Comfort and convenience in the heart of the city: A review of the Conrad Dublin

After an overnight flight to Dublin on JetBlue's first-ever trek to the Emerald Isle, I had 48 hours in the Irish capital to rest, explore and get some work done.

The Conrad Dublin allows you to do all three of those things in complete comfort.

An urban hotel set amid the bustle of one of Europe's most popular cities for U.S. travelers, this property may not be quite as luxurious as other hotels in the Conrad portfolio, but it certainly boasts comfortable rooms with an impressive offering of Irish-inspired food and drink, a relaxing ambience and — perhaps most notably — prime access to the city's best-known parks, sites and pubs.

What is the Conrad Dublin

The Conrad Dublin is an upscale seven-floor, 191-room hotel located near the Irish capital's best-known sites and tourist attractions — many of which are reachable on foot. It's a short walk from many of the city's most popular museums, stores, restaurants and drinking spots.

Though its easy access to Dublin's top attractions may be its biggest draw, the property itself offers plenty all on its own, too: It's home to three dining outlets ranging from a full-service restaurant to a lounge-style space and an Irish pub in the basement.

If you're a Hilton loyalist, it's easily the city's highest-end option under the Hilton Honors umbrella.

How to book the Conrad Dublin

Your best bet for booking a stay at the Conrad Dublin may be to reserve directly through Hilton's website. Nightly rates frequently range between $300 and $400 but can run much higher during peak periods. For instance, rates topped $600 the week of my stay, which coincided with St. Patrick's Day festivities.

Alternatively, the going rate for award stays generally sits at 70,000 Hilton Honors points nightly.

That may sound a bit staggering. Sadly, it's actually a lower rate than you'll find at many other high-end Hilton properties, where nightly award pricing can often top 100,000 points.

One thing to keep in mind, though: American Express Membership Rewards transfer to Hilton at a rate of 1:2. So, while Hilton may not ultimately be the best value for your Amex points, it is worth noting that 35,000 Membership Rewards can cover a 70,000-point stay. (But, we feel compelled to note that you may find better value in transferring your Amex points to, say, an international airline partner for a flight — it's all about what your travel priority is.)

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If you hold The Platinum Card® from American Express, this property is part of Amex's Fine Hotels + Resorts portfolio, which can be a great booking option for the Conrad Dublin, assuming the price is comparable to what you'll find directly with Hilton.

As an FHR guest, you'll get a $100 property credit you can use toward food and beverage on-site. You'll also receive free breakfast, an automatic 4 p.m. checkout, as well as (when available) a room upgrade and an early check-in. The latter is particularly helpful if you arrive early following an overnight transatlantic flight.

When booking a stay at the Conrad Dublin, you'll want to use one of the credit cards that earn the most points for Hilton stays, as well as one that possibly offers automatic Hilton Honors elite status for value-added benefits. These include:

• Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card: Earn 12 points per dollar spent on eligible purchases at Hilton hotels; automatic Gold elite status; and the ability to upgrade to Diamond status by spending $40,000 in eligible purchases in a calendar year.
• The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card: Earn 12 points per dollar spent on eligible purchases at Hilton hotels; automatic Gold elite status; and the ability to upgrade to Diamond status by spending $40,000 in eligible purchases in a calendar year.
• Hilton Honors American Express Card: Earn 7 points per dollar spent on eligible purchases at Hilton hotels and automatic Silver elite status (with an upgrade to Gold when you spend $20,000 in a calendar year).
• Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card: Earn 14 points per dollar spent on eligible purchases at Hilton hotels and automatic Diamond elite status.

Location

The Conrad Dublin is located along Earlsfort Terrace in the southern part of the city. From the airport, the Conrad was a 25- or 30-minute ride by taxi, which cost between $30 and $40 one-way — though I paid a bit more during my rush hour arrival so my driver could take the Dublin Port Tunnel to avoid morning traffic.

The hotel is also just a block away from a Luas tram stop.

Though it's in a decidedly urban neighborhood, the property is set on a slightly quieter street, meaning the honking horns and busier sidewalks were a block or two away during my stay. I also found the immediate area around the hotel to be relatively light on tourists. That's to say, when I ventured outside, I saw more commuters walking to and from work than tourists headed to the nearest attraction.

The hotel is directly across from Ireland's National Concert Hall and just a block away from a handful of pubs. It was just a three-minute walk to Leeson Street, where I met a relative for a ham and cheese toastie and a pint of beer at lunch.

Comparably close is St. Stephen's Green Park, a lush, green oasis with plenty of space to walk around.

A few minutes farther, on foot, will bring you to the shops of Grafton Street, your classic modern business district filled with local coffee shops, restaurants and well-known, high-end retailers ranging from Louis Vuitton to Lululemon and Nespresso.

Willing to walk a bit farther — say, 10 or 15 minutes from the hotel? That will take you to Dublin's Temple Bar district, where many of the city's iconic pubs are located. On this particular Friday night, St. Patty's weekend revelers packed shoulder-to-shoulder at drinking establishments to mark the holiday.

Rooms are modern and comfortable

At a time when many high-end hotels are constantly evolving with new room layouts and concepts, Conrad Dublin largely follows the more traditional setup. Still, my Superior King room felt fresh and had clearly been very well-maintained.

The 33-square-foot room featured tan wood tones with decor of varying green hues throughout — from the patterned rug to the floor-to-ceiling curtains and velvet sofa underneath the flat-screen television.

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The king-size bed delivered all the comfort you'd expect at a property of the Conrad's caliber, and the nightstands, which flanked the bed, had a variety of outlets for charging digital devices.

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On a trip that required me to spend quite a bit of time in front of my computer, the desk offered ample space to work, not to mention a wealth of charging ports, including type-A outlets found in the U.S. (So, if I'd forgotten an adapter — as I have on plenty of international trips in the past — I would have been in luck, here.)

As an avid coffee drinker, I'm always glad to see a room stocked with a Nespresso machine, as this one did. The minibar offerings were standard (some sodas, wines, beers and spirits) but monopolized the refrigerator space, so there wouldn't have been room to store my own food.

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The bathroom felt more dated than the rest of the room, particularly the shower/bathtub combination that (as is common overseas) had just a small plexiglass divider instead of a full-length shower curtain.

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The fairly unremarkable vanity was stocked with full-size Byredo's Mojave Ghost scented bath products. The shower amenities were anchored to the wall.

The housekeeping at the Conrad Dublin was truly stand-out. It was thorough and attentive and also included turndown service that involved the staff tidying the room, winding up charging cords and preparing the bed — little chocolates were left, too.

Dining at Conrad DUblin

The Conrad Dublin has three restaurants on-site: a full-scale, sit-down restaurant, a lounge serving beverages and small plates and an Irish pub in the basement.

The full-service restaurant, the Coburg, can be found just off the hotel lobby. Dimly lit at dinnertime, it has a quiet ambience and is decked out in equestrian-themed decor. The restaurant theme leans into 19th-century horse shows which were commonly held in a nearby park — leather accents and carefully designed furniture give a nod to equestrian culture.

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The restaurant offers Irish-inspired fare. I started with focaccia served with a delicious tomato olive butter. Then came a ham hock terrine served alongside a large crostini ($17). I was glad I didn't have to share it with anyone.

As a regular orderer of gnocchi, I couldn't pass up the unique bar-shaped take on the dish served with chicken and a heavily smoked carrot puree ($27) for the main course. I enjoyed my meal alongside a fine glass of Petit Caro red wine ($17).

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Behind the main dining room is a sunroom-type setting, where breakfast is served each day under sunlight which, on a less overcast day, would have come pouring in through the windows.

There's both an a la carte menu and a fairly extensive buffet ($18).

I was entitled to a complimentary breakfast thanks to my Hilton Honors Gold status earned by carrying The Platinum Card® from American Express (enrollment required).

There were few, if any, strings attached to the breakfast benefit at this property — something I've found to be less consistent at other Conrad properties.

"It's all free," the waitress told me.

"Just for the buffet?" I asked. "How much am I entitled to if I order off the menu?"

"It's just all included," she replied.

I opted for the buffet, which features an English breakfast of meats, hash browns, grilled tomatoes, pastries, croissants and beans — not to mention Irish sourdough. There were a range of other offerings, too, from a mimosa bar to smoothies.

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Breakfast was easily my favorite meal at the property.

Next door to The Coburg is Lemeul's, a lounge that is intended to be an ode to Lemuel Gulliver, the fictional protagonist in "Gulliver's Travels," penned by Irish writer Jonathan Swift.

With ample natural light, a full bar and a library of books, the lounge-style seating is a relaxing spot for an afternoon cappuccino or an evening cocktail.

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The menu was filled with small bites and literary references, from the croque monsieur ($22) to the beef sliders with Dubliner cheddar ($19) I had on my last night at the property.

Downstairs is The Terrace Kitchen & Social House, a traditional-style Irish pub featuring an array of local beers on tap and pub fare.

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Or, you can step into a brighter-lit room, which offers a distinctly different vibe meant for afternoon tea.

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Had I visited during the warmer months, the garden-style patio would have been a delightful place to enjoy a meal — or a beverage.

An impressive fitness center

Though I opted to log my steps outside touring Dublin during this trip, the fitness center is spacious and well-stocked with equipment for those hoping for an on-property workout.

There's plenty of cardio equipment and a far more robust selection of weights than you'll find at most hotels — from leg machines to benches and barbells.

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Accessibility

The Conrad Dublin offers an access guide on its website that lays out, in detail, accessibility features for guests.

One feature highlighted: the handled lobby ramp helps guests get to the elevator without using stairs.

The access guide notes the property does not have fully accessible rooms but does have accessible toilet facilities. Guests can also arrange for a variety of accommodations like bed raisers and a vibrating pillow alarm with the hotel.

If there's an accessibility accommodation interest not listed in the hotel's access guide, the page lists a phone number and email address customers can use to contact the property.

Checking out 

If you're a Hilton Honors loyalist hoping to tap into your loyalty benefits during a stay in the Irish capital, the Conrad Dublin will provide a perfectly comfortable stay with an upscale vibe. The property may not boast any true stand-out features or bells and whistles like a luxurious pool, memorable terrace or spa. Yet, with walkable access to the city's biggest landmarks and plenty of on-property dining and drinking options, there's plenty of reason for Hilton Honors loyalists to make it their hotel of choice when visiting the city.

Related reading:

• Hilton Honors: Everything to know about the loyalty program
  
• How to choose the best Hilton credit card for you
• Hilton Honors elite status: What it is and how to earn it
  
• The best credit cards to reach elite status
• The best hotel credit cards
• Best hotel rewards programs in the world: Which one is right for you?