Schoolhouse Hotel

Our journey to the hotel from Dublin Airport took around forty minutes using the Aircoach and there's a drop off point directly outside the hotel with a return pick up point situated a bit further down the road on the left. Note that this point is a normal bus stop and does not have any Aircoach logo attached but we had no problem on our return journey and the coach stopped - the driver is probably looking out for people with suitcases or backpacks. The return fare was 20 Euros and there is a ticket stand outside both of Dublin's terminals or you can pay the driver if your journey is starting in the city. Do allow for additional time as the city centre traffic can be quite bad at certain times of the day. Location wise the Schoolhouse Hotel is a short 15-20 minute walk to Grafton Street or you could take the bus. It's 2 Euro to O'Connell Street from the bus stop outside the SPAR shop, which is to the right and across the road junction nearby. Remember to have the correct money as the driver does not give change so hang on to your coins just in case. The Aviva Stadium is ten minutes walk away and any fans of the recent Irish crime drama “Kin” can find and pose outside the Kinsella family home. The developing Hanover Quay area is within walking distance too. Check in was quick and efficient and we found all the staff to be friendly throughout our three night stay. The room key (yes key, not a swipe card in sight!) is on a weighty brass hanger and the key is left at reception when you are out. The Schoolhouse itself takes the form of an inverted and flipped letter L and the more modern two storey building housing the bedrooms are hidden from the street view so as preserve the charm of the old building. There's a lift to the upper floor and although our room was facing the busy road we did not find traffic noise to be a problem. Heating and cooling is via the floor level mounted unit and there's a remote control along with a good instruction sheet. If you don’t use the instructions, you will be pressing buttons and getting nowhere with the baffling device. It was pointed out that when set to heat it takes about five minutes until the heat appears so do wait once you have selected the option you want. The large double bed was comfortable and the room is tastefully decorated and spotlessly clean. The en-suite bathroom has a walk in shower, and complimentary shampoo, conditioner, shower gel and body moisturising lotion is supplied. Do take care with the hot water tap by the sink as the water gets very hot, very quickly! On two nights we ate at the Schoolhouse Gastro Bar and very nice it was too. The food was lovely and the price reflected the quality, the surroundings and capital city prices, and was good value for money. However the “Breakfast in the Blue Room” option for residents is confusing and turned out to be rather expensive. Looking online after returning home I found a Christmas 2024 breakfast menu that we were not told about. As the hotel and

We enjoyed our stay here in this quaint hotel. Our room was spacious and comfortable. The staff was able to answer all of our questions about the area. On the morning of our departure we were able to simply cross the street to catch the bus headed to the airport.

This was our first stop on our 12 day trip to Ireland, and I was SO glad we decided to spend our first two nights here. They were more than accommodating, as we landed in Dublin at 8am and we knew we would be exhausted after flying from California. I emailed them in advance and asked if there was any way we could get an early check in. They of course said they couldn't promise, but would do their best. We got to the hotel at 10 am, and they had a room ready! It literally saved the beginning of our trip, as we were able to take a nap, and then get out and enjoy the town. The room wasn't the most desirable,as it had a view of the back garbage area- however I assume there are plenty of better rooms and we were NOT about to complain. It is within walking distance of all the sights and restaurants in Dublin...which was perfect for the beginning of our trip as it was nice and quiet. The dining room is beautiful, and both nights we had a night cap at the bar where the service was impeccable and accommodating. If we are lucky enough to get back to Dublin one day, we will definitely revisit the Schoolhouse!