Jan Noga

Review of Bewleys Hotels

First, how fun it it to stay in a historical build...

First, how fun it it to stay in a historical building? I really liked how they repurposed what was once an orphanage from Dublin's past into a quality hotel. We chose to stay outside the Dublin core so that we could have a quiet place to retreat to after busy days sightseeing and were not disappointed. The hotel is right on the major bus lines, so it's just a quick bus ride into the center for sightseeing, pub-hopping, touring, and shopping. We chose to eat both nights at the the hotel - one night in the restaurant and one night in the pub. Food was excellent both nights. We were driving around Ireland and had a car - no problem, there's a car park right under the hotel with direct elevator access to room floors. Be sure to check at the desk to trade in the ticket you take from the entry machine for a special discounted exit ticket for guests. The only issue we had with the room was warmth. We were there in August, so it was not terribly cold outside which tended to heat the rooms up. There was a window but it opens only a bit (for security purposes, we assumed), so the room did tend to get a bit stuffy during the night. Without air conditioning, there was really little the hotel could do to remedy that, but we found that keeping the curtains and window open while we were out went a long way to cooling down the room. For Americans, I should note that feather-free pillows in Ireland are foam and are not soft. This is not the hotel's fault - we found this everywhere we stayed in Ireland. So, if you can't use down and like a soft pillow, you might want to think about bringing your own. Overall, the room was impressively clean, comfortable, and stocked with amenities. Hotel staff are very helpful and friendly. We would definitely stay at the Clayton Ballsbridge when we visit Dublin again.