|
1. Favorite hotels.
Waltons is a bit of a splurge for Dublin. It's above a music shop, and in fact much of the hotel itself was formerly a music shop. Musical motifs are present in every room. Accommodations are on the simple side and welcoming. The lounge, a former piano sales room, is massive and velvety. At first glance, the entire room appears to be done in velvet. Management is also friendly and multilingual.
Clifden Guest House in the Upper Gardiner area is an amazing deal. It's just €40 for a single in low season. This rate might suggest something bare bones and unappealing, but Clifden's rooms are actually beautifully decorated, and the Georgian house in which it sits is in lovely renovated shape.
Though I tend to prefer little guesthouses over big business-class hotels, I really liked Mespil Hotel, on the southern edge of central Dublin in Ballsbridge. Low season nightly rates at Mespil are under €100, which is quite good for a business-class hotel with all the standard facilities. All rooms are doubles, with flat rates across the entire hotel. Mespil is also in Ballsbridge, which is a cute little pocket of Dublin. Request a new room, as not all the rooms have been recently renovated.
2. Favorite thing about working in Dublin.
I love the scale of Dublin, so compact and manageable. It's vibrant, even buzzing. Locals may take a little time to warm up, but when they do, they're quite friendly. I suppose there's not one thing I love about Dublin—it's more of the overall feel and culture of the city that I appreciate.
3. What surprised you about Dublin?
I last visited Dublin as a child. I remember finding Dublin (and Ireland as a whole) gorgeous and fascinating, but also clearly struggling economically. I expected to find today's Dublin quite well-off and also very cosmopolitan, but actually seeing this remarkably prosperous and diverse city in the flesh was a bit of a jolt.
4. Funny story.
Waking up before five a.m. after a late night to catch my Ryanair flight wasn't exactly fun, but it did lead to this tense yet hilarious experience.
5. Favorite local food.
It may not be food, but Guinness from the tap almost feels like nourishment.
6. Highlight of visit.
Again, it's hard to point to one experience, though walking across a reveler-packed Grattan Bridge on a breezy summer night felt magical. |
