Shelbourne

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Dublin's most famous hotel was founded in 1824 and has been the preferred halting post of the powerful and wealthy ever since. Several owners and refurbs later it is now part of Marriott's Renaissance portfolio, and while it has a couple of rivals in the luxury stakes, it cannot be beaten for heritage.

Guests are staying in a slice of history: it was here that the Irish Constitution was drafted in 1921, and this is the hotel in Elizabeth Bowen's eponymous novel. Afternoon tea in the refurbished Lord Mayor's Lounge remains one of the best experiences in town.

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

  • Newgrange Megalithic Passage Tomb

    Newgrange

    26.21 MILES

    Newgrange is one of the most remarkable prehistoric sites in Europe, famous for the illumination of its passage and tomb during the winter solstice sun…

  • DUBLIN, IRELAND - FEB 15: The Long Room in the Trinity College Library on Feb 15, 2014 in Dublin, Ireland. Trinity College Library is the largest library in Ireland and home to The Book of Kells.

    Old Library & Book of Kells

    0.35 MILES

    Trinity's greatest treasures are found within the Old Library and the incredible Long Room is one of the most photographed rooms in Dublin, for good…

  • August 2019: A tour group on the floor of the Victorian main hall in the Kilmainham Gaol, a former prison which is now a museum. 

    Kilmainham Gaol

    2.22 MILES

    If you have any desire to understand Irish history – especially the long-running resistance to British colonial rule – then a visit to this former prison…

  • Dublin, Ireland - August 3, 2013: Visitors under the Campanile of the Trinity College

    Trinity College

    0.38 MILES

    Trinity College Dublin is Ireland's most prestigious university, a collection of elegant Georgian and Victorian buildings, cobbled squares and nature…

  • DUBLIN, IRELAND - 10th June, 2017: the beautiful architecture of the National Gallery of Ireland in Dublin city centre

    National Gallery

    0.22 MILES

    A magnificent Caravaggio and a breathtaking collection of works by Jack B Yeats – William Butler Yeats' younger brother – are the main reasons to visit…

  • People at Slane Castle, Slane, Ireland

    Slane Castle

    28.54 MILES

    Slane Castle is a 300-year-old sprawling estate on the banks of the River Boyne in County Meath.  The neo-gothic castle and grounds  are open to visitors…

  • DUBLIN, IRELAND - APR 1: The Guinness Storehouse Brewery at St. James Gate, Dublin Ireland on April 1, 2013. Guinness brewery was founded in 1759 in Dublin, Ireland, by Arthur Guinness.

    Guinness Storehouse

    1.29 MILES

    The most popular attraction in Dublin is this multimedia homage to Guinness. An old fermentation plant in the St James's Gate Brewery has been converted…

  • A replica of a tenement room from the early 20th century, 14 Henrietta Street.

    14 Henrietta Street

    1.11 MILES

    Explore behind the facade of one of Dublin's famous Georgian townhouses, carefully restored to gently peel back layers of complex social history over 250…

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Nearby Dublin attractions

1. Wolfe Tone Monument

0.04 MILES

In the southeastern corner of St Stephen's Green is a monument to Wolfe Tone, the leader of the abortive 1798 invasion; the vertical slabs serving as a…

2. Famine Victims Memorial

0.04 MILES

At the northeastern entrance to St Stephen's Green is a poignant memorial to the victims of the Famine (1845–51) featuring three figures and a dog…

3. Huguenot Cemetery

0.05 MILES

This tiny cemetery was established in 1693 by French Protestant refugees. The cemetery is closed but you can see graves through the railings; of the 239…

4. Government Buildings

0.09 MILES

This gleaming Edwardian pile opened as the Royal College of Science in 1911 before being transformed into government offices in 1989. Free 40-minute tours…

5. Little Museum of Dublin

0.1 MILES

This award-winning museum tells the story of Dublin over the last century via memorabilia, photographs and artefacts donated by the general public. The…

7. Leinster House

0.12 MILES

All the big decisions are made at the Oireachtas (Parliament). This Palladian mansion was built as a city residence for James Fitzgerald, the Duke of…

8. Mansion House

0.12 MILES

Built in 1710 by Joshua Dawson – after whom the street is named – this has been the official residence of Dublin's mayor since 1715, and was the site of…