World's Best

Travel + Leisure Readers' 5 Favorite Hotels in Dublin of 2023

Readers loved these tried-and-true Irish classics in our annual "World’s Best Awards" survey for 2023.

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Published on July 11, 2023

It could be argued that, when it comes to Dublin’s hotel scene, not much changes. But would we want it any other way? The Shelbourne (No. 3) watches over St. Stephen’s Green, just as it did when it opened two centuries ago. The four 18th-century townhouses that make up The Merrion (No. 2) still envelop visitors with Georgian stateliness. Even The Fitzwilliam (No. 4), the youngest hotel on our list, is 25 years old this year.

How Voting Works

Every year for our World's Best Awards survey, T+L asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe — to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. Nearly 165,000 T+L readers completed the 2023 survey, an increase of nearly 25 percent over pre-pandemic voting levels. A total of more than 685,000 votes were cast across over 8,500 unique properties (hotels, cities, cruise lines, etc.).

Hotels were classified as either resort hotel, city hotel, or safari lodge based on their location and amenities, and they were specifically rated on the criteria below:

Rooms/facilities
Location
Service
Food
Value

For each characteristic, respondents could choose a rating of excellent, above average, average, below average, or poor. The final scores are averages of these responses.

Luxurious lobby area of The Westbury in Dublin — Courtesy of The Westbury

What Readers Loved

Dublin’s hotels may be venerable institutions, but that doesn’t mean they’re stuck in a rut. Take the Art Afternoon Tea at The Merrion, with pastries inspired by the works of famous Irish artists. “Creative and delicious — one of my favorite teas ever,” writes one reader. Or take The Fitzwilliam’s “Dublin by Design,” a guided tour of the city’s most fashionable indie retailers. While these properties are steeped in history, they keep their focus firmly on the present.

The Winner

The Westbury

Part of the Irish-owned Doyle Collection, this five-star property couldn’t have a more prime location: The Westbury is located just off busy Grafton Street, and a short walk from Trinity College and St. Stephen’s Green. Our readers were knocked out by the superb service. “Unbelievably kind and memorable team members are always willing to go that extra mile for guests,” wrote one traveler. “The friendly staff get to know you very quickly. A reservation at an exclusive restaurant was made possible for us by the concierge.”