7 Best Hotels in Merrion Square and Around, Dublin

Set within the show grounds of the Royal Dublin Society, this Victorian-Georgian hybrid—topped by gigantic eaves and a lovely cupola—has an impressive 4 acres of gardens; a big effort has been made to ensure that a bit of greenery can be seen from most rooms. It may look like the real McCoy but was in fact built during the boomtime excesses of the brash Celtic Tiger era. Once you enter the six-floor building, you see pre-20th-century design mixes luxuriously with modern glass and concrete and lends the place a warm touch. Guest rooms are spacious, with large windows that allow light to flood in. The lower-level antiques-adorned spa is one of the finest in the country, with a naturally lit lap pool.

Stately and spiffy, and splendidly situated directly across from the Government Buildings between St. Stephen's Green and Merrion Square, this luxurious hotel actually comprises four exactingly restored Georgian town houses. Some of the guest rooms are appointed in classic style—from the crisp linen sheets to the Carrara marble bathrooms. Some are vaulted with delicate Adamesque plasterwork ceilings, and others are graced with magnificent, original marble fireplaces. To fully enjoy the historic patina, opt for one of the more authentic rooms in the Main House at the front. The small but luxurious spa and infinity pool are perfect places to unwind, and leading Dublin restaurateur Patrick Guilbaud has his eponymous, Michelin-starred restaurant on the premises.

Whether your lodging style is sublime Georgian elegance or cool modern, this one-in-a-million guesthouse, a short walk from St. Stephen's Green, serves up both—as well as the best made-to-order breakfast in town. Once the home of Sam Stephenson, Dublin's most highly controversial Modernist architect, the contemporary and Georgian houses that make up this B&B are connected via a small but beautiful garden. You'll feel right at home (if your home is supercool and comfy, that is) in the sunken living room, with its black-leather sectional sofa, roaring fireplace, and modern artwork, and you might never want to leave once ensconced in the period-style guest rooms, one of which (No. 21) has a ceiling lofty and corniced enough for a royal.

“Townhouse" does not do justice to the splendor of the place, but it does hint at the cozy, relaxed atmosphere of the Pembroke, a superb example of classic 18th-century grandeur. The fan-windowed front door leads into a stately reception area, complete with Grecian pillars. The bright, airy, high-ceiling rooms are all individually designed in a gentle clash of contemporary chic and Georgian symmetry. Nearly every wall bears a striking piece of contemporary Irish art. The hearty breakfast—including sautéed lamb's liver if desired—is served in the serene dining room.

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.

The homemade preserves and oven-warm scones are reason enough to stay at this redbrick 1850 Victorian guesthouse, in one of Dublin's poshest tree-lined suburbs a 15-minute walk from St. Stephen's Green. Restored rooms in the main house are lovingly decorated with Georgian antiques, Victoriana, and period wallpaper and drapes. The 13 rooms at the back of the house are less luxurious, but all are immaculate. A Waterford-crystal chandelier hangs over the comfortable leather and mahogany furniture in the gracious, fireplace-warmed drawing room where afternoon tea is served.

The days when Irish and international celebrities partied the nights away at the Burlington hotel might be gone, but this Dublin institution is convenient to St. Stephen's Green and Grafton Street and home to a lively bar and restaurant so it's still a focal point for social events and gatherings. The hotel's impersonal 1972 glass-and-concrete facade is not very inviting, but inside, public spaces are warmed with comfy leather sofas and wooden floors and trimmings. The real treat is the generous-size guest rooms, redone in modern minimalist style, with neutral tones and large picture windows. The B Bar goes for a very chic cocktail-lounge look.