7 Best Hotels in Dublin, Ireland

Paris has the Ritz, New York has the St. Regis, and Dublin has the Shelbourne—resplendent in its broad, ornamented, pink-and-white mid-Victorian facade right off Grafton Street. Long famed as the Dublin home of the nation's literati, the grande dame of Stephen's Green has been immortalized by authors running from Thackeray to Elizabeth Bowen, and the Constitution of the Irish Free State was drawn up here. An enduring, venerable tradition is to take tea in the Lord Mayor's Lounge, just off the towering, marble-floor, cream-and-crystal lobby with its gilded pillars and brass candelabra. In the lobby, the Irish Chippendale chairs have given way to contemporary art from Irish greats like Louis le Brocquy, Barrie Cooke, and Cian McLoughlin. The guest rooms, though not overly large, are almost as luxurious as the lobby, with the marble bathrooms a tactile pleasure. 

With an architecturally stunning checkerboard exterior, the Marker welcomes guests to its dockside location with an understated luxury that also strives to create a genuine connection to Dublin’s history and Irish culture. Guest rooms are spacious and elegant, with furniture and artwork from local makers and a bold color scheme meant to evoke the Irish countryside (the purple carpets stand in for fields of Irish heather). The onsite dining and drinking options are nothing short of spectacular: the downstairs Marker Bar serves cocktails and food in a buzzy atmosphere while the main restaurant Forbes Street By Gareth Mullins brings approachable fine dining to the neighborhood, serving Irish beef, fish, and produce alongside a strong wine menu. Upstairs, the hip Rooftop Bar & Terrace competes with the Guinness Storehouse for the best 360-degree views of Dublin. For anyone looking for relaxation, there’s a gorgeous indoor infinity pool as well as a full spa with a variety of holistic treatment options. To further your love affair with Ireland, several special programs are offered for guests, from Irish coffee making lessons to neighborhood walking tours.

Set within the show grounds of the Royal Dublin Society, this Victorian-Georgian hybrid—topped by gigantic eaves and a lovely cupola—has an impressive 4 acres of gardens; a big effort has been made to ensure that a bit of greenery can be seen from most rooms. It may look like the real McCoy but was in fact built during the boomtime excesses of the brash Celtic Tiger era. Once you enter the six-floor building, you see pre-20th-century design mixes luxuriously with modern glass and concrete and lends the place a warm touch. Guest rooms are spacious, with large windows that allow light to flood in. The lower-level antiques-adorned spa is one of the finest in the country, with a naturally lit lap pool.

Stately and spiffy, and splendidly situated directly across from the Government Buildings between St. Stephen's Green and Merrion Square, this luxurious hotel actually comprises four exactingly restored Georgian town houses. Some of the guest rooms are appointed in classic style—from the crisp linen sheets to the Carrara marble bathrooms. Some are vaulted with delicate Adamesque plasterwork ceilings, and others are graced with magnificent, original marble fireplaces. To fully enjoy the historic patina, opt for one of the more authentic rooms in the Main House at the front. The small but luxurious spa and infinity pool are perfect places to unwind, and leading Dublin restaurateur Patrick Guilbaud has his eponymous, Michelin-starred restaurant on the premises.

This luxurious, chandelier-filled, modern hotel just off Grafton Street is a favorite with elegantly dressed Dubliners who stop for afternoon tea in the Gallery, the spacious mezzanine-level main lobby, furnished with a grand piano and a grand view out onto the bustling streets. Bedrooms have handmade Irish furniture and carpets, plus duck-down duvets. Most inviting are the suites, which combine four-poster-bed opulence with a very understated, sleek look. The restaurant, Wilde, serves upscale lunches and dinners; the street-level bar and brasserie Balfe's goes for a more relaxed menu and feel.

The best thing about the ugly-on-the-outside, seven-story, redbrick, and smoked-glass Conrad are the spectacular views out over the city, so ask for—no, insist on—a room on one of the top three floors. Just off St. Stephen's Green, the Conrad firmly aims for international business travelers. Gleaming light-color marble graces the large formal lobby. Rooms can be rather cramped but are nicely outfitted with natural-wood furnishings, painted in earthy colors, and have Spanish marble in the bathrooms. The Coburg is a classic bistro and Lemuel's is a glitzy cocktail bar named for a Jonathan Swift character.

Reconstructed from three 19th-century landmark buildings opposite Trinity College, the Westin is all about location, but the marble pillars, tall mahogany doorways, blazing fireplaces, Palladian marble busts, and period details also set it apart. The central atrium is a hodgepodge of decor: Chippendale reproduction chairs, horse paintings on pale peach walls, turquoise lamps, and too many overstuffed sofas. The bedrooms, on the other hand, are functional, small, and suave, with crisp, white Indian linens, custom-made beds, and 18th century–style oak furniture. The rooms that overlook Trinity College are a little more expensive, but the chance to watch the students in a leisurely game of cricket on a summer weekend makes all the difference. Morelands Grill and Mint Bar are in the original vaults of the bank.