The best hotels near Dublin Christmas market (2025)

Last Updated on September 24, 2025 by Ioana

While Dublin might not be the first city that comes to mind when you think of Christmas markets, it still offers a festive atmosphere during the holiday season. In this blog post I will share the best hotels near Dublin Christmas market to help you pick a great base if you visit during the festive season. This post contains affiliate links. When you make a purchase I may get a small commission at no extra cost to you. Find out more here.

Are you looking for help with planning your trip? Check out these helpful resources:

• Flights​​
• ​​Accommodation for all budgets​​
• ​​Rental cars​​
• Train tickets
• ​​Bus tickets​​
• ​​Activities, tours, and day trips​​
• eSIM for international data

Hotels near Dublin Castle Christmas Market

The main Christmas Market in Dublin is the one at Dublin Castle. There is no better place to experience both the magic of Dublin and the magic of Christmas. 

Here you can enjoy Christmas lights, do some Christmas shopping, have some festive treats like hot chocolate. There will be plenty of artisan producers that sell unique gifts that you can place under the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve.

In addition, there will also be live entertainment and live music.

If you’re traveling to other parts of Ireland or the UK during your trip, you can also check out the Galway Christmas Market in Galway city centre and Belfast Christmas Market in Northern Ireland.

Temple Bar Hotel Dublin

Temple Bar Hotel Dublin is a great place to stay at because of its great location in the heart of Dublin city centre. You’ll be close to all the pubs. Moreover, the hotel is a 5 minute walk away from Grafton Street and Henry Street, so you can also go shopping.

The hotel has 4 stars and offers comfortable rooms and all the modern amenities you need while traveling.

NYX Hotel Dublin Christchurch

NYX Hotel Dublin Christchurch is one of the coolest 4-star hotels located between Temple Bar, Christchurch and Dame Street. It’s a modern hotel decorated with vibrant colors and cool art.

It has a restaurant and bar on site so you can grab some food and drinks if you don’t feel like eating out. The staff is very friendly, so you will have a great stay here.

Brooks Hotel

Brooks Hotel is a boutique hotel located on Drury Street. The hotel provides a coffee shop, a library, and laundry services. This is on top of the regular amenities such as free in-room WiFi. The hotel is a 2 min walk from Grafton Street and about a 10 min walk to Dublin Castle.

Hotels near Christmas Spectacular in Smithfield Square

Smithfield is a more tranquil neighborhood across the river from the Temple Bar area. This is where I stayed when I visited Dublin. If you stay here you will be a short walk from main attractions such as the Jameson distillery, Dublin Castle, or Phoenix Park.

During Christmas time there is a winter wonderland market here for people to get into the festive spirit. There is an ice rink, ice museum, festive lights, Christmas market stalls, and other activities to provide a unique experience to the large number of visitors exploring the venue. 

This square also hosts other seasonal events, so depending on when you visit Dublin, make sure to check out what’s going on here.

Hampton by Hilton Dublin City Centre

I stayed at Hampton by Hilton Dublin City Centre because I had enough Hilton points to book it with points. The hotel has spacious rooms which even include a sofa besides the bed. 

The windows are large and you get nice views of Dublin, especially if you are on the top floor. The staff was great. I arrived there around 10 am and they checked me in because they had a room ready.

The breakfast buffet has all you need. It’s not a very large buffet and the options are not gourmet, but it does the trick if you want to eat something before going out to explore.

I liked the location because it’s less crowded and more quiet. But you can still walk to most attractions. It was perfect for a few night’s stay and I would stay here again on subsequent visits. 

Ruby Molly Hotel & Bar

Ruby Molly is a quirky hotel in the heart of Dublin. It has a stylish design and a hip atmosphere compared to other more classical hotels.

The rooms are soundproof, so you can enjoy a relaxing stay. The hotel is located only a 6 minute walk from Jameson Distillery.

FAQs about Dublin

What day trips can I take from Dublin?

There are a lot of good options for day trips from Dublin. You can’t go wrong with any of them, so feel free to pick your favorite:

Cliffs of Moher, Burren & Galway City Day Tour

Giants Causeway, Dark Hedges, Dunluce & Belfast Tour

Wicklow Mountains, Glendalough & Kilkenny Tour

Game of Thrones Winterfell Locations Tour

Blarney Castle Full-Day Tour from Dublin

What should I eat in Dublin?

Caffeinate with a latte art drink at Beanhive Coffee

Having a cup of coffee is the best way to start the day. Especially when you’re jetlagged. I love coffee! I’m a cappuccino and cortado person. I love drinking coffee when I’m traveling. I find it so fascinating how different cultures have different coffee habits.

I’m also a sucker for latte art. So naturally, my first stop in Dublin was at Beanhive Coffee. I ordered a cappuccino, and I asked them to surprise me with a cute design. And boy, did they deliver!

Look how adorable that cat is. And it’s a nerdy cat with glasses and curly hair, just like yours truly. This was the perfect start to my Dublin adventure.

They also serve the traditional Irish breakfast, sandwiches of your choice on a ciabatta or wrap, and other egg dishes. Prices are around 10-15 euros.

The café is small, so there might be a short wait if you plan to sit there. They have both indoor and outdoor seating. 

Spice bag

Since we had two people that were locals at the silver ring forging workshop I asked them for food recommendations in town. Both of them told me to try a spice bag. I had no idea what that was.

It turns out it’s an Irish Chinese dish you can find in all Chinese restaurants in Dublin. It’s basically fried chicken and potatoes tossed in a mix of spices.

Hence the name of spice bag. It sounded intriguing, so I tried it one day for dinner. It was actually really good.

Lunch at Guinness Storehouse

If you visit the Guinness Storehouse you can eat lunch there. They have multiple restaurants on the fifth floor, so you can pick one based on what you’re in the mood for.

I recommend the 1837 Bar & Brasserie. They serve staples of traditional Irish cuisine like beef & Guinness stew, along with other popular classics like cheeseburgers. The view from the restaurant is spectacular. If you don’t believe me, check the picture above.

You can book a table in advance, or you can just walk in. They are open daily from 1pm.

Dinner at Trocadero

After a full day of sightseeing, Trocadero is the perfect place for a nice 3-course dinner. It’s a modern European restaurant that uses fresh Irish ingredients for all dishes.

The restaurant is spacious, and you can be seated in one of their five rooms. The ambience is cozy as they use just dim lights in the entire restaurant. 

The décor is quite unique. The seating consists of red couches and velvet chairs, there are pictures of famous people who ate at the restaurant on the walls, and each table has a little night lamp.

The food is delicious. I highly recommend the chicken liver pate as starter, the confit duck leg as main course, and the brioche bread and butter pudding as dessert.

The restaurant is on the pricy side, the total for the meal being around 60 euros. But it’s worth the splurge. I still think about that meal. I think it could be a great place to eat on Christmas day too.

How to get cell phone data when visiting from abroad?

The cheapest and most convenient way to get data while visiting from abroad is to buy an eSIM. An eSIM is a digital SIM that lets you activate a data plan from a provider without having to use a physical SIM card. They are super easy to use.

I use Airalo. You can go to their website, select the country you’re traveling to, select how many GB of data you want, and how many days you want the eSIM to be active for. After you pay you will receive a confirmation email with instructions on how to activate the eSIM.

You can activate it on your phone and the process takes under 1 minute. Once the eSIM is activated you don’t have to do anything else. When you’re at your destination you will automatically get data.

Is Dublin safe for a solo female traveler?

Yes, overall, I felt safe in Dublin as a solo female traveler. There was a riot on the first night I visited, which was a bit scary. It was violent as they set on fire a bus, a tram, and a police car as a form of protest.

34 people were arrested. Thankfully I wasn’t in the area when it happened, and I was very careful the following days. Things like this happen everywhere in the world, so it doesn’t mean that Dublin is unsafe.

Locals told me this was the first time something like this happened.

How can I get around Dublin?

Dublin is a very walkable city. Most tourist attractions are in central Dublin and are within walking distance from each other. They also have a lot of buses and the Luas tram system, so you can get anywhere easily.

How can I get to the city center from Dublin airport?

Bus

This is the option I went with. The bus is called Dublin Express and a round trip costs 10 euros. They have multiple stops along River Liffey in the Dublin city center area. 

They ask you to pick a time when you book the ticket online, but you can use the ticket 12 hours before or after the booked departure time. 

You can take the bus from any stop and get off at any stop.

If you don’t have time to book the ticket online ahead of your trip, you can also buy a ticket at their booth at the airport. There are signs at the airport that will point you to their bus stop. This bus gives you easy access to all of Dublin.

Taxi / uber

If you don’t want to take public transportation you can take a car. You can order an Uber through the app. It costs about 25-30 euros to get to the city center from the airport.

Alternatively you can also schedule a private transfer.

Do I need cash?

I didn’t use cash when I visited, I paid for everything with a credit card. But it’s always recommended to carry some cash with you so you can tip tour guides or buy souvenirs or something else from small mom-and-pop shops who don’t accept credit cards.

Pro tip: always get cash from an ATM in the airport instead of going to an exchange place. Your bank will always have better exchange rates when taking out cash in a foreign currency from an ATM.

How many days do I need in Dublin?

I think 4 days in Dublin is enough time to see the major tourist attractions and to take a day trip somewhere close to Dublin. If you plan on exploring more of Ireland, then you should aim for a week or 10 days.

Do I have to tip in Dublin?

Tipping is not mandatory, but it is highly encouraged. I usually leave 1-2 euros as tip when I eat out. They highly appreciate it when you do this.

Do you recommend Dublin as a solo destination?

Yes, I highly recommend Dublin as a destination for solo female travelers. I think it could be a great destination for a first-time solo trip. It’s a safe city and they speak English, so it could be a great option when you’re first starting out solo traveling.

---

Need inspiration for your next trip? Check out some of my other articles.

The best guide for solo travel to Amsterdam

A day in Rotterdam: everything you need to visit

Paris solo travel: everything you need to know

Solo female travel to London: the ultimate guide

Athens 4 day itinerary: ultimate guide for your first visit

Debunking myths about Romania

The best Oradea 3 day itinerary: a native’s top picks

Madrid in 5 days: the ultimate first visit itinerary

Solo travel in Milan: the best things to do

Istanbul bucket list: everything you need to visit

Solo travel to Toronto: the ultimate 2 day itinerary

Solo travel in Vienna: how to have the best trip

Beginner’s guide to NYC: everything you need to know