Grafton Guest House

If it looks like a boutique hotel and feels like a boutique hotel, is it a boutique hotel? Situated in a centrally located brick building that was once part of a Victorian-era shopping complex, the Grafton Guest House gets it right.

The Grafton Guest House’s 16 cute rooms are really something. Bold daisy-themed wallpaper provides a flash of color against otherwise stark design. These are fairly compact rooms, although the boldness of their interior design provides some compensation, at least for the aesthetically driven. All rooms are equipped with a television, phone and coffeemaker.

Bathrooms are downright classically gorgeous. Big, broad brick-shaped white wall tiles work well with shiny obsidian-like floor tiles. Showers are contemporary, stylish numbers. Frankly, we’re used to seeing bathrooms like these at less down-to-earth price points.

Continental breakfast is complimentary and Wi-Fi is free—though the latter was experiencing mechanical hiccups during our visit.

The Grafton Guest House shares a reception area with the more upscale Kellys Hotel, located several doors down. It’s close to the Temple Bar action, but far enough away to keep the drunken revelers at bay.