BEST WESTERN PLUS Academy Plaza Hotel, Dublin

My wife and I used this hotel as our base point for attending U2 concerts at Croke Park and as an origin for sightseeing in Dublin and excursions into the countryside. This was our first trip to Ireland, and we couldn't have been more pleased with this hotel. The hotel was clean and nice. All furnishings worked well, and the bed was comfortable. This is not a luxury hotel, but for the price we would rate it as a superb value. We needed a room to sleep, bathe, and secure our valuables. This room succeeded on all counts. The staff was extremely friendly and helpful on all of our questions about "what to do" and "how to do it" around Dublin. This location is very well located for sightseeing within the city. It is about 1/2 a block off O'Connell St., which is "main street" for all activity north of the Liffey. My wife and I walked to the Temple Bar area and as far south as St. Stephens Green with no difficulty whatsoever. All the city buses and hop-on-hop-off tour buses leave from stops just a couple of hundred yards from the door of the hotel. If we were going back to Dublin for daily sightseeing and shopping, we would definitely stay here again. If you plan to spend days in the room or prefer more spacious amenities, you might should look somewhere else. Otherwise, I would not hesitate to recommend this hotel to friends and family - especially those that aren't necessarily familiar with the Dublin area.

The first morning I woke up in the hotel, my ankle itched. I looked down to find a bedbug lying next to my ankle on the blood spotted sheet. I picked it up -- its legs were still squirming -- took a photo for evidence, collected it in a piece of tissue, and went downstairs to speak with the hotel manager. The apology was robotic and dispassionate, and the manager repeatedly stated how this was the first time it had ever happened at their hotel. I felt reproached by her manner, as though I had brought it in myself, which wasn't possible given my home doesn't have bedbugs and it was my very first night away from home. They never verified my claim, took the specimen away from me, and now claim it was a dried up fossil of a specimen, despite my high resolution photos to the contrary. BTW, the room was never fumigated, and they still deny that it was a bedbug, which either means they're completely infested or in denial. Again, stay at your own risk.

Bed was very comfortable. Room was comparable to most I've stayed in during travels to Europe. Construction was taking place during our stay during the day, not at night. For some this would have caused problems but we don't spend our time in the Hotel rooms when we travel, we get out and see the sights. Irish Breakfast was similar to most found at other Hotels in Ireland and was filling. The location was great for getting to most attractions on foot. Bus service was a block away and the Train Station was not more then five blocks away. Room rates need to be reviewed. Because of location we would stay again.

WENT HERE FOR MY GRAN'S 70TH BIRTHDAY - CHOSE IT BECAUSE OF IT'S GREAT LOCATION AND THE FACT THAT IT HAD JUST BEEN NEWLY REFURBISHED. DON'T BE FOOLED BY THE NICE PICTURES. WE DROVE PAST THE HOTEL AND COULDN'T BELIEVE IT WHEN WE FINALLY DISCOVERED IT WAS OURS. IT WAS A CONSTRUCTION SITE - YOU HAD TO WALK UP PLYWOOD RAMP TO GET INTO RECEPTION. IT WAS NOISY, DIRTY AND DANGEROUS - THERE WERE WIRES HANGING OUT EVERYWHERE - NOT TO MENTION BUCKETS CATCHING DRIPS. I AM CURRENTLY IN DISPUTE WITH BEST WESTERN OVER THIS HOTEL.

THIS WAS THE WORST HOTEL I HAVE EVER BEEN TOO, THEY DID NOT INFORM US THAT THE ENTIRE HOTEL IS A CONSTRUCTION SITE. THERE WERE WIRES HANGING OUT OF THE WALLS - NO HEAT IN THE HALLWAYS AND CONSTANT CONSTRUCTION STARTING AT 8 AM, I ACTUALLY WOKE UP ONE MORNING TO A CONSTRUCTION WORKER OUTSIDE MY WINDOW. THE MANAGER REFUSED TO REFUND ANY MONEY AND ACTUALLY TOLD ME I SHOULD HAVE CLOSED MY BLINDS. THE HOTEL SHOULD BE SHUT DOWN IT IS LITERALLY A CONSTRUCTION SITE.

Overpriced hotel, and although it was clean, it was in need of a face lift on both the exterior and the interior......beds were uncomfortable, staff was friendly and helpful and location was just ok.