With a press trip to Ireland, I was excited to stay at new hotels. Who am I kidding? I think we’ve already established how much I love a boutique hotel, no matter where in the world it’s located. Enter the Dylan Hotel in Dublin. Tucked into a beautiful area of the city, this was our jumping-off point for many of our adventures with Bord Bia in the country — more on that visit, a separate post will be coming soon! Our flight arrived a bit later than expected, and my room had some major Wifi issues (not what I really wanted, considering it was past 1 AM my time). The team did their best, and for that, I was appreciative (even if I didn’t get online until the following morning, #firstworldproblems).
So, what did I like best about the Dylan? What changes would I make? Keep reading to find out!
Pros
- Location! While not as specifically central as some other options in the city, the Dylan is tucked into a charming area, and walking to some of the top spots in Dublin was a quick 15-20 minute stroll. As the weather was so nice during our visit, I didn’t even consider calling an Uber (although taxis and similar are readily available, and the front desk is always happy to call one for you).
- Little touches. Butler’s Chocolates in the room. The heated floor button in the bathroom. The easily connectable Bose soundbar. The Replica toiletries. All of these small things added up to a significant impact.
- Stunning spaces. The rooms, in my opinion, were the most poorly design spaces in the hotel! Given the coolness factor of The Eddison or the charming old school Hollywood vibes of the Ruby Room, the hidden courtyard, or the spacious outdoor terrace, this is the kind of hotel where you would stop in for a drink, even if you weren’t staying here.
Cons
- Noise. As quiet as the area is, there was some reasonably significant outside noise at the rear of the hotel on my last morning. Given all the clanging, I have to assume there was some exchange for the bar, but if you were suffering from jet lag, it would be a bit of an unexpected (and rather unwanted) wake-up call. Furthermore, as my first room was on the ground floor, it would’ve been really loud on that level. Pro tip: ask for a room on the second floor if possible, and one not facing the alley.
- A weird mini-bar set up. One of my rooms had black tea, and the other didn’t. One of my rooms had fresh milk (which seemed expired), and one didn’t. One of my rooms had black (breakfast) tea, and the other didn’t. There wasn’t a saucer for the mugs, and reaching the coffee maker was challenging in both rooms. Most of these are easy fixes, but I was surprised at the consistency.
- Late check out denied. More my own fault than anything else, I should have pushed my lunch at Restaurant Patrick Gilbaud to as late as possible, and relaxed in my room until the latest possible timing on the morning of my departure. Instead, with all my luggage, and no particular energy on my side to see any more of the city than I already had, I sadly sat in the lobby bar for the better part of 5 hours (to be fair, they were very accommodating). A 3 or 4 PM check out would’ve really helped my life, but I completely understand the hotel needed the room back.
Would I stay at the Dylan again? Probably. Although there are a few other hotels I walked by which caught my eye…
Who is the Dylan best for? Business travelers. Anyone who wants to stop by for a drink in a beautiful setting.
Where is your favorite place to stay in Dublin? There are plenty of impressive hotels — I’d love to hear your opinion!
A to Za’atar was a guest of the Dylan Hotel. Opinions are my own, just ask my husband.
