Long Weekend in Dublin Advice Please

davidjwest

Not sure if a trip to Dublin is relevant in this forum or the UK Breaks one but anyway please help!
I'm thinking about taking my partner to Dublin for a long weekend at the end of April for her birthday and would like some advice. Planning on going to see Florence and the Machine while we're there as she is a fan.
1. Flights - can anyone recommend a good comparison website for flights? I've some flexibility with dates and don't mind which airport we use as long as it's within an hour or so drive from where we live but no comparison site that I can find appears to let you check flights from more than one airport as well as having flexibility on dates. Prices vary from £80 return pp inc taxes to around £200 from what I've found so far.
2. Anyone got any recommendations for hotels in or around Dublin? I'd like to keep costs down as the gig tickets are probably going to cost around £100 or so alone, not that I'm tight but I can't really afford a £100 plus a night hotel.
3. Any general tips for things to see and do in Dublin?
At this stage I'm still working out the costs and it might be a bit too much to pay for a long weekend.
Thanks.

richardw

Dublin is expensive.

She's doing lots http://florenceandthemachine.net/news/tags/tour

other places may be cheaper. There might be flights from Leeds http://www.leedsbradfordairport.co.uk/flightsandholidays-allflights.php to somewhere else.

Cindyloo

Our flight last year was with Ry-air from Bristol to Dublin, had no problems with them, service was good mind it was only 1 hr !!
Will need to print return tickets as well, if not a hefty charge will be made at check in.
Stayed at ADARE in Ballsbridge just outside Dublin its within walking distance of city with plenty of buses (cheap) running to and from Pembroke Park just 2 min walk to Hotel.
Hotel is a B&B in Pembroke Park Area, rooms very clean and good breakfast to set you up for the day.
Dublin is very expensive so where ever you go or what you do will cost...but the people are lovely and its a great fun place to visit.
The show could be held in the Park next to Hotel this is where Rod Stewart held his concert last year,might save on taxi's ect.
Hope this helps
Have a good time

jammin_2

davidjwest wrote: »

Not sure if a trip to Dublin is relevant in this forum or the UK Breaks

Here, since it's not part of the UK.

Dublin is expensive. Take a lot of money with you.

cnastrin

hi,

i have just returned from a weekend in dublin, and can safely say it is an expensive place ... if u like to drink!

but yr airfares for both of you return should only cost 90pounds

You can catch the airport transfer bus, for 8 euro, or a taxi will cost 30 euro... there is public transport which will bring it down to about 3 euro... or there are buses from various hostels which offer free airport transfer..


most of dublin is walkable... u will be tired ... but yr there on holidays ... soak it up! taxis can get expensive due to the notorious one way system... i made the mistake of leaving the stephens green shopping centre at the wrong end with an exhausted wife who insisted on cab for a 1km journey... i think this cost us 10 euro... cos of the one way system we drove about 5 km..


accomodation varies, as i have stayed in four places over 4 nights...

ranging from a 4 star hotel to a backpackers hostel... with a bed and breakfast in between



first night was ashfield house, bed and breakfast for 60 euro for 2 of us... apparently if u look around u can find b and b's for 45 euro...

second night, avalon backpackers on aungier st... 14 euro for 10 bed dorm... clean and central

third night 26 bed dorm at the avalon... 20 euro... they hike up prices over the weekend

fourth night callaghans davenport hotel near merrion square... 4 star lush hotel... king beds... room service is cheaper than eating out.... was supposed to be 489 euros a night ... got it for 89 via late rooms... beautiful.

a cab driver told me , i cant remeber the name of the street, but he said at the intersection where the new millenium spire is ... u turn off o connell street ( the main street of dublin,, cant miss it ) and that streets first intersection has a lot of good cheap accomodation...

do the free walking tour of dublin... it takes about 3 or four hours and gives u a good feel for the place as well as a lot of interesting insights... give u a sense of direction in an otherwise confusing city. if u go and yr tourguides name is blathmac ... pronounced blavva... say hi from the aussie who went for a beer at o donoghues with him... he will remember ...

free stuff to see... chester beatty library... an american magnate collected rare artefacts and religious script for most of his life before donating it to ireland... he was one of three civillians to get a state funeral... thats how impressive the collection is... ps england knighted him as well for services during the war... this was my highlight...

and it also smashes the book of kells, which is amazing ... but at 10 euros a glance... u will feel robbed when u see the contents of this library.

duvlinia gets rave reviews... vikings in ireland museum... they had the largest viking find in europe in the seventies and bulldozed it for progress... didnt get around to it but i had it recommended several times..

the dublin tour bus... the green ones ... r 15 euro each and will go to the wider extremes of dublin/.. 18 euro if u get the airport transfer included.. interesting ... depends, only necessary if u want to go to the zoo, the guiness factory or the jail.... or get a picture of the whole town.. the jamesons factory is walkable...

museums and art galleries are free, museum highlight is the three bog bodies... three 2000 yr old bodies discovered in the peat, well preserved ... might not be yr thing... but worth a glance


kilmanheim gaol was not for me ... despite being a draw card on the tour list... i found it a tour for parochial old irishmen.

pubs are a dime a dozen , each to their own in this department, finding a pint cheaper than 4 .5 euro is a bargain... finding one cheaper than 3,80 is impossible... but the guiness over there is magic and must be tried at least once..IT IS DIFFERENT!... no bad aftertaste and soooo smooth !!!

grafton st is the main shopping street, but u can find a dunnes... irish version of tesco on aungier st... cheap food..

or if u want to eat out...we went to a resturant called bocca, italian pasta, the food was soo good we went back again the second night...

their salmon pasta at top of menu is one of the best i have every tried

and for 13 euro definitely worth it ... servings are genrous... first night i had soup for 4 euro with a dablle in my wifes pasta and i was content.. im 6'5 150 kg.. i have a big appetite!

second night... one serve of pasta filled me !

day time snacks ... we found abra cadabra by accident .... they had some kebeb meal deal for 4 euros, was ok... an on special

burdocks chippie on a little side street near christchurch or duvlinia, is amazing... super awesome value... better than anything in england ... 1 serve of fish and chips is a meal for 2 !! also has a list of every star that has ever been there... impressive .... tiny with 3 ppl going flat out behind the counter to keep up..

overall... eating there isnt too bad... its the drinking that costs ... and u can fill a weekend in no time... go to the international pub one night and catch a comedy show for 5 or 10 euro

go to cafe de seine on dawson st ... u will be impressed... one of the most over the top interiors i have seen in ages



hope this helps... enjoy yr holiday

davidjwest

Wow, great cnastrin!

Many thanks for your valuable insight!

Managed to find return flights for ~£70 for both of us so quite happy with that, most of that is tax!

siren13577

Pop to St Michan's Chruch and visit the mummies:

http://www.visitdublin.com/seeanddo/detail.aspx?id=247&mid=1332

We also stayed here:
http://www.travelodge.co.uk/search_and_book/hotel_overview.php?hotel_id=286

which is Rathmines and is very close to the bus routes, when we were at the airport we bought a pass that was 10 euros return:
http://www.dublinbus.ie/en/Your-Journey1/Timetables/Airport-Services/
and it didn't take long either which would save you money on the taxis. The buses are regular and are by far the best way of getting round in Dublin. We did go to Bewley's for a treat which was great but if you go down the side streets and off O'Connell Street there are some cheap restaurants, we found a cheap veggie cafe that had lovely food.

I've been to Dublin a few times and we got the Dart to Bray which is lovely and there was a nice pub at the end of it which served lovely meals too. I hope this helps and you all have a nice time, plus Brownie points for being so considerate to your partner!

missile

Been to Dublin and found it very expensive.

I would suggest you get a hotel near the centre, or whatever attractions you want to see. You don't want to waste time commuting. Public transport is not that good and finding a taxis can be difficult and expensive after a night out.

The bus tour is good and a trip to Guiness brewery is a must.

Getting there is cheap, but did I mention Dublin is expensive?

Let’s spare a thought for Michael O’Leary, Chief Executive of Ryanair.

Arriving in a hotel in Dublin , he went to the bar and asked for a pint of Guinness.

The barman nodded and said “that will be one Euro please, Mr. O’Leary” to which Michael replied “that’s a very competitive price” and handed over his money.

“Will you be wanting a glass with your Guinness, sir?” enquired the barman.

welshflag

missile wrote: »

finding a taxis can be difficult and expensive after a night out.

When was the last time you were in Dublin?! There are more taxis here than in the whole of New York! FACT! Although I do agree they can be expensive :mad:

charlea

im in dublin at the moment in an apartment in the d1 area ( im watching the rugby this weekend

i have stayed at these apartments several time before with no prob
www.staydublin.com or .co.uk

i am using the ivy apartments with them they are basic but clean and very central you have a tescos within 2 mins and then you have henry st oconnel st and all the shops are withins mins walks you have butchers markets stalls ect and all the usual clothes shops resturant even a primark only its not called that in ireland

re stay dublin apartments (dont bother with the millenium one they are horrible the albion apartments are ok just around the corner from the ivy apartment and the christchurch ones are 2 st from christchurch jurys hotel kind of the other side of the river

The airport bus stops right outside Albion and the Ivy as well and its around 6-8 euros stay dulblin have a weird check in system there is no staff ect and its seems complicated but once you work it out its fine if you do book with these then pm me and i will tell you how it works as its weird the first time

Lots of the hotels will have there own shuttle transport as well so check this out when you book

the maldron hotel groups are good as well preety cheap couple of them have swimming pools ect and also the jurys hotels
there is one in dublin 1 and one in christchurch which are both easy walking distance to all the shops
Christchurch jurys is near st stephen green and the posher shops and temple bar
jurys oconel st is near henry st and grafton st and close to the ivy apartments which is where i am at the moment
Dublin is very very walkable as its very flat and easy to get around in
Dublin 1 2 4 8 are pretty central (i think) well dublin 1 is definalty central
maybe someone will know better ballsbridge is nice as well i think thats dublin 4 there are a few nice cheap hotel up and around that area as well

As everyone has said dublin is very very expensive so really look at what your buying if selfcatering ie buy tescos own brands ect IE you can buy branded mouthwash at 5 euros or buy own brand for 1 euro so def check the prices when your buying anything

Papaleekie

Just returned from Dublin, 3 day stay. Have been several times before but this time I was shocked at how expensive things have become. Sandwich in pub cost 6 euro! Taxi trip (under 2 miles) cost 10 euro! Pint of lager 4.50 euro! Crikey. ...great city though and very friendly people. The recession has hit hard here, property prices have tumbled but still seem to be on a level with London.