Celtic Lodge Guesthouse

Celtic Lodge sits above an Irish pub and a brasserie on a traditional street in Dublin's slightly less-polished Northside. The hotel itself continues this traditional feel -- the lobby is all dark wood paneling and it's certainly a compact property (like so many of the bed-and-breakfasts and guesthouses that pack this part of town). Occasional wing-back chairs sit in front of velvet draped windows in the hallways, and a rich burgundy fleur-de-lis carpet runs through the corridors and stairways. There are no elevators in the hotel, but internal doors provide easy access to the pub and restaurant. It's a busy place, and noise from both the on-site pub and the street often spills into the property (plans are in place for triple-glazed windows to be installed). Whether it's the noise or the lively vibe, guests tend to be young couples and friends looking for traditional style and relatively low rates.

Celtic Lodge Guesthouse is located on Dublin's Northside. It's a five-minute stroll from shopping on Henry Street, and 15 minutes on foot across the Liffey for shopping and dining in Temple Bar or along Grafton Street. Pretty St Stephen's Green or Dublin Castle will each take around 20 minutes to reach on foot. Buses run along O'Connell Street, a five-minute walk from the hotel, and take around 10 minutes to reach these same destinations south of the Liffey. In fact, the hotel is in a convenient spot for public transport, with buses also running from nearby Abbey Street to the Jameson Distillery and the Guinness Storehouse. Trips will take 15 and 25 minutes respectively. The city's tram system -- the Luas -- is also just five minutes away on foot, at Busaras. The airport bus stops right on Talbot Street, outside the hotel, with a journey time of 40 minutes. The airport trip by taxi is only a touch shorter -- about 30 minutes.

The overall look in the hotel's rooms is quite basic, though they're at least modern. Sharp patterned bed runners and curtains complement the soft, homey tones found throughout, though furniture is limited to oak-veneer bedside tables, small desks, and hanging cubicles. Standard features include electric kettles, small wall-mounted flat-screen TVs, safes, and free Wi-Fi -- though this can be patchy. Keep in mind that there's no air-conditioning, and that the downstairs pubs and busy street mean noise is an issue in many rooms. Though layouts in most rooms are compact -- which is common in this part of Dublin -- rooms that fit up to four are available. En-suite bathrooms are tiny, with stall showers, almost no counter space, and basic bath products.

All in all, features here are limited, and it's mostly just a place to crash for the night. However, the property has both a pub and a brasserie on-site, and guests can reach both through internal doors. A full Irish breakfast is available -- it's free when booking directly with the hotel, but otherwise there's a fee -- plus pub grub and more elaborate French-style meals at the brasserie. There's live traditional Irish music in the bar every evening too. It's worth noting there are no elevators in the hotel. Wi-Fi is free throughout the property, though it can be spotty.