Background
Point A Hotels is a budget hotel brand owned by Queensway Group and Wellcome Trust, with hotels in London, Glasgow and Edinburgh.
The Dublin property opened in January 2022 following the lifting of Covid-related curfew measures in the country, and marked the brand’s first property outside of the UK.
Where is it?
On the corner of Parnell Street and Moore Lane in Dublin’s Northside. It is a five-minute walk to the city’s popular shopping district Henry Street, and ten minutes from the bustling Temple Bar neighbourhood and Trinity College.
What's it like?
It’s a modern property with floor-to-ceiling windows and leafy interiors with geometric patterns, and pops of yellow to counteract the grey decor throughout.
There is also a focus on the local area, with a welcome chalkboard in the stairwell illustrating the nearby attractions, and each floor has prints of the city’s attractions against the backdrop of a bright yellow/orange skyline.
The ground floor has plenty of natural light and, aside from the two small reception booths, the open-plan area is filled with lounge and booth seating for people to relax, dine or work.
The reception, café and bar area feature high-top tables with plug sockets and dining tables. During the day it is populated by those having a snack or drink and people working. I really enjoyed working here as it was quiet, spacious and bright thanks to the large glass windows.
Check-in was simple and straightforward and staff were friendly. Check-in is from 3pm, with an early 12pm option available for £15, and check-out is at 11am, or 2pm for the same fee.
Keycards are required to access the staircase where the lifts are located.
Rooms
The 141-room property has small but functional rooms ranging from 12 to 14 sqm, located on the lower ground floor and floors 1-6. The rooms have windows overlooking the street or central well area. There is also an ironing room on the first floor.
Rooms include Hypnos beds (double or twin) with reading lights, Paul Costelloe toiletries, power showers, a kettle, tea, coffee and milk sachets, 43-inch Smart TVs, free fast wifi and mood lighting.
My ‘comfy double’ room was located on the fifth floor and had floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the central well area, which could be opened slightly for some fresh air. You’ll want to keep your sheer curtain closed as you can see into other people’s rooms.
While it is small, designers have been smart in the use of space and it feels free of any clutter. There is no wardrobe, meaning you will have to live out of your suitcase, but there are various hooks and hangers for jackets and bags on the wall. On the left-hand side of the bed is a mirrored cabinet with a few shelves for belongings, while a chair is neatly flatpacked and attached to the wall behind the door.
There are also plenty of mirrors in the room – there’s a large round one facing the bed, one beside the bed and a full-length mirror on the back of the door.
The white tiled bathrooms are small (particularly the shower cubicle) but bright and clean, with a large two-in-one body wash and hair wash in the shower.
Rooms feel high-tech without any of the complexity. Lighting and aircon is easy to use, with touchscreen panels which allow you to set the mood lighting – from green to yellow tints – or turn it off altogether.
The Smart TV is very useful and offers popular destinations, useful information, movies via streaming app Airtime, and Chromecast capabilities. There are also USB and plug sockets throughout the room and all are in useful places such as beside the bed. There’s a very small safe which fit my laptop.
The drawback is the lack of a table or work desk, with a small ledge fixed to the wall instead which just about fit my laptop. Unfortunately the chair is too low down for the ledge so makes for an uncomfortable working situation. Additionally, some fixtures were a little worn and stained.
Food and drink
The ground floor has a bar and lounge area which offers traditional Irish snacks and meals until 8pm, and a €9 continental breakfast buffet is offered to guests from 6.30am to 10.30am on weekdays (7am-11am on weekends).
The buffet includes a lot of fresh pastries, some cereals, fruit and yoghurt, and you can order tea and coffee at the bar area.
Meetings
The ground floor has lots of seating with power points which I worked at during the day. There are no private meeting rooms.
Leisure
There are no leisure facilities at the hotel but get to work on your step count while touring Dublin.
Verdict
This is an affordable and convenient hotel for short stays in Dublin’s city centre. Staff were very friendly and check-in and out was easy.
It is better designed for business travellers who will be out at meetings or in an office abroad due to the lack of desk in the room. Nonetheless I enjoyed working in the bar and lounge area.
Fact box
Best for
Affordable clutter-free rooms in Dublin’s city centre
Don’t miss
The bright artwork paying homage to the location
Price
Internet rates for a flexible midweek stay in April started from €118.80 for a Comfy Double with a window. Guests booking at the moment will get a free breakfast.
Contact
17-19 Moore Lane, Dublin 1, 00353 1 221 0400; pointahotels.com
