Another Good Quality Hotel From Bewleys (Bewleys Hotel Leopardstown (Dublin))

Member Name: kenjohn

Product:	Bewleys Hotel Leopardstown (Dublin)
Date:	25/03/08 (98 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good quality, modern 3-star hotel

Disadvantages: A bit out in the boondocks!

Bewley's Hotel in Leopardstown is situated in the Sandyford Business Park in the southern suburbs of the city, about 5 miles from the city centre, and about 24 miles or so from Dublin Airport if you take the most direct route via the M50 ring road.

This makes it just a tad on the inaccessible side. You can access it by using the Aircoach service from Dublin Airport for Euro7 single or Euro12 return, but at best this will take you around an hour (off-peak) or nearer two hours in the rush hour periods. A taxi from the airport will cost you no less than Euro50 (using the M50) and up to as much as Euro70 during rush hours. This is one of the reasons I can often be found hanging around the entrance to this hotel in my taxi. (Heh, heh) Even a fare into the city will cost you Euro15 to Euro20!

The hotel is only about a five minute brisk walk from the new Dublin tram system (LUAS) terminus in the business park, and although I'm probably cutting my own throat by telling you this it's a far cheaper and quicker option for getting into the city centre than taking a bus or taxi at a mere Euro2.20 single or Euro4.10 return to St. Stephen's Green.

The hotel itself is fairly new, (early 2000's) being built (along with dozens of others) during the boom years of the "Celtic Tiger" here in the Republic of Ireland. It's a modern style 3-star, with an excellent reception area with dozens of leather chairs and couches randomly placed. It's great for nipping in for a cup of Bewley's world famous coffee and a bun, something I do on a regular basis when I'm ranking outside the hotel in my cab.

If you're more peckish then there's a really good snack bar where you can have a sandwich or bar meal. Highly, highly recommended is their totally delicious "Guinness Stew" at around the Euro15 mark. It really hits the spot! Alongside the snack bar is a wet bar where you can avail of a real pint of the black stuff. (Or anything else that takes your fancy) It has a more formal restaurant called "The Brasserie" where a la carte meals are served in the evening.

The rooms are the usual 3-star standard hotel room; en-suite, in-room safe, tea and coffee making facilities, trouser-press, TV, hairdryer, iron and board, and free broadband internet access. Charges are per room per night, and are currently a very reasonable Euro89, but this is due to increase to Euro99 on the 1st April 2008. This is for the room only, and you'll have to pay an extra Euro11 if you want a cooked breakfast.

Plenty of car parking available in their underground car park at Euro1 an hour or Euro7 per day.

This hotel is ideal if you are over on business and especially if you are visiting one of the many multi-national or Irish companies that are located in the Sandyford Business Park, which is the where the European HQ for Microsoft is based, and where most of the international I.T. and financial companies have offices. If you are visiting Ireland on a weekend break or for a longer vacation then I would advise you to opt for a more centrally located hotel.

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© KenJ March 2008

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Summary: Good avlue 3-star hotel, but a bit out in the sticks