Where to Stay - Dublin - page 52

If you arrive in Ireland without a reservation, don't worry. One of
the best sources of last-minute rooms (usually at a big discount) is
www.visitdublin.com . The website has a handy icon that lets you
view hotels and guesthouses with immediate availability.
Another option is to arrive in person at the nearest tourist office.
Staff members throughout the Republic and Northern Ireland will
gladly find you a room using a computerized reservation service
known as Gulliver. In Ireland or Northern Ireland, you can also call
the Gulliver line directly ( & 00800/668-668-66 ). This is a nation-
wide and cross-border “free-phone” facility for credit card bookings,
operated daily 8am to 11pm. Gulliver is also accessible from the
United States ( & 011-800/668-668-66 ) and on the Web at www.
gulliver.ie .
A reminder: Unless otherwise noted, room rates don't include
service charges (usually 10%-15% of your bill).
1 Historic Old City & Temple Bar/Trinity College Area
Temple Bar is the youngest, most vibrant niche in a young, vibrant
town. Stay here and you'll be on the doorstep of practically any-
where you'd want to go. That said, it can get woefully noisy at night,
so request a room on a top floor if you want some shut-eye.
If you've got more dash than cash, head just west of Temple Bar
to Old City. You'll be in one of the up-and-coming pockets of town,
but hoteliers haven't yet started jacking up their rates to reflect the
area's newfound popularity.
VERY EXPENSIVE
The Clarence So what if the place is partly owned by
members of the rock band U2? Don't dismiss it as a glitzy, see-and-
be-seen haunt for celebrities (Robert DeNiro, Gwyneth Paltrow,
and Mick Jagger are fans)—The Clarence is one of the finest and
truly stylish hotels in Dublin. Situated beside the Liffey in Temple
Bar, this mid-19th-century, Regency-style hotel was totally over-
hauled in 1996 to offer larger rooms and luxurious suites. In the
process it traded antique charm for contemporary elegance. Each
room features a rich color—crimson, royal blue, eggplant, choco-
late, or gold—against cream walls and light Shaker-style oak furni-
ture, including exceptionally firm beds. Twin rooms are available
but most doubles feature king-size beds. Suites and deluxe rooms
have balconies, some overlooking the Liffey. The Clarence's elegant
Tea Room restaurant (p. 71), in what was once the ballroom, is one
of the best places in town to dine on contemporary Irish cuisine. For