InterContinental Dublin Hotel

I had a an option to stay at any hotel in Dublin for my birthday - and I choose the Intercontinental, I rate it way beyond the Shelburne or any other high star hotel I have stayed at in Dublin. The customer service is excellent, the staff are very attentive, there is nothing I can really fault at all, I will return and I always recommend it for anyone looking to be close to the city but yet feel they are away from it also. Make sure you join their loyalty program, we got an upgrade because of this.

The suite was perfect. Would live in that room.. Lots of space, very clean, everything you need for comfort. Staff was very nice, we got all the help we needed with our luggage, getting cabs. The bar there is good, the atmosphere in the lounge is amazing, very peacefull and comfortable. Staff is very attentive.

Service was unbearable. After a long drive here, I did not feel welcome in this property. Also, the "special rate" that you get if you book the continental breakfast in advance made me question why they had to resort to high pressure sales tactics to get hotel guests to choose breakfast there.

I stayed at the Intercontinental Dublin after leaving my apartment ahead of my move to London. I booked it on points, and as I'm only Spire Elite with the chain (but not an Ambassador) I did not expect any upgrade or any fancy room. Instead I was pleasantly surprised as I was upgraded to an Executive Room. The room was very spacious, particularly for Dublin. It was a corner room, with three nice windows (Victorian?) that make the room very bright during the day, and can be quite well obscured overnight. The bed and the sofa-chairs were very comfortable and the quality of sleep very good as there was no noise coming from the neighbouring room. The bathroom was positively huge with marble floor and another big window that made the morning routine a very happy affaire. It included both a bath tub and a walk-in shower, and a separately closable toilet closet. The towels and bathrobes are comfortable, and the hairdryer modern and great to use. The only problem I can find is that the pressure of the shower was really limited, and the showerhead only had options for "faucet" and "mildly misted". The amenities in the room were also very pleasing: a Nespresso machine makes for great morning (and evening, in my case) coffee, and as an executive room, free water was well provided during my stay. The minibar is well stocked, including chocolate and non-alcoholic beverages, and not terribly expensive for a minibar, particularly in a nice hotel like this. The lobby of the hotel is also stunning. While waiting to check in, I really enjoyed listening to the pianist playing in the restaurant/bar of the hotel, and concierge and bellhops were all very happy to help with anything that was needed (though having been a local in Dublin for the previous four years, there wasn't much I required). Location wise, Ballsbridge is a bit far off from the city centre, but it is walkable (I did just that). The closest light rail stop is about 20 minutes away walking, but if you are interested in an event at the RDS Arena or Aviva Stadium, its location is great. The former is literally next door, while the Aviva is about 10-15 minutes walking at most.

Fabulous location and the hotel is the best. Our junior king room had everything and more. Arriving after a long flight we had lunch in the lobby bar and it was fantastic but it was difficult to get service. A hotel experience is not just about the rooms and facilities, it is about the service. We noticed a language issue as many staff we had contact with seemed to have some language difficulties. One night we needed a knife to cut some fruit and my wife rang for this but we were brought an ice bucket instead. Then we rang room service after 9pm but no one answered, so I rang the concierge and he tried to put me through but we were again left hanging. My wife eventually went downstairs to the dining area and brought back a plate and knife. Reception staff ignored us when we passed by as if we did not exist. We had just stayed in a similar hotel in Tel Aviv and the contrast in service level was stark. Customers matter, surely. Such a pity as this should be so much better. The WiFi though was very fast!