Christ Church

Staycity Aparthotels Dublin Christchurch

★★★★★

Staycity Christchurch is the smart choice for families and groups who want space and a kitchen in the middle of medieval Dublin. It is an aparthotel on High Street, right beside Christ Church Cathedral and Dublinia, and the apartments give you something no ordinary hotel room can: separate bedrooms, a living area and a fully equipped kitchen, so you can cook breakfast, prepare picnics and eat dinner in when the children are tired, which makes a big difference to the cost of a Dublin trip. There are three types of apartment. One-bedroom apartments sleep up to three, two-bedroom apartments sleep up to five, and two-bedroom penthouses sleep up to four, with the extra comfort of a top-floor position. Reception is staffed 24 hours a day, which adds reassurance, and check-in is by an online process before arrival, after which you collect your key at the desk. The location is ideal for sightseeing on foot. Christ Church and Dublinia are on the doorstep, Temple Bar is under a kilometre away down the hill, the Guinness Storehouse is about a kilometre west through the Liberties, and Trinity College and the Book of Kells are around twenty minutes' walk. St Patrick's Cathedral, Marsh's Library and the Teeling distillery are all a few minutes away. The surrounding streets have supermarkets for stocking the kitchen, as well as cafés, bakeries and pubs. For families visiting Dublinia, Christ Church, the Storehouse and Kilmainham, there is no more convenient base.

Things to know: this is an aparthotel, not a full-service hotel, and the trade-offs are worth understanding. No food is served on site, so you cook or eat out. For stays of one to six nights there is no scheduled cleaning, though a clean can be requested for a small fee; for stays of a week or longer, a full clean is included on the fourth day and then weekly. Extra guests beyond each apartment's limit, and visitors, are not permitted. Check-in is from mid-afternoon and check-out in the late morning, with paid late check-out available, subject to availability.

Parking: there is a secure underground car park on nearby Saint Augustine Street, offered on a first-come, first-served basis with payment at a kiosk, which is useful for travellers with a hire car planning day trips to Glendalough or Newgrange. Most visitors, though, will not need a car in the city.

Who it suits: families with children, groups of friends and longer-stay visitors who value space and a kitchen over a hotel bar and restaurant. Couples on a short break may prefer the Leonardo Hotel across the road or a boutique hotel such as Brooks. For a family of four or five on a week-long Dublin holiday, Staycity Christchurch is one of the best-value central options in the city. A practical tip: do a big supermarket shop on the first evening, then use the kitchen for breakfasts and packed lunches, and save the restaurant budget for a couple of memorable dinners in the Liberties or around Temple Bar. Parents will also appreciate being able to put children to bed in a separate room and still have a living area to relax in.