The best hotels in Dublin: eight places from the Green to the quays

The grande dame on the Green

The Shelbourne has stood on the north side of St Stephen's Green since the nineteenth century, and the Irish constitution was drafted in one of its rooms. The marble lobby with its chandeliers is a meeting place for the city, and the Horseshoe Bar is as well known as the hotel itself.

It feels like living inside a chapter of Irish history where someone has thoughtfully replaced the mattresses. It works best for anyone who wants the classic Dublin at the first attempt, and those who like a hotel that is a destination in its own right. It is made for less well if you want modern design and anonymity; the lobby here is alive from morning until late.

One step off Grafton Street

The hotel sits in a side street just off Grafton Street, raised a floor above the pavement. From the entrance a broad staircase leads up to a lounge where Dublin takes afternoon tea and looks down on the shoppers.

It feels like a calm balcony above the busiest street in the city. The Westbury is a safe first choice for anyone who wants everything round the corner and a large, quiet room to retreat to. If you are after something small and characterful, Ballsbridge will serve you better.

The independent on Drury Street

A family-owned hotel on Drury Street, the lane of coffee bars and small shops just behind Grafton Street. Rooms are traditional, with dark wood and thick carpets, and the front desk is staffed by people who have been there for years.

You stay in the heart of the city without staying in a chain, and the service shows it. Brooks suits anyone who values personal attention and a fair rate on an address that usually costs more. Rooms are smaller than at the grand neighbours, so pack accordingly.

Four townhouses and an art collection

The Merrion is made up of four Georgian townhouses on Upper Merrion Street, directly opposite Government Buildings. The garden between the houses is laid out with clipped hedges, and the walls inside carry a large collection of Irish art from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

It feels like staying with an art collector who has excellent manners. The drawing-room fire is lit, the afternoon tea takes its cue from the paintings, and the garden-facing rooms are completely silent. It is ideal for couples and anyone who wants the best classic luxury Dublin has. It is right for less well those who want nightlife at the door; here you go to bed, and you are glad of it.

The embassy district's boutique address

Dylan occupies a Victorian building on a quiet side street in Ballsbridge, where the embassies and the big villas are. The interiors are deliberate and dark, and the bar pulls in the neighbourhood on Friday nights.

It feels like staying in the smart part of your own city, only with a better bar. The hotel suits repeat visitors who want peace, and anyone going to a match or a concert at the Aviva Stadium nearby. Grafton Street is a twenty-minute walk, so first-timers should ask themselves whether they want to make it twice a day.

Modern rooms behind an old facade

The Morgan stands on Fleet Street in Temple Bar, a couple of blocks from the Liffey and Trinity College, with interiors that go their own way: mirrors, velvet and a great deal of light. A bar with a courtyard terrace at the back gives you a break from the street.

You are staying in Dublin's most intense district, and the hotel knows it. The courtyard-side rooms are well shielded, and they are the ones to ask for. The Morgan suits groups of friends, hen weekends with taste and anyone who wants to go straight from the pub to bed. Light sleepers and families should choose another area.

The chequerboard on Grand Canal Square

The hotel sits on Grand Canal Square with the red-paved plaza and the theatre as its nearest neighbours, behind a facade of windows set in an irregular grid. The roof has a bar looking out over the quays, and the basement holds a pool and spa.

It feels like a big-city hotel in a city that is otherwise soft-spoken. The Marker suits families who want a pool and large rooms, and anyone in town for work in the Docklands. It is a strong pick for less well those who want a pub on the corner and old brick; everything here belongs to this century.

The north quay, with an eye for detail

On North Wall Quay, on the north bank of the Liffey, The Mayson joins an old dockside building to a new extension in one hotel of concrete, brass and greenery. The roof terrace faces the river, and breakfast is served in a café the neighbourhood uses too.

It feels young and considered, like a hotel made by people who travel themselves. The Mayson suits design-minded visitors and anyone who wants a fair rate on a modern room. The north quay is quiet in the evening and you cross a bridge to reach Temple Bar, so it is not for those who want street life at the door.