Essential Ireland Tours pre-tour hotel recommendations
All our Essential Ireland Tours
Depart from Dublin on the morning of Day 1 at 9am
& Return to Dublin on the final day at 4-5pm approx.
ALL our 2024 tours will depart from the LEONARDO HOTEL (formerly known as ‘Jurys Inn, Christchurch’, just opposite Christchurch Cathedral in central Dublin.
https://www.leonardohotels.co.uk/hotels/dublin/christchurch
(The best way to get to the departure point, the Leonardo Hotel, from Dublin airport, is by taxi. There'll be loads there at the taxi-rank outside arrivals or you can order a taxi via an app called 'FreeNow' (a German app that is the European rival to Uber and works in the same way). I dont find that Uber is very reliable in Dublin. In Ireland it is illegal for any car other than a taxi to pick up a fare for 'hire and reward' so if you use Uber it will be a taxi that arrives anyway.)
SOME RECOMMENDED PRE & POST-TOUR HOTELS...
MID-RANGE PRICE:
The Leonardo is quite nice, 4 star, superb location.
Doesnt have amazing character, but it's a safe bet. It's a big hotel with a great location. I like staying here, just dont find it very exciting. My wife thinks the housekeeping here could do with some improving, she and I both understand that for big hotels these days its hard to find and retain housekeeping staff, so standards sometimes aren't always what they used to be. But overall I'd be happy to stay in the Leonardo.
website: https://www.leonardohotels.co.uk/hotels/dublin/christchurch
BUDGET PRICE:
The HARDING HOTEL is across the street, its a 3 star, very friendly staff and good location, has a very lively pub underneath called 'Darkey Kelleys' with brilliant live Irish music but can be noisy until around 11.30pm. I actually like 3 star hotels like this and I stayed here every 2 weeks for 10 years when I was a young rookie Rick Steves tour-guide, so I love the place, but my wife prefers 5 star hotels, and she finds the bathrooms in the Harding are quite basic and frugal (but clean), so I get it that the Harding is not for everyone.
if you email the manager, Johnny, directly then he will give you great rates if he has rooms available. Manager@hardinghotel.ie
website: https://www.hardinghotel.ie
HIGH-END PRICE:
If you did want a 5 star option, then the COLLEGE GREEN HOTEL is down at the opposite end of Dame street. Location is also pretty perfect, Its a spectacular hotel and has an atrium bar that is very special. Its across the street from the Temple bar area but away from the noise.
website: https://www.thecollegegreenhotel.com/
LUXURY PRICE:
The SHELBOURNE HOTEL on st. Stephen's Green, it's a 10 minute taxi-ride from our tour commencement location at the Leonardo Hotel, and it's a long walk, maybe 30 minutes. But it's one of the most historic and elegant hotels in Dublin. I mention it because some tour-guests use Marriott or other points to stay here, and some tour-guests just want to give themselves a nice wee treat.
