Mount Argus Self Catering
Looking for a straightforward base in Dublin City? Mount Argus Self Catering in Rathmines covers the essentials and sits near central Rathmines.
From here, Dublin City’s main attractions — including central Rathmines — are an easy walk or short ride away, so you spend less time in transit and more time exploring.
Key facts
What’s included
Around Rathmines
Where to stay in Dublin City
Temple Bar suits people who want the nightlife on the doorstep and will accept noise until 2am; rooms here run €180–€260 a night at weekends. Grafton Street and St Stephen’s Green are quieter and central, with doubles from €200–€320, while the Trinity College Area mixes both and adds proximity to the Dart at Pearse. O’Connell Street is the budget end of the centre: expect €120–€180 for a basic double, with more traffic and fewer restaurants than the south side.
The Liberties and Smithfield are the value picks within walking distance of the centre — €110–€170 a night — and Smithfield has the Luas Red Line plus the Jameson Bow St. distillery and the Light House Cinema. Georgian Dublin around Merrion Square is the most expensive residential-feeling area, at €220–€350. Rathmines and Ranelagh are for repeat visitors who want village restaurants and a 20-minute walk or short bus ride to Grafton Street; Ballsbridge and the Docklands suit business travellers and anyone using the Aviva Stadium or the Convention Centre.
Best time to visit Dublin City
May, June and September are the best months: daylight runs to 10pm in June, the weather is at its driest, and hotel prices sit around €160–€240 for a mid-range double. July and August are the peak — rates climb to €220–€320 and Temple Bar properties sell out weeks ahead — but the city is at its liveliest, with the Dublin Pride parade in June and the Dublin Horse Show at the RDS in August.
January and February are the cheapest months, with mid-range rooms at €90–€150, though some restaurants close on Mondays and the weather is wet and dark by 4.30pm. March brings St Patrick’s Day on 17 March, when prices spike for the parade weekend and rooms near O’Connell Street are booked six months out. October and November are a good compromise: €130–€190, the Dublin Theatre Festival in late September and early October, and the city’s pubs at their best without the summer crowds.
Getting around Dublin City
You do not need a car in Dublin City. The centre is compact: O’Connell Street to St Stephen’s Green is a 15-minute walk, Trinity College to Temple Bar is 5 minutes, and Grafton Street to Merrion Square is 10. The Luas Green Line runs from St Stephen’s Green to Sandyford, the Red Line from Smithfield to the Docklands and The Point, and the Dart serves Pearse, Tara Street and Connolly for Ballsbridge and the Aviva Stadium.
A Leap Card costs €5 and caps fares at €8 a day for city travel; single Luas or bus fares are around €2. A taxi from Dublin Airport to the city centre is €25–€35 and takes 20–40 minutes depending on traffic, while the Airlink 747 bus is €10 single and the 16 bus is €2.60 with a Leap Card. Driving in the centre means paying the €2.50 toll on the Port Tunnel and hunting for parking at €15–€25 a day; take the car only if you are leaving the city for Glendalough or the Wicklow Mountains.