Creative Quarter

Brooks Hotel

★★★★★

Brooks is the hotel we recommend most often to travellers who want a stylish, central, genuinely comfortable base without paying the prices of the grand hotels on St Stephen's Green. It is a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World and sits at 62 Drury Street, in the heart of the Creative Quarter, the grid of streets between Grafton Street and South Great George's Street packed with independent shops, cafés, wine bars and some of the best restaurants in the city. The location is hard to beat: St Stephen's Green and Grafton Street are three or four minutes away, Trinity College and the Book of Kells about ten, and Temple Bar and Dublin Castle's neighbourhood a short stroll north. The hotel has a hundred rooms over six floors, decorated in a warm, contemporary style, and a sensible range of categories. City Queen rooms are the compact entry point, suitable for solo travellers or couples who are out all day; Signature King and Signature Twin rooms give more space; Executive King and Executive Twin rooms are larger again; Contemporary King rooms have a fresher design, some with a private balcony; Executive Triple rooms sleep three, useful for families with an older child or friends sharing; and there are suites. The signature amenity is a private in-house cinema, used for movie nights for guests, a lovely touch on a wet Dublin evening. No. 62 Bar and Brasserie serves breakfast from seven, then lunch, dinner and cocktails through the day, and it is good enough that many guests eat there at least once. Service is consistently praised: the hotel's guest reviews are among the strongest in the city.

Who it suits: couples on a city break, culture-focused first-timers and small families who want a central, walkable base on the south side. If you want spa pools or a big hotel bar scene, look at the Shelbourne or the Marker; if you want the Liberties and better value, look at the Hyatt Centric. For the classic first-trip itinerary of Trinity, the museums, Grafton Street and the cathedrals, Brooks puts almost everything within a fifteen-minute walk.

Choosing a room: the entry rooms are compact, so if you plan to spend time in your room, or you are staying more than a couple of nights, step up to a Signature or Executive room. Ask for a higher floor for quieter nights, as the Creative Quarter is lively in the evenings, especially at weekends. Families of three should book the Executive Triple early, as there are few of them.

Practicalities: Dublin Airport is about fourteen kilometres away; the Aircoach and Airlink express buses stop within easy walking distance in the city centre, and a taxi takes around half an hour outside rush hour. Parking in this part of the city is in public car parks nearby, so the hotel is best for travellers without a car. Book directly or through the link for the best range of room types.