Just Back From: Dublin, Ireland

This guest and her husband recently spent four nights in Dublin, Ireland to tour the city and see Bruce Springsteen in concert. This was her fourth trip to Ireland and third to Dublin, the last visit a decade ago.

How did you get to Dublin? How was the arrival and check? 

We were on an overnight JetBlue flight from JFK to Dublin. We took a cab from the airport to our hotel, The Shelbourne, which was about a half-hour drive. By the time we arrived, it was 10 a.m. Our room was ready, which was a nice surprise. 

What did you think of the Shelbourne? 

The Shelbourne is a beautiful, historic hotel featuring classic Georgian design and architecture. It is very much a social hub in Dublin. People hang out at the bars and tea room or work in the meeting spaces upstairs. It is lively, the center of the action. I would call its decor formal and traditional. In the lobby is this stunning crystal chandelier and a grand staircase that leads up to the rooms. Portraits and landscape paintings are sprinkled throughout, and there are even some historical documents on display. It is a beautiful hotel. It is also worth noting that The Shelbourne is owned by Marriott Bonvoy.

How was your room? 

Our room was a suite with a separate bedroom and living area. It was spacious, and the decor was simple but pretty, kind of on the corporate side (the fact that it is owned by the Marriot might contribute to that). One disappointment I had with the room was its view. I wanted to be able to see St. Stephen's Green, the park outside the hotel. Instead, we faced the interior courtyard. I definitely recommend asking for a park-facing room while booking.

How was the service?

While everyone at The Shelbourne was incredibly friendly, the service wasn’t exceptional. It is not one of those luxury properties where the service is unparalleled, like at an Aman. That being said, everyone was helpful and nice. 

Did you use the concierge? Were they helpful?

​We used the concierge to organize some activities and reservations. On the whole, he was helpful, but we did have one hiccup. A few weeks before our arrival, I emailed asking to do a literary tour with a guide, and the concierge said he would arrange one. The guide he chose, however, was not a literary tour guide but more of a historical guide. She was lovely and very knowledgeable, but it was unfortunate, as there are plenty of literary guide companies I could have booked online. Dublin has a really rich literary history–James Joyce, Oscar Wilde, etc—and I was disappointed to have missed out on a tour with that focus.  

How was the location of the hotel? 

The location was excellent. It is right beside St. Stephen's Green and Grafton Street, the main shopping avenue. Everything is within walking distance, including Temple Bar where many of the popular pubs are.

Did you visit any other hotels while there?

We walked by The Merrion, another luxury hotel in Dublin. I had wanted to book our stay there, but it was sold out. 

What did you think of the city? How was the architecture?

While Dublin is incredibly fun and lively, I do not think it is an exceptionally beautiful city. It is a place you go to if you are intrigued by Irish culture and history, or you are curious about what a modern Irish city looks like. It’s extremely international; we heard all sorts of languages and accents. The architecture is mostly Georgian, with four to five-story row buildings. One feature I love is that many of the doors are painted all different colors, even in the outer neighborhoods like those near Croke Park, where we saw the Springsteen concert. 

What restaurants did you go to? How did you find the cuisine?

For breakfast, we ate primarily at the hotel, as it was included in our room rate. The food was good, with a buffet and menu available, but some mornings we were seated in a windowless room in the back—which was not all that enjoyable. I recommend asking to move to one of the windowed bar rooms, which we did on the last day. They agreed, and we liked that setting much more.

Our favorite restaurant was Delahunt, which serves gourmet food in a casual, pub-like atmosphere. The tasting menu for dinner cost about 95 euros, and the courses were creative spins on traditional Irish dishes like salmon and pork belly. It was delicious. 

We also liked The Ivy Dawson Street, which had such a fun interior—jungle chic and very colorful. The menu included a mix of brasserie staples and more global dishes. 

On our first night, we had dinner at Etto, which I do not recommend. The only table we were able to reserve was at the bar, overlooking a sink full of dishes. More than that, I found the food and ambiance to be not at all worth it.

Dublin is famous for its pubs. Were there any that stood out to you?

I definitely recommend grabbing a Guinness at The Long Haul, a very old and famous pub in Temple Bar. The Shelbourne also had a few great bars. No. 27 was a gorgeous lounge where people go after work, it seemed. It was a very lively, well-heeled crowd. The 1824 Bar is another beautiful space in the hotel located just under the grand staircase. It is for in-house guests only, and we thought it was very nice and sophisticated. We also enjoyed the champagne garden to sit and have a drink and enjoy the colorful flowers and lattice work. 

What kind of activities did you do? What were your favorites?

The number one tourist destination in Ireland is the Guinness Storehouse. We expected it to be a bit tacky.  It was absolutely commercial, but it was incredibly well done. The building seemed about six stories tall and all-glass—it reminded me of a hamster Habitrail. You walk through all sorts of exhibits with videos and interactive activities, explaining how Guinness is made, its history, how to drink it, etc. At the end, you arrive on a kind of ‘party floor’ and have a free pint of Guinness. Music is playing and everyone is drinking, having a great time. The space has a phenomenal view of the Wicklow Mountains, where the water Guinness is made from originates. We loved the experience.

Another highlight was having tea at The Shelbourne’s Lord Mayor’s Lounge. We made a reservation in advance, and the tea room was just stunning. The waitresses were all Irish and so friendly, wearing these gorgeous dresses. They had the classic ‘high tea’ staples on the menu, like sandwiches and sweets.

We toured the National Gallery, Dublin Castle, St Patrick’s Cathedral, and the main government buildings, which are all must-dos. We really loved visiting Trinity College’s campus and checking out its library. The library is a jaw-dropping building inside and out, with stories of bookshelves lining the walls, and the famous Book of Kells is on display there. Currently, the shelves are empty, as the books are being cleaned and computerized, but it is still stunning.

We also loved walking around St. Stephen’s Green and the Temple Bar area. The streets were pretty lively; people stood outside chatting and drinking. It was a really friendly, fun atmosphere. There is also Grafton Street, the main shopping area, which I didn’t particularly enjoy. It had mid to high-end shops, a little bit of everything. It didn’t feel special to Dublin. You could find these shops on any urban shopping street. 

One activity that looked fun was the Viking Boat/Bus Tours. We didn’t book one but would see them around the city. Imagine forty people sitting on one of those amphibious DUKWs, everyone wearing a Viking helmet. They drive around and learn about the history and culture, with an emphasis on the Viking invasion of Dublin.

You spent a day exploring Howth and Malahide, two suburbs just outside of Dublin. How did you organize that? What was the experience like? 

In my opinion, the Irish countryside is the best part of Ireland, so getting out of the city for a day to drive around was a must. We reserved a rental car and drove an hour out to Howth. Howth has a seaside harbor walk and cliff trail with the most beautiful views. There are options for duration—a one-hour or a three-hour version. After we did the shorter walk, we visited the town area, which had charming shops and restaurants. We then stumbled upon the nearby Malahide Castle, which was simply stunning, and visited the village of Malahide. It was pretty upscale, with lots of shops and restaurants as well. We ate at a Greek/Cypriot restaurant called Cape Greko, and the food was phenomenal. Both towns and the surrounding countryside itself are breathtakingly pretty. I definitely recommend leaving the city for a day while staying in Dublin.  

The Bruce Springsteen concert was at Croke Park. Any recommendations on getting there? 

It was difficult for us to find a taxi because everyone was going there, too. I would leave on the earlier side. Concert-goers get dropped off eight blocks or so from the stadium, and you have to walk there. 

Would you go back to Dublin in the next few years? If so, would you stay at the Shelbourne or try somewhere else?

I would go back for an event–like another Springsteen concert!–or to show my kids around. I would like to try The Merrion, but if it isn’t available, I would stay at the Shelbourne again.

You mentioned earlier that you find the countryside to be the best part of Ireland. Do you recommend guests pair a trip to a more rural region, like Killarney or Dingle, with a few days in Dublin?  

If this is your first visit and you want to experience the beauty of Ireland, I recommend flying into Shannon and visiting the West—the Ring of Kerry in Killarney, Mayo, Galway, etc. That is a classic vacation; the views are beautiful, the accommodations incredibly nice. You could do Dublin for a night or two, or you could skip it entirely. 

Another potential destination in Ireland: a friend of mine recently stayed at Cashel Palace, a beautiful hotel and spa in Tipperary, and loved it. The perfect mix of luxury and historical charm, Cashel Palace is located right beside the famous Rock of Cashel, one of Ireland’s most spectacular tourist attractions.

The Dublin Itinerary

Interested in seeing the full itinerary for this trip? Reach out via email or Instagram DM! The itinerary comprises a day-to-day schedule and other need-to-know details, including the contact information for tour guides, to use for your own trip to Dublin.