Nicola Brady

Luckily for the drinkers, you’re never, ever short of cracking pubs in Dublin. Sinking a pint of Guinness in one of these boozers is a right of passage on a trip to the city, and it’s likely that sipping the perfect pint is pretty high up on your itinerary list already.  The pubs here range from classic old man boozers to downright iconic Guinness havens, and there’s plenty of opportunities for cosy fires and trad music sessions thrown in too for good measure. One thing to know – unlike the UK, there aren’t many pubs that serve food in Dublin, so don’t expect any pub grub alongside your pint. But if you’re ready to get drinking, read on. These are the best pubs in Dublin.  The best pubs in Dublin, at a glance:  📍 Best in Glasnevin: John Kavanagh’s The Gravediggers ❄️ Best for chilly weather: The Swan  📚 Best for a pint and a good book: McNeill’s 🥃 Best for whiskey lovers: The Palace Bar  🌳 Best for country pub vibes: The Old Royal Oak This guide was written by Nicola Brady, a writer based in Dublin. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

If you can’t start your day without a decent coffee, you’re in luck. In Dublin, there are excellent coffee shops on practically every corner, from the buzzing joints on the main drags of the city to the neighbourhood spots where regulars chat with the baristas every morning.  And at almost all of them, you’ll find an array of freshly baked pastries on the counter, ideal for when you’re not in the mood for a full brunch but want to nibble at something tasty while you sip your iced matcha. If you’re in need of a caffeine fix in Dublin, here are some of the best places for you to try… The best cafes in Dublin, at a glance: 📚 Best for study sessions: Books Upstairs 🍰 Best for coffee and sweets: Proper Order 💸 Most affordable: Nick’s Coffee 🥦 Best vegan café: It's a Trap ⛓️ Best chain: 3fe This guide was written by Dublin-based Nicola Brady and Cían Byrne, with photos by local photographer Barry Carolan. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

When the weekend rolls around, there’s one thing at the forefront of most Dubliners’ minds – where are we going for brunch? From midday onwards, most brunch spots in Dublin are heaving, with a line outside the door, as locals flock to their favourite joints for pancakes, loaded toasts and maybe a cheeky Bloody Mary on the side. Over the last few years, the scene has expanded, too – gone are the identical menus, replaced with a bigger variety of places offering Middle Eastern dishes, homemade bagels and quirky spins on the classics.   If you’re looking for a brunch table, bear in mind that Dubliners eat a little later, so it’s easier to get a sitting earlier in the day – just make a reservation in advance if you’re going from 2pm onwards. If you’re looking for a killer brunch in the city, here are the places to add to your hitlist… 📍Discover more with Time Out's ultimate guide to Dublin At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. 

It can be hard to keep up with the food scene in Dublin. It feels like new places pop up all the time, from hole-in-the-wall pizza joints to restaurants clearly vying for a star come Michelin season. But there’s a reason there’s so much going on – Dubliners love their food, and with every new opening comes a legion of die-hard foodies ready to queue for an hour or make a booking for three months’ time. But whether you’ve snagged a reservation at the latest hotspot or got a last minute table at an old classic, there is some cracking eating to be had in the city. So, whether you’re in the mood for Korean poutine or goat curry, here is our current selection of the best restaurants in Dublin. The best restaurants in Dublin, at a glance:  💸 Best on a budget: It's a tie! Check out Reggie's or Sprout & Co 🕯️ Best for date night: Note 💼 Best weeknight spot: Mongoose 💎 Bougiest bites: Chapter One 📜 Best set menu: Mr Fox 📍 Discover more restaurants and bars in Dublin Amy O'Connor and Nicola Brady are writers based in Dublin. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

This list is from 2025. Our latest ranking for 2026 is live here. For the past eight years, we’ve made it our mission to scope out the coolest pockets of the world’s greatest cities in order to create our definitive annual ranking. The places where stuff like nightlife, art, culture, and affordable food and drink can be found on every corner and down every backstreet. Where diversity is championed and independent businesses thrive, from old-school boltholes to the newest avant-garde art space. Put simply, the world’s coolest neighbourhoods are places that represent the soul of our cities, while maintaining their own unique local character that draws people in to live, work and play. So, what are the neighbourhoods that fit the bill this year? To find out, we asked our network of writers and editors across a breadth of cities to nominate the vibiest district in their hometown right now. We then ranked every neighbourhood against criteria including culture, community, liveability, nightlife, food and drink, street life and that hard-to-define sense of ‘nowness’.  On our list this year, you’ll find everything from homely, village-like enclaves with tight-knit communities to revitalised city-centre hubs and formerly dormant, industrial areas transformed into creative districts. Many are underrated spots that sit in the shadow of their commercialised counterparts; others have become unexpected culinary hotspots or magnets for the city’s artists, writers and activists. What they al

Here at Time Out, we love all hotels equally: the flashy five-stars, the cool boutiques, the well-thought-out budget stays. But some are, undoubtedly, better looking than others. Whether ‘beautiful’ to you is a secluded jungle lodge or an eco-cool city stay, a kitschy motel or a reawakened royal residence, we’ve got them all on this list (and then some).  Now, it goes without saying that any list of the world’s most beautiful hotels is entirely subjective and by no means exhaustive. But what we can offer is real-life experience: every place on this list has been visited by one of Time Out’s editors, writers and hotel experts. From Punjab to Palermo, California to Costa Rica, we can guarantee that each hotel packs serious wow factor, and you’ll have an excellent stay at them all.  The world’s most beautiful hotels at a glance 🏰 Best heritage hotel: Ashford Castle  ⛰️ Best for show-stopping scenery: The Hiramatsu Karuizawa Miyota 🌺 Most beautiful gardens and grounds: Four Seasons Hotel Firenze 🎨 Best for avant-garde art and design: Jackalope Hotel 👑 Best for all-out maximalism: The Fifth Avenue Hotel 🏊 Most beautiful pool: The Phoenicia Malta 🏙️ Most beautiful city-centre hotel: Le Pavillon de la Reine How did we choose the world’s most beautiful hotels?  Our global team of editors, writers and hotel experts spend a lot of their time reviewing hotels in their corner of the world. Every hotel on this list has been selected for a reason: show-stopping scenery, beautiful i

If you can’t find a reason to fall in love with Dublin, you’re not looking hard enough. I’ve lived here for a decade and am still discovering new pubs, restaurants and walks every other week. One of the best parts is how easily explorable Dublin is – it’s compact, walkable and a cinch to navigate. From the city’s popping food scene of the Liberties to the quaint Georgian architecture of Rathgar and the waterside Docklands flats, there’s an Airbnb to suit every type of traveller. Updated August 2026: We've added a new Airbnb in the historic Liberties area of Dublin, so you can walk to top attractions like the Guinness Storehouse and enjoy the happening nightlife of Temple Bar but still get a good night's sleep. Best Airbnbs in Dublin at a glance 👩‍👩‍👦‍👦Best for families: The stables in Phoenix Park  💞Best for couples: The city studio in the Docklands 🏙️Best in the city centre: Georgian Airbnb in city centre 🏡Most luxurious: Duplex penthouse with skyline views RECOMMENDED: The 24 best things to do in DublinRECOMMENDED: Where to stay in Dublin Who makes the cut? While we might not stay in every Airbnb featured, we've based our list on top reviews, hosts and amenities to find you the best stays. This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines.

Need a place to stay in London? You’re in the right place. Every year, a wealth of new hotels open in the capital – a testament to the fact that London remains one of the most desirable places to visit in the world. That can, however, make it rather tricky to decide which to choose. But worry not: we have slept our way across the city and hand-picked our favourites, to bring you this ultimate list of London hotels, from Mayfair to Shoreditch and far, far beyond.  Newcomers to our list include a few hotshot openings – the likes of Six Senses, the Newman and Zetter Bloomsbury – as well as a plenty of old classics. We’ve made sure to include budget-friendly, family-friendly and tourist-friendly stays, and we’ve included our favourite spots to visit nearby too. This is Time Out London, after all. In other words, we’ve made it all rather easy for you. Thank us later: here are the best hotels in London.  🏘️ Looking for even more options? Check out our list of the best Airbnbs in London Which area is best to stay in London? That entirely depends on what you’re looking for. If you’ve got cash to splash and and want to be right in the thick of it all for sightseeing, theatre and royal parks, stay in the West End. Want to live like a local and try out the city’s best wine bars and small plates? Try Hackney. For a homely, family-friendly vibe that’s a little further out, try Walthamstow. Or for our full breakdown, head to our full guide to where to stay in London.  How we curate our

London has no shortage of glitz, glamour and its fair share of predictable luxury. But if you’re after a stay with real personality, it’s worth skipping the big-names and diving into the city’s ever-evolving boutique scene. The term ‘boutique’ gets thrown around a lot, but every hotel on this list has something that sets it apart – whether that’s carefully curated interiors, standout art or those thoughtful little touches that make it feel genuinely special, and a little more like home. From cosy, characterful hideaways tucked down side streets to bold, design-led stays that rival the capital’s five-star heavyweights, these are the best boutique hotels in London, with our new number one The Newman fresh in for 2026.  London’s best boutique hotels at a glance 🌟 Best aparthotel: The July Victoria👑 Most historic: Hazlitt's🍴 Best for foodies: The Hoxton, Shepherd's Bush🧖‍♀️ Best for relaxation: The Newman💎 Most Modern: The Standard How we curate our hotel lists? Headed up by editor Joe Mackertich, our team at Time Out London spend their time reviewing hotels all over the Capital – new openings, old classics and everything in between – to bring you fresh, honest recommendations, all year round. Along with our pool of trusted hotel experts, every hotel on this list has been individually reviewed and selected for a reason: we’ve been there, we think it’s great and we’d genuinely recommend it. By the way, this article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on

Fancy a little slap 'n' tickle in Soho or hanky panky in Hoxton? You’ve come to the right place. London is full of sultry, saucy places to stay, and some of the city’s best hotels have special features to make your night even more romantic – we’re talking sex toys on sale at reception, lavish breakfasts in bed and same-day, daytime-only bookings for you-know-what. Ready to get steamy? Here are the best naughty hotels in the capital. Thank us later, folks.  London’s naughtiest hotels at a glance 🏢 Best views: Shangri-La The Shard 💷 Best value for money: Sea Containers 🛏️ Best for a whirlwind romance: The Hoxton, Holborn 🎉 Best place to party: The Twenty Two 📌 Looking for more options? Check out London’s best Airbnbs, or scroll through the most romantic hotels in London How we curate our hotel lists Our team at Time Out London spend their time reviewing hotels all over the Capital – new openings, old classics and everything in between – to bring you fresh, honest recommendations, all year round. Along with our pool of trusted hotel experts, every hotel on this list has been individually reviewed and selected for a reason: we’ve been there, we think it’s great and we’d genuinely recommend it. By the way, this article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines.

Right now, it feels like a great time to celebrate our cities. What cities do best is bring people together – everything we love about urban life, from the galleries and bars to the neighbourhood parks, exists thanks to the communities that make it all happen.  That’s why, every year, we raise a toast to the city with our definitive annual ranking, created on the back of a comprehensive survey of city-dwellers worldwide. Our survey asks not only what people love about their cities – the food scene and nightlife, the shops and museums, the parks and people – but also how it feels to live there. We asked you about happiness, affordability and quality of life, among a variety of other criteria. And, in order to dig deeper into the everyday lives of locals, this year we expanded our survey to cover aspects like love, romance and community feel. Time Out’s Best Cities with Intrepid Travel spotlights the destinations that offer the best of both worlds: an endlessly exciting catalogue of reasons to visit, as well as all the good stuff that makes a place feel like home. The 50 cities that made the list this year did so thanks to the insights of more than 24,000 people across 150 cities worldwide. To determine the final Best Cities ranking for 2026, we combined their thousands of responses with the votes of more than 100 Time Out city experts. Then we tapped up our network of local writers to tell us exactly what makes their city worth a visit right now. The result? A rundown of the m

There’s a reason why so many romantic comedy films are set in London; quite simply, it’s one of the best places in the world to be loved up. The picturesque Little Venice, the historic Whispering Gallery at St Paul’s Cathedral, and the breathtaking Waterloo Bridge are among the many romantic places to visit at any time of year – and we can’t get enough. But to encourage your love to reach full bloom, it’s important to pick a hotel with the right kind of vibe. Breakfast in bed, complimentary cocktails upon arrival, and pampering spa packages are the sort of special touches that can make all the difference when you’re in the mood to woo... or maybe even pop the question! For the ultimate couple’s break, here are our hotels in London to cook up a bit of romance.  💞 January 2026: We’ve just added two of London’s best romantic hotel packages in time for Valentine’s Day in February – find them in spots number one and two on our list.   🛏️ Discover our list of the sexiest hotels in London How we curate our hotel lists Headed up by editor Joe Mackertich, our team at Time Out London spend their time reviewing hotels all over the Capital – new openings, old classics and everything in between – to bring you fresh, honest recommendations, all year round. Along with our pool of trusted hotel experts, every hotel on this list has been individually reviewed and selected for a reason: we’ve been there, we think it’s great and we’d genuinely recommend it. By the way, this article includes

The first CitizenM property to open in Ireland, this hotel is in a perfect spot, just over the road from St Patrick’s Cathedral and smack bang in the middle of the Liberties, the neighbourhood loved by all the cool Dubliners. Like all of their hotels, it’s designed for those who want to spend their time out exploring, rather than loafing around in their rooms (which are on the compact side). Luckily, there’s loads to discover right on the doorstep, from the best brunch spots in Dublin to landmarks like Marsh’s Library, if you’re feeling scholarly.  Why stay at citizenM Dublin? There’s always something snazzy about a custom build – everything works exactly as it should and the rooms still have that box-fresh, brand new feel. There’s also something to be said for a brand that has a tried and trusted formula, and knows exactly what they’re doing with each launch.  But that aside, this is the place to be if you’re looking to have a good time in the city and come back to your room for a snooze, before doing it all again the next day.  What are the rooms like at citizenM Dublin? Small, but perfectly formed. All 245 rooms are exact the same size, with a big king bed built into the wall and picture window – while the bed itself is large, this does mean that the person sleeping on the window side will have to clamber over their bed-mate to go for a pee in the night. There’s space for luggage under the bed, a small open wardrobe with six hangers, and a futuristic-looking bathroom with

What's the vibe? Casual, bright and with something of a communal feel – the tables are bare, tightly packed and almost always full when the evening rolls around. There’s nothing particularly sleek about this spot, but who cares when the food is this good? At Chimac, the focus is on Korean fried chicken, served in burger or ‘nug’ form, served in enamel dishes and drenched messily in their homegrown sauces (which you can now buy – and drink – by the bottle).   What should I order? The most popular shout is one of their burgers (the K-BBQ is a standout), but their free-range chicken nugs are a must, dunked in their spicy sriracha caramel. Get the fries covered in ssamjang cheese and candied bacon, or go all out with the poutine, where they add chunks of chicken and a spicy Adobo gravy to the mix. Heaven.  What are the prices like? Excellent – expect to pay around €15 for a burger, or €11 for nugs. They serve Irish craft beers and frosé, too.    📍 Discover more of the best restaurants in Dublin right now.

What is it? A celebration of all things Oscar Wilde, Ireland’s most flamboyant, controversial and lovable writer. Taking place mostly in his childhood home, a lavish Georgian townhouse on the edge of Merrion Square, Oscariana is in its third year, and this October, it’ll mark not only Wilde’s birthday but the 125th anniversary of his death.  Over the course of three days, the house will play host to intimate theatrical performances, musical gigs and plays, all held within the historic walls of Wilde’s house – that means you could see The Importance of Being Oscar performed in what was once their salon, or see a live reading of Wilde’s fairytales in his former nursery.  Why is it worth visiting? This is intimate, immersive theatre at its best – can you think of a cooler setting for a Wilde-themed play than in the very room he once threw bread rolls across the dining room table? You can also hear childhood stories like that one on the guided tour of Oscar Wilde House, where they’ll tell the tale of his life, warts and all.  Theatrics aside, there will also be screenings of his film adaptations in cinemas around the city, with The Importance of Being Earnest shown in the luxurious 1920s Stella Theatre, and The Picture of Dorian Gray in the Light House.  What should I know before I go? You’ll need to score tickets fairly quickly, particularly for any live theatre or musical events, so keep an eye on the website to act when bookings go live. Bear in mind too that Oscar Wilde House

Quite possibly the coolest hotel chain around, The Hoxton brand blends an air of familiarity with a waft of the unique within each location. Their Holborn hotel is no exception – there are those universal features like a buzzing, open-plan lobby, low slung couches and cheery staff – but you also get little touches that make this spot its own. Rooms are stylish, the in-house restaurant is exceptional, and the location is pretty unbeatable too – plus they do a mean dirty samphire martini in the Lobby Bar.  Why stay at The Hoxton, Holborn? While it doesn’t have a rooftop bar like the Hoxton hotels in Southwark and Shoreditch, I reckon the Holborn property is one of their best, particularly if you want to explore central on foot. You’ll walk in to people tapping away on laptops either at the coffee shop side of the lobby or the bar at the other end, and it feels buzzy, not overcrowded. The design is slick too: mid-century modern seats, bouclé armchairs and muted, abstract murals painted on the exposed brick walls. If you’re here on a date, the cosy little banquettes by the bar have got you covered.  What are the rooms like at The Hoxton, Holborn? Like all of their hotels, the room sizes vary. They make no secret of it, either – the entry level ‘shoebox’ room is definitely compact, but fine for one person (particularly if they use the lobby as their living room of sorts). The space obviously increases the more you pay – my Cosy Up room felt deceptively large, thanks to the longer

Every so often, you stumble across a hotel that just feels right. And that, to me, is 1 Hotel Mayfair. The eco-luxury brand opened their London property in 2023, and all the little touches feel considered – think handwritten notes at turndown, plants at every turn and yoga mats in each room (along with the comfiest bathrobe of all time). This is a place where pared-back luxury meets sustainability, but done so seamlessly you don’t even realise you’re being green.  Why stay at 1 Hotel Mayfair? Walking into this hotel feels like walking into a forest. Step inside (the doors held open by bellhops in flat caps and leather trainers) and you’ll be standing under a gigantic dome of dripping moss, by a slatted stone feature with ivy creeping between the gaps. There are plants absolutely everywhere – they somehow keep 1,300 of them alive in the hotel, a feat I cannot fathom – along with loads of natural stone, warm wood and a reception desk made from a 200-year-old oak tree trunk, which fell in Sussex.  The air inside even smells better, thanks to their signature scent, a heady yet subtle mix of eucalyptus and cedar – I bought the candle in their West Hollywood hotel, and I guard that wick like Gollum. Go beyond the lobby, and you’ll find sumptuously stylish rooms, a killer restaurant and a cocktail bar you’ll want to cosy up in for hours. What else could you need?     What are the rooms like at 1 Hotel Mayfair? The 181 rooms have a pared back version of the overall aesthetic – think