Ireland | where we stayed

I knew one thing.  I wanted to be in Dublin on my birthday (which is the day after St. Patrick's Day).  One thing I forgot, though, was that many people (mostly American) wanted to be in Dublin on my birthday, too.  Hotels in Dublin during St. Patrick's Day were a bit pricey for my taste, but Karen and I found two hotels that were perfect for us.  We stayed our first two nights at the Radisson Blu St. Helen's Hotel and the second two nights at the Mespil Hotel in the Ballsbridge area.

The Radisson Blu St. Helen's Hotel was a cozy hotel built around an estate.  Exploring the hotel felt like I should be wearing a big dress and asking someone to take a turn around the room after a round of bridge.  It was a bit out of the way from Dublin City Center, but the bus in Dublin was really convenient.  We took the bus from the airport and to most of our desired destinations quite easily.  I really enjoyed staying at this hotel.  But let me mention this…. I estimate the distance from the street to the front door of the hotel was about a small city block.

The Mespil Hotel was an interesting contrast to the Radisson Blu.  It was much closer to the Dublin City Center (about a 15-20 minute) walk but was a little bit run down, even though the exterior did look fancy and modern.  The Mespil Hotel was also conveniently located near a bus stop, so when we didn't want to walk, the bus was a great alternative.  Overall both were great choices for hotels, and I'd recommend both!

pictures taken with the Fuji x100s and my iphone 4s.