4* The Morrison

The Spencer is for a slightly different kind of Dublin trip. Rather than squeezing you into the busy streets around Temple Bar, it sits beside the Liffey in the Docklands, giving you more space and a more modern neighbourhood around the hotel. It’s especially handy for 3Arena, the Convention Centre and Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, with plenty of restaurants and bars around the IFSC and Grand Canal Dock. The Luas runs right through the area, so getting back towards the traditional centre is easy. The George, PantiBar and the other LGBTQ+ venues aren’t on the doorstep, but they’re straightforward to reach when you want them. GayMapper tip: particularly useful if a concert or show is part of the weekend, or if you prefer staying somewhere calmer and travelling into the nightlife when the mood takes you.

If your Dublin weekend is likely to involve The George, The Grafton could hardly make things easier. The hotel sits just off South Great George’s Street, so one of Ireland’s best-known gay bars is practically around the corner. It’s also a brilliant general city location. George’s Street Arcade, Grafton Street, St Stephen’s Green and Temple Bar are all close by, and this part of the Creative Quarter has a huge choice of restaurants, cocktail bars and pubs. You can comfortably spend most of a weekend here without thinking about public transport. The hotel has a colourful, contemporary feel and Bartley’s downstairs is handy for a first drink before heading out. GayMapper tip: particularly hard to beat if gay nightlife and being able to walk almost everywhere are at the top of your Dublin wish list.

The Westbury gives you proper five-star Dublin without making you choose between luxury and location. It’s tucked just off Grafton Street, with The George only a few minutes away and the restaurants and bars of the Creative Quarter all around you. You can walk from here to St Stephen’s Green, Trinity College, Temple Bar and Dublin Castle, so there’s very little reason to bother with transport during a typical weekend. The surrounding streets stay lively into the evening but feel rather more civilised than the busiest parts of Temple Bar. Back at the hotel, service is polished without being stiff, and The Gallery overlooking Grafton Street is a Dublin institution for afternoon tea or a drink when the weather encourages staying indoors. GayMapper tip: the splurge choice for a special Dublin weekend when you want five-star service and the gay scene still close enough to walk home from.

Jacobs Inn is a good base if you want to keep Dublin accommodation costs under control without heading out to the suburbs. It’s opposite Connolly Station, so DART, Luas and mainline trains are right there, while O’Connell Street and the city centre are an easy walk away. There’s a choice of private rooms and dorms, and the large bar, terrace and regular events give the place a genuinely sociable atmosphere. That makes it particularly useful for solo travellers who’d like the option of meeting people rather than disappearing into a hotel room every evening. PantiBar and Pennylane on Capel Street are around a 15-minute walk away, while The George and the south-side gay scene are easily reached across the river. GayMapper tip: a strong budget option for solo travellers, friends and anyone who values good transport links almost as much as cheap(er) Dublin accommodation.

Number 31 feels more like being invited into an exceptionally stylish Dublin home than checking into a conventional hotel. Hidden away near St Stephen’s Green, it combines a Georgian townhouse with a rather fabulous modernist mews, with just 22 individually designed rooms. The location is pleasantly residential but still very central. Grafton Street, Camden Street and the restaurants around the Creative Quarter are walkable, as is The George when you want a gay night out. Service gets particularly strong feedback here, but breakfast is the thing people tend to become evangelical about — worth allowing rather more time for than your usual coffee-and-run routine. GayMapper tip: especially nice for couples who want somewhere intimate and grown-up while keeping central Dublin and the nightlife within walking distance.

The Morrison gets one of those Dublin locations that works especially well for LGBTQ+ travellers. You’re right on the Liffey: cross the bridge and Temple Bar is immediately in front of you, while head north for a few minutes and you’ll reach Capel Street, PantiBar and Pennylane. That means you can choose between different parts of Dublin’s nightlife without needing taxis, while O’Connell Street, Trinity College, Grafton Street and most of the major central sights are walkable too. Jervis Luas stop is just behind the hotel when your feet eventually object. The atmosphere is contemporary and polished without feeling excessively formal, and staying on the north bank keeps you slightly removed from Temple Bar’s late-night chaos. GayMapper tip: our favourite Dublin all-rounder for combining gay nightlife, sightseeing and a genuinely convenient city-centre location.