DoubleTree Dublin Burlington Road Review
Note: As of November 22, 2016, the property is leaving the Hilton brand.
There are a bunch of Hilton properties in Dublin (and no Hyatt properties). Reviews I read had rated the DoubleTree Dublin Burlington Road as one of the better, affordable options. I was able to make a reservation for my one night stay for points plus cash at a cost of 16,000 points and €57.
Location: The DoubleTree Dublin Burlington Road is on the southeast side of Dublin. It is a 10-15 minute walk to St Stephen’s Green. There are a few pubs around the hotel but it isn’t in the heart of the city and tourist destinations to be sure. It is more residential.
From the airport it is easy to take the Aircoach Route 700 for €8.50 one way and it will drop you off right in front of the hotel. Beware if you are traveling on a day that there is a match at Croke Park; it can add an hour to the normally 45 minute commute.
Check In: The check in agent I had was not very friendly (just personality it seemed) but was professional. She helped me with a map to figure out how to get in to the center of the city. As always with a DoubleTree you get a free welcome cookie. She also explained breakfast for Diamond members and the Executive Club on the main floor. My room was ready so I headed up.
The property is an odd layout. It is a U shape and seems to be kind of pieced together with various additions. There are elevators in odd spots, but the main two elevators are just off the lobby. The property was built in 1972 and it has that cold war era vibe to the outside. Luckily the entire property has been renovated and it feels quite modern.
Room: I had a room on the same floor as the gym; I believe it was the 6th floor. It was quite a walk from the elevator to my room which I don’t mind as it usually means it is quieter.
The room was modern and bright but pretty basic.
There was an empty mini fridge under the TV.
Be aware that Ireland uses the UK style plug (I brought my mainland Europe adapters and they didn’t work). There was a nice “world” power strip that pulled out of the desk so there was one plug that my electronics worked in.
In the closet were robes and coffee maker. There were also two bottles of water in the room when I arrived.
The view from the room was nothing special; just an apartment building. However I guess I was lucky as the views from the other sides of the building were either of the other section of the hotel or construction.
Bathroom: The bathroom of the DoubleTree Dublin Burlington Road was also modern and bright. It had a combo shower/bathtub with glass enclosure instead of a shower curtain. It was a bit tricky to get the water in the shower to work; I had to call maintenance because I couldn’t get the temperature right. One knob was for pressure and the other was for temperature. I felt a bit silly for not figuring it out. I’ll blame jet lag.
The bath amenities were generic hotel type products.
Executive Lounge: The DoubleTree Dublin Burlington Road Executive Lounge is on the first floor just past the main elevators. You use your room key to gain access. Breakfast is served in the morning (but if you are Diamond you can eat in the restaurant) and there is a happy hour in the evening.
The biggest draw for most would be the Guinness on tap that is self-pour. It was available all day but I don’t know if that was on purpose or if someone forgot to lock it up. At happy hour there was also wine and other types of beer available for free as well as a few appetizers.
Breakfast: As a Diamond elite staying at the DoubleTree Dublin Burlington Road I was offered free breakfast at the Sussex Breakfast Room; a large function space. The food was self serve buffet advertised as a Full Irish Breakfast. It was actually a tasty morning buffet, definitely better than my buffet the day before at the Crowne Plaza LAX. If you were not a Diamond and wanted to eat there it was €18 per person. The Rock and Roll Marathon was the day I was visiting so lots of people were carbo loading but the restaurant was able to handle it.
Overall: I enjoyed my stay at the DoubleTree Dublin Burlington Road. If I were to visit Dublin again I would probably pick a hotel closer to the action of Temple Bar or the River. While it didn’t have a huge amount of charm, it is a solid property that I found little to complain about.