What to expect: A uniformed doorman welcomes guests into a large, split-level foyer flooded with natural light, with cream marble floors complemented by dark-wood chequered wall panelling. Informal business meetings take place in the lobby cocktail lounge, which has a baby grand piano. Leisure travellers seek advice at the concierge desk.

Amenity highlights: Champagne cocktails and draught beers are served in the striking red, blue and gold lounge bar, accompanied by tempura and fajitas. Alfie Byrne’s basement bar offers a typically Irish pub atmosphere, and the restaurant, Alex, serves contemporary dishes and traditional seafood specialities prepared with fresh organic produce. The fitness room is equipped with exercise bikes, treadmills, and resistance machines, and is accessible 24 hours a day.

Insider tip: Dublin’s museum district offers a wealth of artefacts, paintings and exhibitions. The National Gallery, National Museum of Archaeology and History, and the Natural History Museum are all located just off Merrion Square, 500 metres from the hotel. Those interested in the city’s literary heritage will find Bram Stoker’s House and a statue of Oscar Wilde in the same area.

What to expect: Since 1760, this row of four Georgian townhouses has stood on prestigious Merrion Street. With a new but sympathetically designed garden wing, it became a hotel in 1997, and a magnet for well-healed business and leisure guests. Throughout the public areas—the bars, restaurants, and marble-floored entrance hall and lobby—paintings from one of Ireland’s largest private art collections adorn the walls.

Amenity highlights: Guests have complimentary access to the hotel’s heath club, with a 18-meter (59-foot) infinity pool, steam room, gym, and spa treatments (surcharge). Two restaurants serve fine Irish and French cuisine, and drinks and light food are also available in the labyrinthine Cellar Bar, the expansive drawing rooms with adjoining garden, and the resident’s lounge. The business center has two computers with high-speed Internet access (surcharge).

Insider tip: Theater and literature fans need travel only one block from the hotel to pay homage to one of Ireland’s most famous sons. Long before penning his renowned comedies, Oscar Wilde lived at his family home at 1 Merrion Square. Tours of the restored house are offered on selected weekday mornings, and a statue of Wilde is directly opposite in Merrion Square.