The Shelbourne Dublin, A Renaissance Hotel

The Shelbourne is in a great location. It looks and feels like the 5 star hotel that it is, and the rooms are very nice — we had 3 of them. Check in was perfect. The breakfast was good.
The reason I have given it a 4 and not a 5 is because they couldn’t wait to get rid of us. As a lifetime gold Marriott rewards member I am used to a late checkout, not a call telling us to get out of the room as the clock strikes 11am. I understand they are busy, and it was because it was new years and they had a wedding, but still, I felt it was done very rudely and I was just about pushed out the door to make way for the new paying customers.
Also, one of the rooms (room 182) was a furnace. We even turned off the air conditioner/​heater but it kept getting hotter and hotter.

As a young Dub who grew up just a stone’s throw away from this place it’s always been a dream of mine to stay here. To me it was the picture of luxury & being there in person it didn’t disappoint.
Firstly the rooms were small but well furnished, beautifully decorated, warm & clean.
The service at the hotel was second to none, if I could rank the staff higher than a 5 i absolutely would! Considering we were there over Christmas I didn’t have expectations as high as I might have another weekend, but my expectations were not only met they were far exceeded!
The food was absolutely delicious — every meal & snack we had in the hotel were fantastic.
The Shelbourne lived up to my expectations and far exceeded them. Despite being a local I’ll definitely be staying there again!

Its in the heart of Dublin and right across from the beautiful park, St. Stephen’s Green. The room was small but beautiful. The lobby is beautiful and a great place to grab a bite to eat and/​or drink. The staff was amazing, so friendly and helpful. You can walk to shops and other great locations in Dublin. I highly recommend this hotel.

The Shelbourne, iconic and the symbol of all things great! And in my opinion, yes it deserves this accolade.
My review is based on service for their bar, unfortunately as I live only a stones throw from here I’ve never quite had the reason to stay… Maybe one day!
At the entrance you have doorman who are always so friendly and ready to assist any arriving guests, even if just visiting their bar or restaurant you get the full 5 star service. My go to place in here is the Oyster Bar, this bar offers great window seating out onto St. Stephen’s Green and is the perfect place to enjoy a drink and watch the world go by. Staff are of the utmost standard, always friendly and professional. Whether they are busy or not, what you will get at your table or at the bar is a calm collected professional server who no request is too big or too small.
If just for a drink, they provide nibbles to keep you content whilst you sip. Their bar food menu is great, there is some really nice options and some reasonably priced for where you are, hello, it’s the Shelbourne! Also, what’s a little bit of a secret they offer a brunch menu at the weekends and whilst, I’d stay clear of the full Irish breakfast has I’m not sure they put too much heart into that, what I did love before from here is their eggs benedict! Perfection!
I always enjoy a stop by here on my way home after a little shop about Grafton Street. Regular customer and can see myself being that for years to come and who knows, maybe a stay over in a suite sometime.

For a Hotel that is such an important part of Irish history, its very disappointing. The doormen have no greeting and clearly are more interested in entertaining each other than welcoming the guests. The front bar is some type of Techno music Bar, not suitable for such a venue. The horseshoe bar has willing bartenders who don’t know what they are doing. Ok so look past all that. Can you find a glass of red wine thats drinkable? No.

The Shelbourne is really a Dublin institution and I always feel like i’m getting a real treat when I’m here. Afternoon tea certainly isn’t cheap at € 40 but it is so luxurious and such a treat that I feel it is worth the price. From the amazing location on Stephens Green to the opulent décor it really is a one of a kind experience in Dublin.
The hotel is so well furnished and maintained you can’t help but feel spoiled just walking through the lobby. I love The Horseshoe bar for a drink as it is so secluded. The flowers in the lobby will blow you away as they are always stunning and the Christmas decorations are out of this world — they even have a model train set at Christmas that runs through the reception area.
The staff are the epitome of class and give the highest level of customer service from the men on the door to the bar staff. They are all so well dressed and professional it really ads to the experience.

Myself and my wife got married here on 21 August 2015 and felt compelled to write this review. There follows a list of superlatives that simply do not do justice to the level of customer service we received.
Prior to the wedding we met with Cathy O’Shea (the wedding executive) on several occasions. She was most accommodating and professional. She planned our day with precision and two weeks before the wedding sent us a detailed email which gave us the running order of our day down to the minutiae. This was carried out to the letter on the day.
From our arrival at the hotel to the tunes of the bagpiper and a round of applause from the staff right throughout the day we cannot find fault.
The afternoon prosecco reception came with delicious food. The service was subtle but attentive.
The meal was sublime from starter to dessert. Again the service was attentive and prompt. This was exemplified when Gavin, a member of staff noticed one of the guests had dexterity problems. They asked discreetly if any help was required and cut the meat for the guest.
We had a massive problem with our chosen florist with the flowers for the ballroom being completely unsuitable. However, the hotel stepped into the breach and rescued the situation. Special mention to the in house florist who, at very short notice, created the most stunning displays for us. Upon checkout we were astounded when we saw we were billed only for the cost price of the flowers.
This grand, imposing hotel made an art of the little details which made the most special day of our lives all the more spectacular.
It exceeded all of our expectations.
Robert and Edel Dillon.

We recently stayed at The Shelbourne for two nights and it was pleasant. The breakfast was great and the rooms were very nice. The bar good wasn’t impressive but ultimately we were happy with our stay. We would stay here again.

People say, «you get what you pay for». Well as far as I’m concerned, if you want tasty, contemporary and stunningly presented mini sandwiches & desserts, the Shelbourne Hotel has the most amazing afternoon tea going. The staff are a delight much like the tea which is presented just as delicately and appealing as the tiered display of tasty treats. Priced from € 55+, it is worth every delicious morsel that crosses your lips. Dress up in your Sunday best and treat yourself to a classy afternoon tea in the Shelbourne Hotel.

Ok. So I wanted to love this hotel soooooo much because everyone told me how amazing it is. The entrance and social areas are stunning, and the bed is small but very nice.
Otherwise I was not impressed. I got to my room and looked out the window… wah wah… view of a roof, other windows, scaffolding, and a wall. Barely any sky. I also got to listen to drilling in the distance while I was trying to nap.
The refrigerator (stocked with bar items, where, if you lift them you will be charged) didn’t work. I tried putting a couple things on top of the stocked drinks, but when I came back to my room after a few hours out, my room was cooler than the fridge. So I ordered ice because this hotel doesn’t have ice machines. It took 45 MINUTES for them to deliver ice.
There is no shelf space in the bathroom (yes I know I’m in Europe so it’s not expected) and no tub (but I can live with that). The phone on the bathroom wall was dangling, and a I stepped on a screw barefoot. Good thing it didn’t puncture my skin.
Needless to say, I was out for most of the trip so didn’t have to deal with this room. However, I will say that this hotel has not impressed me one bit. I am so disappointed.

I was in Dublin for 5 days. Luckily, I decided to spend a little more money for this hotel for 3 days/​2 nights. My opinion. Spend the extra money. The experience at this hotel made Dublin incredible. The quality of the rooms, employees, ambience is extraordinary. Also, don’t miss a visit to their gym and swimming pool. I know you are traveling and it is silly to workout in a hotel gym. But, their facility is exceptional.
So. Yes, it is expensive. But, it is worth it! Nothing about this hotel is disappointing. You get what you pay for!

Unfortunately, we’ve had a terrible stay at The Shelbourne (and it’s only day 3 of 6). Due to the need to travel to Dublin frequently for work, we’ve stayed at The Shelbourne many times. In the past, we have always enjoyed our time here and have enthusiastically recommended it to so many colleagues who also need to come to Dublin on a regular basis. After this stay, we will start considering other hotel options for our frequent visits to Dublin and will no longer be able to give our usual recommendation to others.
Problems with this stay:
1) Upon check-​in, our reservation was incorrect and not set to start until the following day. We had a confirmation in hand showing that our stay was booked to begin the day we arrived. We were told that «luckily» they had one room left for the night. Happy to have a room, but it was a big oversight and the available room was not the type of room we had booked. Also, I had previously contacted the hotel about a crib for our baby. They seemed nervous that we would need one upon check-​in, as if they didn’t have one available. As they had failed to have us officially booked into a room, we certainly didn’t have a crib in the room that we were «luckily» given. We were nervous about crib availability issues, so (fortunately) we brought our own.
2) Due to the issue above, we needed to change rooms the following day. We were told this needed to be done between 12p and 3p, right as my husband was leaving the hotel for work. Very inconvenient timing to try to pack up and change rooms (alone) while caring for my 8 month old.
3) I was told I would be contacted when our new room was ready. I was away from the room until 2p, so I stopped by the desk to let them know I had returned. I was told to go finish packing and someone would come bring the keys for a new room in 10 – 15 minutes and help me with the bags. 45 minutes later while trying to hold off on feeding a hungry baby until we got to the new room, nobody ever showed up. Housekeeping knocked several times trying to come in and clean the room and I kept having to explain what was happening. They proceeded to stand outside the door and wait for me to leave (awkward). Finally, I told them just to do the cleaning around us, as I was tired of dealing with them. In their defense, they were nice, respectful, and just trying to do their job. It wasn’t until their supervisor showed up and I explained again that she called downstairs and someone finally came with keys to the new room.
4) By the time I had returned to the first room, they had already locked our mini fridge, which I had placed two packets of baby food inside. I had to go out and buy more baby food, as this food would’ve fed our child for several meals.
5) The television did not work well in our second room.
6) The wifi in both rooms was terrible. Constantly disconnecting and needing to reconnect. Do not come here hoping to work using the wifi connection. We had long periods of time where we couldn’t connect at all.
7) Vents above showers are filthy (see photo). I remember this from our first stay over a year ago and have noticed it in both rooms during this stay.
8) We had planned to take our baby swimming, so we asked the front desk if there were any rules. They said that there were special hours for children, but due to the fact that the baby would be solely with us and not running around the pool it would be okay for us to go at any time. When we attempted to go to the pool, we were turned away and told it was outside of children’s hours. When we told the staff what we had been told by the front desk staff, she said «I know, it’s a miscommunication.» Sounds like and ongoing issue! We wouldn’t have been bothered, but felt we were blatantly lied to and inconvenienced.
9) The hotel is not buggy friendly at all, especially if you are alone with the baby/​buggy. There are areas of stairs in the hallways to navigate and it is very difficult to get in and out of the front of the building if the doorman isn’t around or is busy. Several times, other guests had to help me in and out of the building.
10) Room service dinner was over-​priced and not very good. Penne with arrabiata had no flavor. Vegetable sandwich pretends to be healthy, but was actually extremely greasy and on soggy bread.
11) Room was serviced, but poorly done. Dirty plates and napkins left and coffee area not cleaned up or restocked. Mini-​bar was missing an item when we arrived in our room– still waiting to see if we need to dispute a charge for that.
Positives:
1) Nice location
2) Great breakfast and the man who delivered it was kind and professional.
Overall, very disappointing from a hotel with a great reputation. Of course, traveling with a baby can be a bit stressful, which is no fault of the hotel. I would never expect special treatment just because we’re traveling with a little one, but I do expect that a hotel such as The Shelbourne would not make things more difficult than necessary.

Fantastic location. The people in the hotel are friendly and facilities are very good. The bed is a bit firm but comfortable.

Five stars in every way. Felt like a true Julie Roberts moment. I also sat in the booth next to Pierce Bronson in the pub. Kind of a cool never forget moment.

My husband and I stayed here for 8 days for our honeymoon. Our experience was amazing.
Here are my highlights–
1. Shower was amazing and had great pressure.
2. Breakfast buffet was the best way to start our mornings.
3. The spa is exceptional.
4. My husband and I got sick, we got with the concierge and he had us an appointment in 30 minutes.
5. The concierge had us saved seats on the front of the bus on every tour we went on.
I loved this city, country and hotel. I cannot wait to visit again.

Week-​end luxe dans cet hotel du centre de Dublin. Le personnel est disponible, la chambre confortable, la salle de bain agréable. Profitez d’une citronnade dès votre arrivé à l’hotel puis appréciez un plongeon dans la piscine avant une bonne nuit de sommeil dans un lit king size (oreiller et couette en plumes attention pour les allergiques). Vous etes pret pour enfiler votre peignoir et commencer une nouvelle journée, quoi de mieux qu’un bon et copieux petit déjeuner pour la commencer?

The Shelbourne with its old world charm and equally charming staff, lives up to it’s 5 star reputation. By kind courtesy of our children, my husband and I recently enjoyed an overnight stay with dinner at the Hotel. The staff, without exception, are extremely friendly, courteous and eager to help without being intrusive. Obviously, they have all been very well trained in the art of looking after customers in a five star hotel! After a slight mix up with our booking, we were upgraded (complimentary) to a heritage room overlooking St. Stephen’s Green. The room was sumptuous, luxurious and cosy with the most comfortable bed I have ever slept in — a thick wadding of feather and down topper covering the mattress (yes I did check it out!). All the other features that you would expect were supplied, chocolates and water, thick bath robes and cosy slippers, Elemis bathroom accessories etc.
Our dinner was simply scrumptious but I must say we were surprised that the table d’hote menu had a fairly limited choice on all three courses. The only reason I am deducting a star rating is that the restaurant was really cold and draughty and despite asking for the heating to be improved on two occasions, it remained rather uncomfortable. We were seated adjacent to a door that appeared to be used regularly by staff going to and from the bar which definitely created a draught — maybe this is something the Shelbourne should take on board and rectify!
Our breakfast the next morning was excellent with a huge choice of cold meats, fresh fruit, hot Irish breakfast as well as other items from the menu. We were served our piping hot tea in a silver teapot and proper china cups and saucer! The valet parking was a real bonus as we just drove up to the hotel, handed over our car to the doorman, and for a fee of € 25 for 24 hours it was well worth it — giving us plenty of time in the morning to stroll drown Grafton Street.

This is a five star hotel in the middle of Dublin. It has a beautiful bar, great restaurant, and tea room on the first floor. There is a gorgeous park across the street and it is very close to Trinity College. It exudes old world charm and there are pictures of celebs all over the lobby. In addition, the Irish Constitution was written at the hotel and there are a bunch of interesting historical documents on display relating to this event.
The rooms are miniscule and two people have to dance around the room to get by one another. The bathrooms are adequate and well designed. As an older hotel, some of the renovations reflect architectural challenges with stairs and steps going up and down on the same levels. I found it easy to get lost on my floor due to the odd transitions.
Very professional staff and the doorman was extremely helpful in finding nearby restaurants.
This is a very expensive hotel but if you book in advance and use one of the online hotel services, you can probably get a better rate.

Yeah it’s really nice but I just went for drinks. It was busy, service was only ok, none of the bar staff we friendly or helpful… at one point I was told to hurry up because I was asking about different drinks… ok it was busy but no need to be rude when customers are paying for an ‘experience’. I won’t be running back anytime soon for drinks.

Beautiful hotel in a great location. Wonderful service, very accommodating. We stayed here for 5 days during our stay in Ireland and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. The hotel provides a turn down service each night and cookies in the foyer. The rooms are smaller than an American 5 star hotel but then this is Europe however I did ding them a star for the smaller rooms!
Workout gym is also very good with a number of rooms of equipment. Free weight area was a little smaller than you might expect for such a large hotel but in general no complaints.
Recommend staying here for anyone traveling to Dublin.

One of the top hotels in Dublin. The restaurant, lounge and bar area is not to be missed. I have had afternoon tea several times here and thoroughly enjoyed it. The flower arrangements,& décor are fantastic. It is a great place to bring a visitor. The staff is friendly and accommodating.
If you see a place with a doorman please do not come in with trainers, sweats suits or cut offs.

Ich hatte ein Zimmer mit Blick auf den Innenhof, naja die Aussicht ist halt nicht prickelnd, aber, jetzt kommt es, man kann die kleinen süßen Fenster auf machen und nachts bei offenem Fenster schlafen, ohne Lärm, frischer Luft in einem weichen Bett. Was will man mehr, ich weiß es. Nach so ner entspannten Nacht und ruhigem morgen ein gutes Frühstück. Ja und genau das bekommt man hier. Das Buffet ist mit allem ausgestattet was das Herz begehrt, auch landestypisch und der frühstücksraum der Queen kann nicht schöner sein. Absolut stylisch! Mit leichter klassischer Musik, schönen Blick aus dem Fenster und pfiffigem Personal. Alles in allem perfekt!!! Besser kann eine Woche nicht starten!

I was there for afternoon tea last week and everything was excellent. Quick waitresses and cosy atmosphere! The tea was perfect and the sweets were delicious. The doorman was very attentive and gave me valuable advice for trips outside Dublin. I can highly recommend the Shelbourne Hotel!

Etabliertes Haus mitten im Zentrum und mein Favorit für den nächsten Besuch in Dublin.
Eine entspannte Soccer-​Bar befindet sich im hinteren Teil, in der gegröllt und Bier getrunken wird (an dem Tag meines Besuches war ein Rubgy-​Spiel IRL vs. GB in unmittelbarer Nähe).
Währenddesen geniesst die «Schickeria» in der vorderen Bar stillvolle Cocktails, Champus oder einfach nur Weltklasse-​Tee.
Immer exzellenter Service, immer niveauvolles Publikum!

Das Shelbourne zählt zu den ältesten Hotels der irischen Metropole. War bereits mehrmals Gast und habe meinen Aufenthalt sehr genossen. Neben den Annehmlichkeiten, die ein 5* Haus mit sich bringt, ist die Atmosphäre hier wirklich einmalig, da das Haus im Gegensatz zu viewlen anderen Hotels wirklich ALT ist und die historische Substanz sehr detailliert erhalten und gepflegt ist. Die Bar, in der sich neben den Hotelgästen auch die Upper-​Class von Dublin zum Tee trifft, ist in jedem Fall einen Besuch wert. Der Service ist schnell, freundlich und hat auch immer einen Vorschlag für unentschlossene Parat. Tip: probiert die hausgemachten Scones!!!

Das Shellbourne Hotel liegt nur ca. 5 Minuten Fußweg entfernt von der Grafton Street und daher sehr zentral zur Innenstadt.
Die Drehtür zum Hotel ist recht klein aber passend zum Ambiente.
In der Eingangshalle stand eine herrliche große Blumendekoration mit frischen roten Rosen!
An der Rezeption gab es Äpfel und sehr leckere kleine runde Kuchen mit Füllung.
Die Fenster der Zimmer lassen sich leider nur ein wenig ankippen. Die Klimaanlage hört man. Die Betten waren weich und sehr gemütlich.
Leider gab es keinen Wasserkocher auf dem Zimmer.
Das Frühstück liegt bei 21 Euro und lässt keine Wünsche offen: Müsli, Säfte, Obst, Käse, Wurst, Kuchen, warme Speisen, Tee, Kaffee etc.
Die Bar war sehr gut besucht.
Das Dinner a la Carte kann man empfehlen. Die Portionen waren sehr reichlich. Vorher einen Tisch zu reservieren ist ganz gut, sonst bekommt man schlecht einen Tisch.
Der Taxifahrer erzählte, dass das Hotel über Weihnachten Jahre im voraus zu buchen wäre, weil dort gerne viele Famlilien aus Irland feriern möchten.
Ein wirklich schönes Hotel!
Das Taxi zum Flughafen dauert 30 bis 45 Minuten und kostet ca. 30 Euro.

Pourquoi: Pour la vue de la plupart des chambres sur St. Stephen’s Green.
L’ambiance: Le luxe, depuis 1824.
Le plus: Bien-​être et sport combinés avec un spa, une piscine couverte, un sauna, un hammam, un jacuzzi et une salle de fitness.