In the US, anti-smoking regulations are everywhere, so as non-smokers, we were startled to walk into the lobby and find so many people seated in the waiting area smoking. This was a lesson to be kept in mind for the rest of our trip throughout Ireland.

The massive power outage which had happened the day before in the eastern US influenced far more than the US; various travellers were stranded due to airports being closed, so although we had made sure the reservation said "early arrival," there were no rooms available, and we had to sit in the lobby and wait nearly three hours for a room to be available. I was jetlagged and ill, so it was miserable to sit in the smoke-filled lobby and wait.

While the Holiday Inn is clean and tidy, it is an older hotel starting to show its age with a vaguely tired air. And although they knew that three people would be staying in the room, and had had to make up the room while we waited, the foldout bed was not ready and we had to wait half an hour for housekeeping to bring extra sheets, towels and pillows so I could lie down. Both the bed and foldout bed/cot could have used new mattresses. At least the linens were spotless white.

Our room included two breakfasts per day, which was good, because the breakfast buffet ("Irish breakfast") was pricey otherwise. The buffet was not bad, with fresh fruit, eggs, Irish bangers and mash, and more available.

They also had a nice little pub off the lobby where they had a live musician, and which was not a bad place to grab a beer.

Overall, however, we were not pleased with our stay, and when we returned for our final night in Dublin before flying out, choose to stay across the road instead, even though the accommodations cost us more.

Dublin Airport Holiday Inn

Holiday Inn Dublin Airport, Dublin Airport, Dublin, Ireland
Tel: +353 18080 500, Fax: +353 1844 6002