08-07-2025
The 3 Best Hotels in Dublin of 2025
Hospitality trends come and go, but the best hotels in the Irish capital are long-standing favorites among Travel + Leisure readers, who have voted for the same trio of classic Dublin hotels for four years and counting!
But which icon cinched the coveted No. 1 spot in our 2025 list? Keep reading to find out. Every year for our World's Best Awards survey, T+L asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe—to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. Nearly 180,000 T+L readers completed the 2025 survey. A total of more than 657,000 votes were cast across over 8,700 properties (hotels, cities, cruise lines, etc.). Hotels were classified as either resort hotel, city hotel, inn, or safari lodge based on their location and amenities, and they were specifically rated on the criteria below: Rooms/facilities Location Service Food Value For each characteristic, respondents could choose a rating of excellent, above average, average, below average, or poor. The final scores are averages of these responses.
While all three of our leading hotels have timeless style and warm Irish hospitality, they also share a central address in the heart of the Irish capital, just steps from beautiful parks like St. Stephen's Green and Iveagh Gardens, as well as landmarks such as Trinity College Dublin. 'This is our preferred place to stay while in Dublin,' one reader said about the Merrion Hotel (No. 2), which was last year's winner. 'I always feel welcome here when visiting the city.'
Just a short stroll away is The Shelbourne Dublin (No. 3), which has hosted illustrious guests for more than two centuries, ranging from Peter O'Toole and Jackie Kennedy to Grace Kelly. Its storied history is a big draw, but the 265-room hotel constantly strives to improve itself with new seasonal menus, extravagant lobby displays (from oversized flower arrangements to edible Easter décor), and sumptuous spa treatments.
And as a matter of fact, this combination of old-meets-new is a key feature of this year's winner.
The Westbury The Wilde restaurant at The Westbury.
The flagship of the family-owned boutique hospitality brand The Doyle Collection, The Westbury treats its guests like longtime friends. 'This is a home away from home,' said one reader. Readers were equally as impressed by the elegant interiors and museum-quality artwork legends such as Sir John Lavery and Louis le Brocquy as by the 'small' details such as 'beds that you melt into,' and the 'stunning cocktails' at the 1930s-style Sidecar bar, where inventive concoctions are shaken with homegrown botanicals and spirits. 'Everything about The Westbury is simply outstanding,' a reader wrote. 'I give it five stars.'
Everything about The Westbury is simply outstanding.
— T+L Reader
1. The Westbury
Reader Score: 96.32
2. The Merrion
Reader Score: 96.23
3. The Shelbourne Dublin Reader Score: 90.06