The Best Affordable Hotels In Dublin

The Best Affordable Hotels In Dublin

We’ve sidestepped grand country houses and grubby hostels, and found the sweet spot between blowout and budget to curate this round-up of stylish yet monetarily savvy hotels near Dublin’s most popular attractions.



If
the best things in life are free, the second best are
cripplingly expensive. This rings true in
Dublin
, where peak season (read: St Patrick’s Day) means
sky-high prices and low room availability. Nevertheless, visiting
the Emerald
Isle
doesn’t mean you have to drop the cash equivalent of rare
gems at check-in. We’ve sidestepped grand country houses and grubby
hostels, and found the sweet spot between blowout and budget to
curate this round-up of stylish yet monetarily savvy hotels near
Dublin’s most popular attractions.

Budget-friendly hotels in Ireland’s capital


hotel

The Devlin

Since opening in 2018 in trendy Ranelagh, The Devlin has caused
a buzz among the beau monde. Its fashion-forward disposition
manifests in herringbone floors and wooden ceilings that flank
walls speckled with (mostly Irish) artwork. Small but perfectly
formed is the vibe here. What rooms lack in size, they make up for
with sleek design, smart gadgets – Dyson hairdryers, Smeg fridges,
Marshall speakers – and locally sourced toiletries and nibbles.
Price points suit a range of budgets, with room options including
Super Double, Family and Bunk. Nab a booth in Layla’s, the all-day,
glass-box rooftop restaurant, or enjoy cocktails from a crack team
of Ireland’s most forward-thinking mixologists at Americana bar. We
especially love the 50s-style subterranean Stella Cinema, which
serves up fresh popcorn and a showreel of Hollywood classics and
arthouse favourites.

Address

117-119 Ranelagh
D06 WY50


hotel

The Dean

“I fell in love here,” reads Tracey Emin’s neon artwork above
The
Dean’s
check-in desk – and indeed, party-loving travellers are
guaranteed to topple head over heels for this urban bolthole. Like
The Devlin, it’s owned by Press Up, and shares much of its
sibling’s modern-retro aesthetic – smooth concrete and metal offset
by warm woods and colour-pop furnishings – along with the penchant
for big-brand gadgets. Rooms are on the small side but so are the
prices; this is a place for socialising not holing up in your hotel
room (unless you’re staying in the supersized Penthouse which has a
kitchen, freestanding bath and poker table). Shops and bars may
populate the surrounding streets, but The Dean is a destination in
its own right, thanks to Sophie’s (a lively rooftop bar) and a
lobby that hosts DJs.

Address

33 Harcourt St, D02 WC81


hotel

The Alex

Having recently undergone renovation and rebranding, The Alex
mingles with The Dean and The Devlin as part of Dublin’s bona-fide
cool crowd. Resting on the foundations of a former train station,
it injects a quiet roar of the 1920s into the 2020s with its
pared-back art-deco aesthetic and Edison bulbs. Windows are
double-glazed, so rooms are flooded with natural light but not the
traffic noise – perfect for when it comes to hunkering down in the
super-king bed. Communal areas are the lifeblood here: visitors
savour international fare from plush green banquets, avail of the
high-spec gym or co-working space, and sip coffee from espresso bar
Steam. A slew of Dublin’s main attractions are close by, including
the National Gallery and Merrion Square – have a wander before
returning to the hotel bar, which spotlights Irish-brewed beers and
spirits.

Address

41-47 Fenian Street
D02 H678

This image is on holiday

hotel

Generator Dublin

We promised to skip the “grubby hostels” and indeed, despite
being a hostel, Generator is far from grubby. Smithfield is
Dublin’s hipster district and Generator – hailed as Dublin’s best
hostel – reflects its neighbourhood, with a sprawling bar
illuminated by whiskey-bottle chandeliers, vibrant murals, an
in-house cinema and rooms that nod to an industrial aesthetic.
Private, en-suite accommodation benefits from free towels and
toiletries. Guests here are guaranteed a pocket-friendly taste of
Ireland – quite literally, the hostel has a self-service Guinness
stand as well as deals with the neighbouring Jameson Distillery. If
the pennies are really pinching (or even if they’re not), it’s
worth checking out Generator’s roster of events, which include
karaoke nights, movie clubs and live performances.

Address

Smithfield Square
Dublin 7

This image is on holiday

hotel

Pembroke Townhouse

Georgian sophistication meets a modern, homely sensibility in
this charming townhouse set in leafy Ballsbridge, making it ideal
for those who want respite from Dublin’s frenetic centre. The
stately 18th-century exterior gives way to a more relaxed
atmosphere – pitch up by the hearth of the communal drawing room,
coffee (or pinot) in hand. The 49 rooms are an understatedly
elegant affair. Those in the modern extension are on the small
side; if your budget can stretch, check in to one of the original
rooms with high ceilings and sash windows. There’s no restaurant
here (staff have plenty of local recommendations), but the full
Irish breakfast is very good. Plus there’s a well-stocked larder
free for guests to raid 24/7 – house-baked biscuits are a
favourite.

Address

88 Pembroke Road
D04 TF72

Discover More
A City Guide To Dublin, Ireland