BLOOMS HOTEL, Dublin

The hotel is right in Dublin's liveliest cultural quarter, surrounded by dozens of pubs, restaurants, and street markets. The Temple Bar Food Market (Saturdays) and Book Market (weekends) are a few minutes away. Most major sights - Trinity College, St Stephen's Green, Dublin Castle, the Olympia Theatre (10 minutes' walk), Vicar Street (13-15 minutes' walk) and the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre - are within easy walking distance. The Aviva Stadium is a 20-minute walk or a short taxi ride; Croke Park is about 20 minutes on foot. Dublin Express buses to the airport stop at Aston Quay, a 5-minute walk from the hotel, making airport transfers straightforward.

Each room is en-suite with a private bathroom (bath or shower, hairdryer supplied) and includes a flat-screen TV, tea/coffee making facilities, a laptop-size safe, and an iron/ironing board available on request. Twin beds are often pushed together to form a double; some double beds are narrower than standard. The rooms are generally clean but many describe the decor and furniture as dated, with worn carpets and old-style bathrooms. Noise insulation is minimal - internal corridor noise and street sounds from the Temple Bar area are common, especially on lower floors. Because there is no air conditioning, warmer nights require opening windows, which lets in street noise. Some rooms have a balcony. A few rooms are on Level 1 with a short staircase up from the lift, which can be inconvenient with luggage.

The breakfast buffet includes hot items like sausages, bacon, and eggs, plus breads, pastries, fruit, cereals, tea and coffee. At times, the hot food selection can be inconsistent in temperature and replenishment speed. The hotel's own bar, the VAT House, serves bar food throughout the day, with a menu including traditional Irish dishes and burgers, and also offers whiskey tasting trays (4 shots of 4 different whiskeys) and craft beer tasting trays. The adjacent Oliver St John Gogarty's, an award-winning pub, serves a full menu all day and has live music in multiple areas. For self-catering, the surrounding streets offer a wide variety of restaurants, from casual to fine dining, all within a few minutes' walk.

Leisure is centred on the hotel's two on-site venues: the VAT House Bar on the ground floor and the adjacent Oliver St John Gogarty pub. Live traditional Irish music is performed every evening in the VAT House, often from early afternoon until late. The bar also hosts whiskey and beer tasting experiences. Cocktail classes are offered in Club M from €15 per person, which includes nightclub entry. The hotel's Temple Bar location places it within walking distance of Dublin's main cultural attractions, including the Guinness Storehouse, Dublin Castle, and numerous live music venues.

The hotel has two lifts serving all five floors, and the reception operates around the clock, accepting late arrivals without extra charge. There is no on-site parking, but a discounted overnight rate of €19 is available at Fleet Street Car Park, just around the corner. Key card access, CCTV in common areas, and a security alarm are in place. A refundable €50 deposit is collected at check-in. Daily housekeeping is free, though some rooms report inconsistent towel changes or cleaning. Late check-out and early check-in cannot be guaranteed but can be requested at booking. The hotel does not provide an airport shuttle; guests should use the Dublin Express bus or a taxi. No pets are allowed and all guests must be 18 or over.