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Mercer Court is owned by the Royal College of Surgeons. A student dormitory during most of the year, it doubles as a hotel from mid-June through the end of September. Anyone who has spent any time in a prefab dormitory will immediately recognize the Mercer Court aesthetic. (Caution! Don't confuse Mercer Court with the three-star Mercer Hotel, just across the street.)
The distinct sense of interior design by checklist is unavoidable: thin wall-to-wall carpets, dark curtains, bulletin boards, and desk/bookshelf units. In lieu of stand-alone showers, Mercer Court features sloped-floor bathrooms with corner showerheads and flimsy shower curtains for privacy. Ahh, college life. But at least every comfy, bright, no-frills room has a private bathroom.
So it's clear that Mercer Court is not the most charming, nor the most stylistically innovative hotel around. But we still like it, and here's why: Mercer Court's location is wonderful. Next to St. Stephen's Green and just a quick walk from Temple Bar, the Mercer is convenient without being smack dab in the most touristy quarter of Dublin. Additionally, staff is friendly and accommodating, and the nightly rates are reasonable, dipping a further 25 percent for longer stays.
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