Great - loved it!
by A TripAdvisor Member
Just come back from Easter Weekend break in Dublin, staying at The Fitzwilliam Hotel.
Hotel is in great position - just on St Stephens Green right in the centre of town, and only a few minutes walk from the great shops on Grafton Street.
We arrived on Good Friday (be aware this is a "dry day" in Dublin and no pubs are open), and after a short taxi ride from the airport arrived at the hotel. Lovely, airy, modern lobby with friendly reception staff, who checked us in and explained what was going on in Dublin over the Easter weekend. She also booked us a table in the hotel's Citron restaurant for that evening.
The room itself was just as we had expected from the hotel website - modern, very clean with a brilliant bathroom - nice big bath, dimmer switch lighting, a speaker for the CD player in the room and of course nice big fluffy bathrobes. (I do like a nice bathroom!). We had a ground floor room overlooking the garden in the centre of the hotel. This was nice as there was a window seat overlooking the garden in the room, and in the evening there were pretty fairy lights in the trees! I think most of the rooms either overlook this garden or St Stephens Green opposite the hotel.
We had dinner that evening in the Citron restaurant in the hotel - really great food with good service. The Inn on the Green is also great for cocktails or the 130 euro a shot Brandy if you fancy that?!
While we were in Dublin we did the usual tourist things - Guiness brewery, Jamesons tour etc. Both were really good and well worth a visit, but if you go at a busy time, then be prepared to queue.
We also visited the Kilmainham Gaol - this is one of the largest unused Gaols in Europe. There is a musuem and you get a guided tour of the old and newer parts of the gaol also. A really, really interesting place which I would recommend taking an hour or two to visit (it is only 5 euro entrance fee).
You can use the toursist buses which are a good way to get round the city and stop outside all the major places to visit. But to be honest if you have a good map / guidebook then it is a small enough city to walk around and there are lots of pubs to stop off at for emergency refuelling Guiness stops.
Was a little disappointing
by TripAdvisor Member alainef
I had higher hopes from this hotel. The room was "trying too hard" to be cool and hip while it was not functional (no power outlets, and there were around 40 light switches that never quite produced the appropriate light); the bed was uncomfortable and much of the space was taken up by a huge closet in the center of the room which made it feel cramped. The construction is still going on and begins early, and my room always smelled like whatever they were sawing on the electric saw. The bathroom was great - beautiful tiles and a great bath tub. The lobby was also great - very inviting and warm - which also describes the staff. The location is wonderful - right by Stephen's Green, and it's a safe neighborhood after dark. I would probably look elsewhere next time, unless a great deal came along.
Where am I?
by TripAdvisor Member SimonLancaster
The Morrison or this gaff??? Well there are pro's and con's to both. Although on St Stephens Green it next door to a hiddeous mini shopping mall complete with Mc D's. Once again you,ll be mad to pay rack so search out a deal and forget the over expensive breakfast. Good bathrooms dark hallways ...its all a bit 1998 and trying too hard, and sits a little bit at un-ease with the most 1986 image of Dublin ( with 2020 prices ) hello.. Am I in Paris?....no there are no decent cafes or shops... more like Preston
Strange Smells
by A TripAdvisor Member
We have just spent 3 nights at the Fitzwilliam, which generally was pretty good, but not worth the £360. The Hotel is very well presented and very well located, but on our trip we had three problems :
1. There was a strange smokey / burning smell around the room which left a dry feeling in your throat. We brought it up with reception but they did not solve the problem.
2. There are building works going on, possibly the source of the smell. The workmen are normally busy before 9am.
3. The rooms are very small for a 5 star hotel.
My advice - try somewhere else!
lovely and luxurious
by A TripAdvisor Member
After spending an appalling night at The River House Hotel (see review).Booked into the Fitzwilliam,very helpful and friendly staff.The room was lovely huge bed, bathrobes provided wonderful bathroom and toiletries, they even provided an umbrella for your stay.
Very quiet location but right next to the shops, park etc..
Will definitely return.
Wow! What a great place to stay!
by A TripAdvisor Member
We only stayed at the Fitzwilliam for two nights, but we had a terrific stay! The concierge staff was spectacular, even knew us by name (which was amazing since we only stayed 2 nights, as I had mentioned before). The breakfast was great as well. Over all, it is a wonderful hotel and would recommend it to everyone!
Great Location & Great Hotel
by A TripAdvisor Member
I have stayed at the Fitzwilliam on a couple of occasions in 2003 and 2004 and have had a very pleasant stay both times. The hotel is in a great location overlooking St Stephen's Green and 50yrds from Grafton Street. The staff are helpful and professional and cater for all your needs. I have friends that are Dubliners and they also love this hotel! Well recommended!!
Forum Posts
where to stay and what to do
by rickki
Can anyone recommend a good hotel in dublin, we are a couple with one night in dublin wanting to see a bit of action, not bothered about price just want a good central hotel. Any advice on where to go at night, not keen on nightclubs (at bit old for them at 41) but would like a non-pretentious pub that proper dubliners go to. Where can we get the best pint of guinness and some good proper grub? Cheers!
RE: where to stay and what to do
by Academic
Well, if price isn't an issue, consider the Shelbourne, right on College Green. It's arguably Dublin's most historic hotel, and it's hard to beat the location. There are lots of good pubs within easy walking distance, some touristy and some not. www.dublinpubscene.com is a good source of information on these, and includes maps for most.
Cheers,
Academic
RE: RE: where to stay and what to do
by Academic
Oh, so far as the "best pint of Guinness" goes, this is a matter of controversy. Restricting myself to pubs that are in the center city and which have other attractions in addition to their stout, I can say that I've had top notch pints at Mulligans (Poolbeg St.), the Long Hall (South Great Georges), and the Brazen Head (Bridge St.). The last of these also serves food, and seems to attract both locals and tourists, though the ratio between the two varies considerably depending on time of day and day of the week.
Cheers,
Academic
RE: RE: where to stay and what to do
by Kulprit
A note to confirm Academic's choice in Mulligans. It's where Joyce penned "Dubliners", is quite central and is frequented by real Dubs. It was the favourite watering hole of journalists from the nearby Irish Press newspaper, until the publication's untimely demise, and hacks always know where to get a good pint. With Guinness the general wisdom is to drink it in places where lots of it is consumed so that it never lies long in the pipes. That can be said also of the Brazen Head, as Academic suggested, which is also quite central and is Ireland's oldest pub - dating back to 1100 or thereabouts. If money's not an object with hotels then The Shelbourne on the Green is as Academic described or The Westbury off Grafton Street, The Clarence (U2s pub) or, on a less expensive scale, Jury's Inn on Christchurch Hill.
Enjoy your trip
RE: where to stay and what to do
by welovedonegal
hi - the fitzwilliam hotel right on stephen's green is a handy location. very modern bedrooms, couple of restaurants in the building. one of which is very good. another nice restaurant is a teeny walk just across the green to the unicorn. very buzzy little italian restaurant set in a cute little mews. the good thing about eating in the unicorn is that donoghues pub is just a couple of steps away - good trad.pub and very old. then a short stagger, i mean walk, back to the fitzwilliam. have great fun on your night out in dublin.
catherine
www.welovedonegal.com
