Reviewing Dublin

1. Favorite hotels.

Stauntons on the Green is a bit of a splurge for Dublin. It’s an excellent value, though, given its excellent location on St. Stephen’s Green and its relatively spacious, and nicely decorated rooms.

Clifden Guest House in the Upper Gardiner area is an amazing deal. It's just €60 for a single in low season. This rate might suggest something bare-bones and unappealing, but Clifden's rooms are actually beautifully decorated, and the Georgian house in which it sits is in lovely renovated shape.

Although I tend to prefer little guesthouses over big business-class hotels, I really liked Mespil Hotel, on the southern edge of central Dublin. Low season nightly rates at Mespil are under €100, which is quite good for a business-class hotel with all the standard facilities. All rooms are doubles, with flat rates across the entire hotel. Mespil is also in Ballsbridge, which is a cute little pocket of Dublin. Request a new room, as not all the rooms have been recently renovated.

2. Favorite thing about working in Dublin.

I love the scale of Dublin, so compact and manageable. It's vibrant, even buzzing. Locals may take a little time to warm up, but when they do, they're quite friendly. I suppose there's not one thing I love about Dublin—it's more of the overall feel and culture of the city that I appreciate.

3. Funny story.

Waking up before 5 a.m. after a late night to catch my Ryanair flight wasn't exactly fun, but it did lead to this tense yet hilarious experience.

4. Favorite local food.

It may not be food, but Guinness from the tap almost feels like nourishment.

5. Highlight of visit.

Again, it's hard to point to one experience, although walking across a reveler-packed Grattan Bridge on a breezy summer night felt magical.

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