can choose from the “Vitality Breakfast, which includes a selection of bread and pastries, fruit, cheese, yogurt, and a choice of cereals, or the hotel’s hot breakfast selection that consists of a full Irish breakfast, a vegan breakfast, scrambled eggs and bacon or the chef’s daily specialty.
Cost: Approximate rate for two at the Maldron Hotel Smithfield in January – $109 per night, and in the high season – $182.
Location: Excellent – close to some of Dublin’s most popular attractions, including the distillery, as noted above, and The Collins Barracks campus of the National Museum of Decorative Arts & History. It is also close to the Luas tram.
Other Pluses: 5 disability-adaptive rooms; free Wifi.
The Gibson Hotel
Located close to the River Liffey, the Gibson Hotel is not in the city center per se but part of the growing Dublin’s Docklands, an exciting area of the city that is the setting for a variety of good restaurants, bars, and other eateries.
The Gibson is much bigger than the previous Dublin accommodation mentioned above, with 252 rooms. If you are lucky enough to stay in one of its top-floor rooms, you’ll get an enviable view of Dublin and the Dublin Mountains beyond.
A courtyard filled with greenery and a lobby filled with paintings, tapestries, and sculptures makes for an interesting vibe.
The bedrooms are modern with all the conveniences you would expect in today’s hotels, with adjoining bathrooms (shower but no bath).
Food is available in the hotel’s “Coda” restaurant, which offers bistro-style fare for lunch and dinner. Breakfast is served there as well.
Drinks and small bites are available in the hotel’s “Hemi Bar.”
Cost: Approximate rate for two at the Gibson Hotel in January – $146 per night; Rates are much higher in the spring and summer (around $260 per night), so I suggest you stay at this hotel in the off-season.
Location: Good – the Luas is nearby and takes about 10 minutes to get to the city center. It is beside the 3Arena concert venue so handy if you’re in town for a concert.
Other Pluses: Parking (a reasonable €14 overnight for residents).
The Harding Hotel
If you’re really hunting for budget accommodation in Dublin, the Harding Hotel should fit the bill.
The 2-star hotel is small, with 52 basic rooms that are clean and surprisingly large. All rooms come with a private bathroom and are equipped with the usual phone, TV, and free Wifi. You’ll also find a refrigerator in each room.
Hearty pub fare is served up at the hotel’s Darkey Kelly's Restaurant and Bar. You’ll also get live music there most evenings. Breakfast is available in the form of a Continental, vegetarian, and full Irish, but is not included in the nightly rate.
The hotel is just a 5-minute walk from the popular Temple Bar area, a plus if you want to easily access the trendy pubs in this section of Dublin.
Cost: Approximate rate for two at the Harding Hotel in January – $124 per night, and in the high season – $180.
Location: Excellent – you’ll be close to many of Dublin’s popular city center attractions, and well over half of the rooms in The Harding Hotel have great views of Christ Church Cathedral across the street.
Other Pluses: Great value for money.
The Clayton Hotel Ballsbridge
Located in what is known as Dublin’s Embassy Belt, the Clayton Hotel is so appealing from the outside that you’ll want to stay for sure, and it’s great value for money, too.
Constructed in the 1880s, this former Freemason’s orphanage is a beautiful example of Victorian architecture. Take note of the beautiful stained glass, as well as the original fixtures and fittings when you stay in this gracious hotel.
This is a very nice area of Dublin, with plenty of pubs and restaurants and close to most of the popular attractions in the city.
There are 335 spacious bedrooms at The Clayton Hotel that include junior suites, executive rooms, superior rooms, deluxe rooms, family rooms, and the Tower and Thomas Prior Suites.
Many of the rooms include perks like a bathrobe and slippers, complimentary mineral water, and a Nespresso coffee machine. Other amenities include complimentary Wi-Fi, tea and coffee-making facilities, and more.
There are a number of options when it comes to dining at the Clayton, including the Grandstand Restaurant and Bar as well as the Red Bean Roastery. Breakfast is an additional €15.
Cost: Approximate rate for two at the Clayton Hotel Ballsbridge in January – $111 per night, and in the high season – $193.
Location: Good – while the hotel is not in the city center, it is next door to the Royal Dublin Showgrounds, a 10-minute walk to the Aviva Stadium, and a 15-minute walk to the Sandymount beach. A bus that will bring you into the city is a mere few minutes away. The Aircoach Dublin Airport bus stops outside the hotel’s main entrance.
Other Pluses: Great value for money in sumptuous surroundings.
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Pembroke Townhouse
If you’re not into big hotels when you travel then the Pembroke Townhouse, a Georgian building in Dublin’s wealthy Ballsbridge suburbs, will no doubt suit.
Beautiful period furniture, a working fireplace in the hall, a handsome drawing-room, and a gorgeous staircase will take you back in time.
But there’s another wing to this townhouse, and it’s thoroughly modern with all of the conveniences that today’s tourist has come to expect.
There are 48 rooms in the Pembroke Townhouse, some include the original Georgian rooms complete with high ceilings and sash windows. All rooms are en-suite although some of the bathrooms are rather small.
Breakfast is the only meal you’ll get at the Pembroke, which is served until 11 a.m. Options include baked goods, hot chocolate, smoked salmon and of course the full Irish. It is not included in the nightly rate. The cost is around €15/$17 per person.
Cost: Approximate rate for two at the Pembroke Townhouse in January – $85 per night for a small double room, and in the high season expect to pay an affordable $137.
Location: Good – though not the city center, the Pembroke is only 2 km (1.5 miles) from there. You can get there from the Landsdowne DART station, a few minutes away on foot. The Aircoach Dublin Airport bus stop is nearby.
Other Pluses: Parking; laundry and dry-cleaning service; two rooms at the Pembroke are fully adaptable for people with disabilities. Disabled access to the main entrance is by the car park at the rear.
Kelly’s Hotel
This budget hotel, described by its owners as the “sharpest boutique hotel in the heart of Dublin’s city center,” is in the Creative Quarter, an area stretching from South William Street to George’s Street and from Lower Stephen’s Street to Exchequer Street.
There are 16 bedrooms over the space of 3 floors at Kelly’s Hotel. Bedrooms are minimal but more than adequate for guests, all equipped with en-suite bathrooms.
You can choose from the Standard Single, the Standard Double, the Executive Double, or the Penthouse Suite, which is on two levels, with a spacious living room and two separate bedrooms. The suite also includes a doorless walk-in shower.
The hotel, which is for adults only, is currently being renovated and will re-open its doors in April 2022.
Kelly’s offers free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel. There is no elevator in the building nor is there a parking lot. Best to stay at Kelly’s without a vehicle.
The hotel’s “Candle Bar,” is a convenient spot for a nightcap. Breakfast is available daily in its l’Gueuleton restaurant, offering French cuisine with a twist.
Cost: If you book 30 days in advance, prices start at €54 per night for a standard single room or €64 per night for a standard double, with continental breakfast included.
Location: Excellent – close to all the popular tourist attractions in Dublin.
Other Pluses: Great value for money given its central location.
Is a visit to Ireland's capital on your 2022 to-do list? Would you consider staying in any one of these affordable hotels and guesthouses in Dublin? Let me know in the comments below.
