Fodor's Expert Review Schoolhouse Hotel

Pardon the pun, but this converted Victorian parochial school just off the Grand Canal really is A-plus—set in a gorgeous example of 19th-century architecture complete with turrets and soaring nave (now the setting for the restaurant), this may be the most uniquely upcycled hotel in Ireland. The headliner here is the beautiful, light-filled former chapel, now home to the classy, modern-Irish Gastrobar complete with an iron-work chandelier. Guest rooms—each named for a famous Irish writer and hung with a corresponding portrait—are very old-school (again, excuse the pun) luxury, with thick rugs matching the quilted bedspreads, plus beautiful oak chairs and desks, and an array of historic edition wallpapers. Enjoy the in-room spa treatments to take the edge off after a hard day's shopping.