Harcourt Hotel

The Harcourt Hotel has 110 rooms arrayed throughout a series of eight historically listed Georgian buildings, one of which once belonged to legendary playwright George Bernard Shaw. The buildings still retain elements like crown moldings and winding staircases, and the elegant lobby is decked out with parquet floors, dark wood accents, chandeliers, paintings, leather armchairs, finely upholstered sofas, a fireplace, and a portrait of Shaw. The restaurant has red leather chairs, hardwood floors, a piano, a fireplace, and decorative statues. Guests gather in the sports bar, decorated with jerseys and banners, to watch live soccer and rugby matches on TV. While the weekdays do see some business guests, the hotel's many bars and restaurants mean it largely draws leisure guests, who also appreciate the affordable rates and central location.

The Harcourt features a prime, central Dublin location a five-minute walk from St. Stephen's Green. The hotel is on the Luas tram line just north of the Harcourt stop, which services Grafton Street (one stop north) and the Green Line Sandyford to the south. Grafton Street shopping is an eight-minute walk north, and the area that's home to Temple Bar nightlife, the Ha'Penny Bridge, and Dublin Castle is a little less than 15-minute walk north of the hotel. St. Patrick's Cathedral is a 12-minute walk, as are the National Gallery and National Museum of Ireland, while Trinity College and the Book of Kells are a 15-minute walk away. Dublin Airport is a 25-minute drive north of the Harcourt.

Housed in a series of historic Georgian buildings of three and five floors, the 110 rooms at the Harcourt come in single, double, triple, and quad configurations, with both smoking and non-smoking options. Rooms are functional in style, and don't have a lot of pizzazz; most have white cotton bedding, striped curtains, bare beige walls, and little else. Some are a little more lively in style, with rust-red walls, patterned carpets, and maroon throws and throw pillows on the beds. All have irons or garment presses, desks, in-room safes, coffee/tea makers, free Wi-Fi, and flat-screen TVs with satellite channels. Bathrooms are clean and well-lit, large enough granite counter tops, and heated towel racks, and while some have shower/tub combinations, others have only walk-in showers. Some rooms are a little small, and many rooms experience noise issues from the hotel's nightclub; the hotel provides earplugs.

The Harcourt boasts an excellent array of dining and nightlife venues. The restaurant serves a breakfast buffet (for a fee) with both cold (cold cuts, cheese, cereal, toast, fruit) and hot (eggs, sausage, grilled tomato, black pudding, hash browns) items. Lunch and dinner fare is mostly steak, chicken, and pasta dishes. One of Dublin's top sports bars, the hotel's bar serves a wide selection of drinks and good pub grub, and has 20 TV screens, as well as a 20-foot monster screen out in the beer garden. The two-level beer garden is heated and open all year long, and serves barbecued fare like steaks, burgers, ribs, and chicken. The lively nightclub has three regular DJs, who spin old-school tunes as well as modern music, and attract party-loving locals on weekends. The Harcourt has meeting rooms, free Wi-Fi and a 24-hour front desk with concierge service. There is no on-site parking, but there is paid parking at the Royal College of Surgeons, located a seven-minute walk from the hotel.