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5* The Merchant House
The Merchant House, Eustace Street, Temple Bar, Dublin, Ireland
Near Gay Nightlife, Luxury
The Merchant House is for travellers who like the idea of staying right in old Dublin but don’t particularly want a conventional five-star hotel. There are just a handful of large suites inside an 18th-century townhouse in Temple Bar, so it feels much more private and individual.
Step outside and you’re surrounded by pubs, restaurants and historic streets, with Street 66 just around the corner and The George easily walkable. Capel Street is only across the river, so most of Dublin’s LGBTQ+ nightlife can be reached on foot.
There are a couple of quirks worth knowing about: there’s no conventional hotel reception and the historic building has stairs rather than a lift. Being in Temple Bar also means accepting that Dublin occasionally gets a little enthusiastic after dark.
GayMapper tip: a romantic choice for couples who want space, history and nightlife outside the door rather than all the trappings of a large luxury hotel.
Hotels you might like in Dublin
4* NYX Dublin Christchurch
NYX Hotel Dublin Christchurch drops you right into one of the most useful parts of central Dublin. Christchurch Cathedral is opposite, Dublin Castle is around the corner and Temple Bar starts just a few streets away.
For a night out, Street 66 is particularly close, while The George and the bars around Capel Street are all comfortably walkable. There are also enough pubs, restaurants and cafés around this part of town to make choosing dinner considerably harder than getting there.
The hotel has a colourful, music-influenced look and a livelier feel than many of Dublin’s four-star hotels, with DJs and live music on selected nights.
GayMapper tip: a great choice if you want to walk to both the sightseeing and the nightlife and would prefer your hotel to have a bit of personality too.
Near Gay Nightlife, City Centre
Jacobs Inn Hostel
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.
Great Value, City Centre
3* Generator Dublin
Generator gives you a slightly different Dublin experience in Smithfield, a lively neighbourhood west of the main shopping streets with cafés, pubs and the Jameson Distillery right outside.
Smithfield Luas stop is beside the hostel, so getting into the centre is easy, although plenty is walkable too. Capel Street — home to PantiBar and Pennylane — is around a 15-minute stroll away, while the Guinness Storehouse and the Liberties are particularly convenient from this side of town.
Private rooms are available if dorm life has lost its charm, while the bar and regular events keep things sociable downstairs.
GayMapper tip: a good fit if you want a lively, affordable stay with a bit of neighbourhood character rather than being dropped straight into touristy Temple Bar.
Great Value, City Centre
4* The Clarence
Listed in The Independent's Top 50 Places to Stay, The Clarence Boutique Hotel in Dublin offers luxury rooms & delicious food with a gay friendly welcome.
The Clarence hotel is Dublin's original rock n' roll hotel situated right in the heart of Dublin. This boutique hotel offers rooms with super king-size, wrought-iron beds and velvet drapes. Located right in Dublin's centre, steps from gay nightlife, the hotel boasts River Liffey views.
Each individually designed room features custom-designed and hand-crafted furnishings, and stained glass bedside lamps. There is free Wi-Fi in all rooms, along with American White Oak floors and a private bathroom with limestone flooring.
Dublin's lively Temple Bar District is just a 2-minute walk from The Clarence, while O'Connell Street and Grafton Street are both 10 minutes' walk away. Trinity College and Dublin Castle are less than 10 minutes' walk from the hotel.
Near Gay Nightlife, Boutique
3* Number 31
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.
Boutique, City Centre
4* The Grafton Hotel
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.
Near Gay Nightlife, City Centre
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