Surviving the world’s most expensive cities: Dublin

The strength of the euro means the fair city has some not-so-fair prices. Michelle Mannion reveals how to get more for your money in the Irish capital.

Hotels

Hilton Dublin Kilmainham

This new-build property opened in May 2007 in Kilmainham, about ten to 15 minutes’ drive from the city centre and close to the financial and legal districts, which means it’s set in the kind of grounds you wouldn’t get in town. A taxi into town will cost you €8-10 or the Luas tram system is close by. The spacious rooms have modern bathrooms, large workdesks and flatscreen TVs – though do be aware that you will have to shell out €20 for 24-hour wifi access. The Cinnamon bar and café is a relaxed space serving light meals, while the restaurant offers international cuisine and traditional Irish dishes. There is also an impressive LivingWell spa facility and a high-tech gym. Inchicore Road; tel +353 1420 1800; dublinkilmainham.hilton.com Rooms from €95 For a full review of the Hilton Dublin Kilmainham, click here.

Radisson SAS Royal Hotel

The stylish Radisson is in an excellent location on Golden Lane, a few minutes’ walk from Dublin’s major attractions. Opened in August 2007, its design manages to be both sleek and warm, using a colour palette of taupes and chocolate browns. Rooms have comfortable beds, flatscreen TVs and free wired and wireless internet access, while the bathrooms have a separate bath and rainshower and a speaker system so you can listen to the TV while having a soak. The French-style brasserie restaurant serves a great breakfast, and guests can use an off-site fitness centre five minutes’ walk away for free. Golden Lane; tel +353 1898 2900; royal.dublin.radissonsas.com Rooms from €160 For a full review of Radisson SAS Royal Hotel, click here.

The Morrison

For a relaxed vibe in a hip setting head to the Morrison. Situated on the quayside, across the river from Temple Bar, the hotel was designed by John Rocha and has an East-meets-West theme, with comfy leather armchairs and fresh orchids in reception. The 138 rooms and suites come with free wired internet and a CD player or iPod dock. There are also two inviting bars and a restaurant serving European cuisine. Ormond Quay; tel +353 1887 2400; morrisonhotel.ie Rooms from €135

The Clarion Hotel

Located on the riverfront in the Docklands area, the Clarion is well placed for doing business in the financial district while also being only a short walk from the city centre. Opened in 2002, the 180-room hotel was refurbished two years ago with the business traveller in mind. It has a bright, contemporary feel – not a great deal of character, perhaps, but it has all the facilities you would require. Rooms are dressed in neutral shades with splashes of colour and come with Egyptian cotton sheets, satellite TV and free wired internet access. There’s also a large gym, an 18-metre pool and an Asian restaurant. International Financial Services Centre; tel +353 1433 8800; clariondublincity.com Rooms from €135

The Gresham

A Dublin landmark for almost two centuries, the Gresham is one of Ireland’s best-known hotels and has a colourful history. It was refurbished in 2006 and marries elegant grandeur with the facilities demanded by today’s business traveller. There is a small gym and the 288 bedrooms have contemporary décor and free wifi. The atmospheric lobby bar is a popular spot for afternoon tea, while Toddy’s is a traditional pub with its own entrance. Both serve food all day. 23 Upper O’Connell Street; tel +353 1874 6881; gresham-hotels.com Rooms from €109

Restaurants

Millstone

This restaurant opened up in an old listed building on Dame Street only a couple of years back, but it looks like it’s been part of Dublin’s fabric for decades. The bistro-style dining room exudes a feeling of faded grandeur, with dark-wood furniture, chandeliers and red candles dripping wax. The food ranges from the traditional (Irish stew) to the more unusual (ostrich fillet burger) and is beautifully presented – the beef fillet and cheddar pie is highly recommended. Live music plays nightly. 39 Dame Street; tel +353 1679 9931; millstonerestaurant.ie Open 10.30am-11pm (midnight Fri-Sat) All-day set menu (until 7pm on Fri-Sat): two courses €18, three courses €23. A la carte starters from €5, mains from €13.

Mint bar

Situated in the basement of the Westin hotel, which was a bank in a previous incarnation, the Mint is in the old vaults and has kept the original granite walls and banking counter, which now forms the central island bar. It’s a stylish spot with dark-wood panelling and warm lighting. The menu contains old faithfuls such as steaks and shepherd’s pie. Visit at the weekend and you’ll get some free entertainment – Friday is salsa night and on Saturdays you can hear live soul and jazz. The Westin, Westmoreland Street; tel +353 1645 1322; themintbar.ie Open Mon-Thu 12pm-11.30pm; Fri-Sat 12pm-12.30am; Sun 12pm-11pm. Starters from €6.50, mains from €11.50.

Ely winebar

Ely, a family-run establishment in a beautiful Georgian house near Merrion Square, is built on the concept of providing a wide range of good-quality wines and organic food in an unpretentious environment. It serves 500 wines by the bottle and 100 by the glass, and dishes up self-confessed comfort food such as lamb casserole and bangers and mash. The beef, lamb and pork comes from the family farm, and seafood and cheese are locally sourced. It’s all served up in a cosy environment over two levels – the basement is particularly inviting, with its burgundy walls and table-top candles. There are also two other Ely branches on the quayside. 22 Ely Place; tel +353 1676 8986; elywinebar.ie Open Mon-Thu 12pm-11.30pm; Fri 12pm-12.30am; Sat 1pm-12.30am. Starters from €6, mains from €13.95. Main course with glass of wine or beer and coffee for €18.95 (5pm-9pm daily).

The Cellar restaurant

The Cellar, in the basement of the Merrion, one of Dublin’s plushest hotels, is a good-value fine-dining option if you want to push the boat out a little. Located in the original 18th-century wine vaults of the property, it’s an elegant room with crisp white tablecloths and fresh flowers. The food – which includes dishes such as grilled black sole and braised Irish lamb shank – is beautifully prepared and presented. If you’re a meat-eater, try the steak – it’s melt-in-the-mouth. The Merrion, Upper Merrion Street; tel +353 1603 0630; merrionhotel.com Open 7am-10pm daily Specials: two-course lunch with glass of wine €20, three-course dinner €30. Dinner: starters from €8, mains from €18.

Cafe Novo

Café Novo is the Westbury Hotel’s brasserie-style restaurant and bar, located in a prime spot off Grafton Street. With its own curb-side entrance, it has a relaxed, slightly retro feel and buzzes with a lively local crowd. It serves a wide selection of well-priced international dishes – the grilled soy and ginger marinated king prawns on stir-fried vegetables is especially tasty. The Westbury Hotel, Grafton Street; tel +353 1646 3353; doylecollection.com Open 10am-10pm. Bar open until 11.30pm weekdays, 12.30am weekends. Starters from €7, mains from €10. For a full review of the Westbury, click here.

Koh

You may not think of visiting Dublin’s Italian quarter for Thai food, but you can’t go far wrong with Koh. Minutes from the centre of town, it’s an incredibly stylish venue with red and black décor. There’s a buzzing cocktail bar at the front that serves light bites; a restaurant at the back with cosy booths and a small room for private gatherings; and an outdoor terrace for al fresco dining in warmer weather. The Asian dishes are flavoursome and good for sharing – the curries are great – and a DJ plays laid-back tunes in the bar on Fridays and Saturdays. 6/7 Jervis Street, Millennium Walkway; tel +353 1814 6777; koh.ie Restaurant open 12pm-10.30pm Sun-Mon (11pm Tue-Thu, 11.30pm Fri-Sat). Bar open until late. Lunch from €7. Pre- and post-theatre set menu: two courses €17.50, three courses €20. Dinner: starters from €5.75, mains from €12.50.

Top tips

• The price of breakfast in Dublin hotels can be prohibitive – take a short walk and you’re bound to stumble into a café that will offer a cheaper option and will often have bags more character into the bargain. Gotham Café, off Grafton Street, is fantastic – tel +353 1679 5266.

• Dublin is a compact city – save yourself the taxi fare and the boredom of sitting in traffic, and walk instead. Otherwise, take advantage of the Luas, the city’s good-value tram system, which connects to many of its attractions. Visit luas.ie

• If you’re planning on seeing the sights, consider buying a Dublin Pass – it provides free entry into about 30 attractions, special offers for restaurants and shops, a guidebook and a one-way transfer from the airport to the city centre. Passes are available for one, two, three and six days and cost from €35. Visit dublinpass.ie

Ten things to do on the cheap

1. The National Gallery of Ireland houses 2,500 paintings by masters such as Caravaggio, Picasso, Monet and Goya, and about 10,000 works in other media. Every major European school of painting is represented and admission to the permanent collection is free. Open Mon-Sat 9.30am-5.30pm, Thu 9.30am-8.30pm, Sun 12pm-5.30pm. Visit nationalgallery.ie 2. For a taste of “real” Dublin, take a wander down to Moore Street and check out the city’s oldest food market, where traders peddle fruit, vegetables, flowers and fish at low prices. The fun is as much in taking in the colourful banter as in landing a bargain. Open Mon-Sat. 3. The Garden of Remembrance on Parnell Square, dedicated to those who died in the fight for Irish freedom, is a peaceful spot amidst the bustle of the city. Take a moment to contemplate and admire the striking Children of Lir sculpture, symbolising rebirth. 4. Learn how a pint of the black stuff is made at the Guinness Storehouse, part of the original St James’s Gate brewery. Entry to the interactive, high-tech exhibition costs €15 (or £13.50 with 10 per cent off when booking online) but this includes a free pint at the top-floor Gravity bar, which boasts probably the best 360-degree view of the city you can get. Visit guinness-storehouse.com 5. St Stephen’s Green is a lovely place for a walk and a popular lunch spot for locals in the summer. It’s home to a W B Yeats memorial garden, which has a sculpture by Henry Moore; and a sculpture by Edward Delaney commemorating the Irish famine. 6. Window-shop in Grafton Street. As well as containing Dublin’s oldest café, Bewley’s, and upmarket department store Brown Thomas, the street is always buzzing with mime artists and buskers – former performers include Irish singer Damien Rice and Mexican guitar duo Rodrigo y Gabriela. 7. Take a trip to one of the seaside towns close to the city, such as Howth, Skerries or Sandycove, and enjoy great views and fresh air. They’re easily reached via the Dart train system. 8. The National Museum of Ireland is split into two sites – decorative arts and history, and archaeology – and charts the country’s economic, social, political and military progress from 7,000 BC. Open Tue-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 2pm-5pm. Entry is free. Visit museum.ie 9. Dublin Tourism’s iWalks are a series of free podcast audio guides that you can download for self-guided walking tours of the city. Topics include Georgian Dublin and James Joyce’s Ulysses. All come with a colour brochure containing a map and information. See visitdublin.com/iwalks 10. Explore Ireland’s literary heritage at the Dublin Writers Museum. Situated in an old Georgian house on Parnell Square, the exhibits include first editions of Ulysses and Bram Stoker’s Dracula, as well as Samuel Beckett’s telephone and a chair reputedly used by Handel. Open Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 11am-5pm. Entry is €7.50 or visit writersmuseum.com for offers.