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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.