The 10 best cheap hotels in Dublin

Blooms Hotel is right in the lively Temple Bar area, full of bohemian shops plus restaurants and pubs (so light sleepers should take note). Rooms at Blooms Hotel are quite comfortable and with all the usual mod cons, including TVs, free Wi-Fi, in-room safes and tea and coffee-making facilities. You’ll want to explore Temple Bar, of course, but should you wish to stick closer to home, there’s nightly music in the hotel’s Vathouse Bar, or you can take a cocktail class in the hotel’s nightclub Club M, or check out the foot-tapping live traditional music sessions just steps away at The Oliver St John Gogarty bar.

Just a couple of minutes’ walk from Grafton Street, and right in the heart of the museum, shopping, pub and restaurant areas, the location of this small hotel can’t be beat. It has a range of rooms from single up to quad—some with shared bathrooms, which helps keep the prices low. Check-in is at 2pm (check-out at 12 noon) and rooms, although slightly dated, have TVs, tea and coffee-making facilities and free Wi-Fi—and did we mention the excellent location? Some rooms even overlook the historic grounds of Trinity College.

A short stroll from the city centre, the Grand Canal Hotel is ideal for the Aviva Stadium for sports events and concerts (though prices can peak during these times) and the Bord Gais Energy Theatre. Décor is cosy and rooms come with laptop safes, a Lavazza coffee machine, complimentary mineral water and luxury Orla Kiely toiletries. The fitness centre has a huge array of equipment and craft beer enthusiasts should drop into the Gasworks bar (run by Galway Bay Brewery) for brews and eats.

Just a few minutes’ walk from St Stephen’s Green and Grafton Street (and right beside the Luas tram line), the Harcourt Hotel is in a series of elegant Georgian Buildings in an area which comes alive at night – the hotel is home to two nightclub and light sleepers should take note that the hotel has an all-weather beer garden which can cause some late-night noise. Rooms are well-appointed, with TV, tea and coffee-making, and family rooms can sleep up to five. Best of all, pop into the nearby Iveagh Garden for a daytime stroll and to escape the hustle and bustle of the city.

Jurys Inn is in one of the city’s most historic areas, just steps from Christchurch Cathedral, Dublin’s oldest building (founded around 1030) and a few minutes’ walk from the lively Temple Bar area and the shopping and restaurant hub of Grafton Street. Decor is simple and rooms are comfortable with large beds, a selection of pillows, TVs, free Wi-Fi (executive rooms have super-king-size beds, mini fridges and complimentary snacks and toiletries), and in addition to the hotel restaurant, there’s an in-house Costa coffee bar, should you need an extra caffeine boost.

With easy access to the main thoroughfare of O’Connell Street, plus the shopping areas of Henry Street and the Ilac Mall, as well as the stadium at Croke Park for concerts and sporting events, Jurys Inn Parnell Street is centrally located in Dublin’s north inner city. Basic rooms have the usual mod cons with flat screen TVs and free Wi-Fi, plus guests have access to a fitness area with treadmill, cross-trainer and weights on the second floor plus a spacious bar and restaurant—though the location is so central, you may choose to eat out in the city.

Set along the north side of Dublin’s River Liffey, the Hilton Garden is beside the IFSC and handy for events and concerts at the 3Arena as well as the Epic Museum. Rooms have free Wi-Fi, a laptop safe, and if you need to get some work done, there’s a workspace complete with ergonomic chair, plus a mini fridge and widescreen TV. The hotel has a well-equipped fitness centre and an Oly’s bar and restaurant. Extra amenities include a business centre, coin laundry, electric car charging stations and an on-site convenience store.

This hotel is ideally located for north city access; with O’Connell Street, Henry Street plus Croke Park stadium just a few minutes’ walk away. Rooms are simple but well-appointed, with air-conditioning, free Wi-Fi, TV, bath and power shower, with triple and family rooms also available. There are plenty of options for eating and drinking in the area but the hotel also has a bar and restaurant.

In the leafy suburb of Ballsbridge in Dublin 4, just a few minutes by taxi, bus or light rail from the city centre, the Clayton is a four-star hotel set in an old Victorian building and rooms range from deluxe to family rooms and suites. Amenities include a king-sized bed, TV, free Wi-Fi, tea and coffee-making facilities. The hotel has landscaped gardens, plus a spacious bar and both a formal restaurant and the more informal Tom’s Bar for dining. The hotel is adjacent to the RDS (Royal Dublin Society) and just a few minutes from the Aviva Stadium, for concerts and sporting events. The direct airport bus, the Aircoach, stops directly outside the hotel.

Just a few minutes from the city centre, rooms at the Ballsbridge Hotel (formerly the famous Jury’s Hotel) are spacious and range from classic to executive rooms and suites. One of the free amenities is superfast (400mb) Wi-Fi – and standard rooms all have luxury duvets, power showers plus a comfy armchair and spacious writing desk. The hotel is just a few minutes from the Aviva Stadium and RDS and an added bonus is that the direct airport bus, the Aircoach, stops right outside the hotel.

Though not exactly a budget destination, there are plenty of things to do in Dublin that won’t cost a dime—from exploring medieval castles to sampling Celtic music. And thanks to subsidized national museums and plenty of historic green space, travelers at every price point can get a true taste of the city.