We touched down at Dublin Airport Terminal 1, grabbed our bags, and headed out. Once you exit the baggage claims area, just turn left and you’ll see the bus zone right outside. There are booths for Dublin Express and Aircoach—we went with Aircoach because it was straightforward. Got our tickets on the spot for €18 for two people (one-way). The journey to Dublin city centre took about 25 minutes, which honestly wasn’t bad at all.
On the left is Dublin Express, and on the right—just cross the zebra crossing—you’ll find Aircoach.
Ticket booth for Aircoach.
Got off at Hotel Riu Plaza The Gresham Dublin, and from there, it’s literally a one-minute walk to Holiday Inn Express Dublin City Centre. The hotel sits right on O’Connell Street, smack in the heart of the city. Super convenient, honestly.
We packed light for this trip since it was just a short getaway—no massive suitcases or anything. But even if you’re travelling with loads of luggage, don’t stress. The coach has storage space underneath the passenger deck, so you’re sorted.
Checking In: A Small Wait for Higher Floors
We arrived at Holiday Inn Express Dublin City Centre around noon, pretty excited to drop our bags. But here’s the thing—the staff told us that if we wanted a higher floor room (which I’d specifically requested when booking), we’d have to come back after 2pm. Only rooms on levels 1 and 2 were ready at that point.
Now, we really didn’t want a low floor room because we were worried about traffic noise. O’Connell Street is busy, you know? So we decided to head out for lunch first and swing by later to check in properly.
Our Room: Number 421
Came back after lunch and got assigned room 421, which is on the side of the hotel. Our window looked out onto a side street, so it was way quieter overall.
This is the Standard Double Room, about 15 square metres in size. We paid around S$1,300 for five nights, which felt pretty reasonable by Dublin standards, especially for a hotel in such a prime location. The thing is, prices really fluctuate depending on when you’re travelling. I’ve seen rates on Booking.com go above S$600 per night during April and May. So if you’re not travelling during peak season, this hotel is definitely worth considering.
A pull-out stool is conveniently located underneath the safe, handy for putting on your shoes.
You’ll find the iron and ironing board tucked behind the mirror.
Inside the Room at Holiday Inn Express Dublin City Centre
I walked in expecting the room to be really small, but honestly? It was decent. The space felt ample because everything’s cleverly designed—not cluttered at all. Even if you rock up with large suitcases, you shouldn’t have a problem fitting everything.
Here’s what’s provided in the room:
- Electric kettle with coffee sachets and tea bags
- Hanging space for clothes with a few hangers
- Ironing board and iron
- Hair dryer
- Safe
- Full-length mirror
- Dove handwash and 2-in-1 shampoo/shower cream in the bathroom
What they don’t provide: Toothbrush, toothpaste, and the like. You’ll need to bring your own toiletries. Also, there’s no drinking water provided and no fridge either, so you’ll need to grab your own supplies.
Small bathroom, but at least it was kept clean.
The Bathroom Situation
The handheld shower was pretty good—temperature was spot on, and the water pressure was excellent. Can’t complain there.
One slightly weird thing though: the toilet bowl is a bit high. When you sit on it, you kind of have to tip-toe, which feels a little uncomfortable. Not a dealbreaker, but just something I noticed.
Breakfast is Included—And It’s Actually Decent
One bonus thing about our room rate? Breakfast is included daily at Holiday Inn Express Dublin City Centre. We had breakfast all five mornings, and the spread was the same every single day.
There’s a full English breakfast spread—bacon, sausages, baked beans, scrambled eggs, mushrooms. You’ve also got croissants, muffins, toast, cereals, fruits, yogurt, and granola. Plus apple juice, orange juice, tea, and coffee.
Personally? I love the croissants with Nutella. That was my go-to every morning, haha.
The food quality is nothing to shout about, but it’s good enough if you need to eat something before heading out for the day. Just one tip: try to avoid going for breakfast at 9am. It gets super, super busy. Like, packed to the brim.
Not feeling the work vibes in the room? The lobby area downstairs offers plenty of space.
You can also just relax with a beer since there’s a bar at the lobby.
After breakfast hours, the empty dining area can be used as a space to work on your laptop or chill with a beer—they’ve got a bar there too.
Location, Location, Location
The location of Holiday Inn Express Dublin City Centre is honestly one of its biggest selling points. There’s a Tesco and Lidl about 3-4 minutes’ walk away, and an ALDI about six minutes away. Circle K convenience store is right there on your right when you exit the hotel entrance. So easy to get around on foot.
Plus, there are buses and trams everywhere, making it really easy to move around Dublin. Whether you’re heading to tourist spots or just exploring the city, you’re sorted.
Would I Recommend Holiday Inn Express Dublin City Centre?
All in all, we had a good stay here. Nothing fancy about the hotel, but it’s good enough to serve its purpose. We mainly spent each day out exploring Dublin and didn’t really chill in the room much anyway.
But for the location—which is super convenient to get everywhere, including to and from the airport—I’d highly recommend this hotel to anyone looking for accommodation in Dublin. Whether you’re here on holiday or for business, Holiday Inn Express Dublin City Centre ticks the boxes without breaking the bank.