While in Dublin, we experienced two very different hotel stays. Continue reading to see my review of The Conrad and the Dean. Ultimately, we stayed at two hotels because I was very intrigued by the Dean. It was not available one of the nights during our stay, so we divided our time. Changing hotels is understandably a pain. However, oftentimes, I like to stay at a couple of places on vacation. For me, the hotel is part of the experience, not just a place to sleep. That is why you will frequently see me comparing hotels or discussing more than one option for your stay.
1. The Conrad. This hotel recently underwent a renovation, and I felt this was very apparent in our hotel room. It was contemporary in a traditional way. I enjoyed the decor and the professional staff at the front desk. As it is part of Hilton, we were able to get a great military rate here. They also have AAA rates available. Included in our stay, we received breakfast in the restaurant near the lobby. The breakfast was buffet style, but they also had a menu to order from. They had a great selection of local meats and cheeses. There was hot food as well and traditional breakfast items. One of my favorites was their strawberry banana smoothie that was part of the buffet. It came in a small “cute” mini glass next to a jar of striped straws.
The hotel is not far from St. Stephen’s Green which is a large park that you can walk through to get almost anywhere. We walked around the majority of the city, and we felt this location was within reason to get to almost all of the sites. When we returned to the hotel after a day of sightseeing, they left a small dessert treat in our room with a bottle of sparkling and still water. This was certainly a nice touch. Also available in the room was a robe and slippers, which I always enjoy when getting ready for the day. Overall, I was very happy with our quiet and relaxing stay at The Conrad.
2. The Dean. This hotel was on so many of the “hot lists” I found on my online searches. It is literally in the exact same location on the opposite side of the park. I loved the modern look and feel. There is a Smeg fridge in all the rooms and an assortment of “things” at your disposal … everything from a convertor, extra toothbrush, liquor, and Red Bulls. Some of the items are free, but the majority of them you have to pay for. They also have a record player in the room with about 5 records to choose from. I thought this was a fantastic touch. You can also plug your phone into their speaker to play music.
This is a “party” hotel to be clear. We ran across multiple bachelorette parties. I read online ahead of time that it can be rather noisy in this area of town. There are many nightclubs within walking distance. It is a little disturbing to find ear plugs at your bedside table when you arrive. That being said, I did not feel that noise was an issue in our room. They told us upon check-in that we were in a “quieter hallway.” It was facing the back of the hotel in a superior room, which was on the third floor. Despite its party reputation, I still enjoyed staying here and felt it could be enjoyed by a variety of individuals.
They have a great bar in the lobby. I didn’t even see the check-in desk when we arrived. It looks like you are walking into a bar. They also have a very popular rooftop bar/deck. The bars at the hotel stay open “as late as people are interested” if you will. They also offer late night bites to deliver to your room at fantastic prices.
Overall, I enjoyed both hotels and what they had to offer. If you are looking for a quiet stay with a more mature crowd, stay at The Conrad. If you are looking for a lively atmosphere with plenty of action, stay at The Dean.
