Getting to Ireland and finding a place to stay

Posted by Staff Writer on May 15, 2021

Getting to Ireland and finding a place to stay

Ireland (/ˈaɪərlənd/ (listen); Irish: Éire [ˈeːɾʲə] (listen); Ulster-Scots: Airlann [ˈɑːrlən]) is an island in the North Atlantic. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel, the Irish Sea, and St George's Channel. Ireland is the second-largest island of the British Isles, the third-largest in Europe, and the twentieth-largest on Earth.^[8] - Wikipedia

So, How do I get to Ireland and where do I stay?

Being an island, the only ways to reach Ireland would be by flying, a boat or a ferry. Most visitors would fly to the UK or directly to one of the Irish international airports. Accommodation is plentiful and is easy to find by searching online.

Airports in Ireland

Dublin Airport

Dublin International Airport is around 12 kilometers from Dublin city center and it will be your first stop when visiting Dublin.

From Dublin airport to the city, there are 5 options for airport transfer to the city center or to your Dublin accommodation.

Dublin Airport To City Transfer Options

Airlink Express Public Coach

Aircoach Express Public Coach

Dublin Bus

Private Transfers

Taxi

SHANNON AIRPORT TRANSFER OPTIONS TO MAJOR CITIES IN IRELAND

Shannon Airport is the third busiest airport in Ireland after Dublin Airport and Cork Airport. In 2017, it served over 1.7 million passengers alone.

Major Airlines that serve Shannon Airport

Currently, below are the major airlines that serve Shannon:

Air Lingus

General: +353 (0)61 715400

Reservations: 0818 365000

Lost Baggage: +353 (0)61 715325 – 0800hrs to 1500hrs daily

Website: www.aerlingus.com

Air Canada

General: 1-800-709900

Lost Baggage: Information

Website: www.aircanada.com

American Airlines

Reservations:1890 925 065

Lost Baggage:+353 (0)61712474

Website: www.americanairlines.ie

Delta

General: +353 (0)61 471200

Reservations: 0818 904 872

Lost Baggage: +353 (0)61 712474

Website: www.delta.com

Lufthansa

Lost Baggage: +353 (0)61 471851

Website: www.lufthansa.com

Norwegian Airline

Lost Baggage: +353 (0)61 471851

Website: www.norwegian.com/ie

Ryan Air

Lost Baggage: +353 (0)61 471851

Website: www.ryanair.com

United Airlines

Reservations: 1890 925252

Lost Baggage: +353 (0)61712474

Website: www.united.com

Where to stay

HOW TO FIND ACCOMMODATION IN IRELAND

Ireland is an ever popular tourist destination. 11.2 Million people visited Ireland in 2019, according to Tourism Ireland.

Do your research and Book Ahead

Like any part of planning a trip, when it comes to accommodation, doing your research is the key to success.

There is a number of booking sites where you start looking for accommodation

Ireland Hotels. Good for finding hotel accommodation, the official site of the Irish Hotels Federation.

Ireland.com. A search engine by Tourism Ireland with a full collection including hotels, camping, university accommodation and everything in between.

Ireland’s Blue Book. Features unique country houses, historic homes, luxury boutique hotels and BnBs.

You can also search these popular booking sites.

Booking.com

TripAdvisor

Trivago

Airbnb

Expedia

As we have said, Ireland is a very popular tourist destination and it is a good idea to book as much of your accommodation as you can in advance, especially during peak seasons,

If you’re travelling from outside the EU, from the US for example, you will need to provide an address or evidence of a reservation at Immigration when you arrive at the airport anyway, so booking ahead makes sense.

Your accommodation options

HOTELS

Staying in a hotel will usually be the most expensive option, especially in main cities.

5-STAR HOTELS

5 Star hotels in Ireland are plentiful, especially in Dublin where you will find a few iconic selections.

The Shelbourne Hotel boasts past guests including Charlie Chaplin, Grace Kelly (who had a suite named after her) and President John F. Kennedy.

The Merrion Hotel caters well for lovers of fine food and is home to Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud, which holds not one, but two Michelin stars.

There are many other five star hotel all over Ireland

MID-RANGE AND BUDGET HOTELS

Hotel prices in Ireland vary widely depending on season and location.

For the best deals check out www.booking.com

HOSTELS

Hostels traditionally cater to the younger traveller who is either broke or a single backpacker but some can provide value even for couples with kids, so it is worth checking them out.

Check out Hostelworld, Hostelbookers or Independent Hostels Ireland to find out more.

SELF CATERING

When you are travelling with kids you might want to cook your own meals and then this could be a great option.

There are many options such as a traditional cottage, a seaside holiday home or a convenient townhouse.

You can find self-catering accommodation on the usual booking sites mentioned above as well as these Irish sites:

AIRBNB, BED AND BREAKFASTS

AirBnB is now an option everywhere and is definitely worth consideration.

If you’re someone who loves to soak up local tradition and culture, there’s no better place to stay than with an Irish family in a bed and breakfast. With hundreds of quality B&Bs right across the country, you have the opportunity to meet the real people of Ireland, enjoy a home cooked breakfast and get great value for money.

According to B&B Ireland, the average price per person of a B&B is €32-38 per person sharing, but of course, it does depend on the season and location.