No one pays to be recommended here, and we say when a free or cheaper option wins. Our promise →
In this guide14 sections
- The short answer
- 13 to 17 March: what the festival has published
- What the bill includes: 13.5% VAT, and no tourist tax
- Getting in from the airport, and around
- O’Connell Street to Christchurch: on the route
- Temple Bar: the first-trip base
- St Stephen’s Green and Merrion: the finish line
- Smithfield and Stoneybatter: a neighbourhood base
- The Docklands: modern hotels, pools and the funfair
- Ballsbridge: quiet streets, away from the closures
- How to book Dublin for St Patrick’s Day
- All 12 at a glance
- Before you go
- Frequently asked questions
Dublin adds no tourist tax to a hotel bill that we could find in November 2026; what it adds is 13.5% VAT, already in the quoted price. What changes at St Patrick’s Day is the street plan. The festival’s own site gives its 2027 dates as 13 to 17 March, with the parade at noon on Wednesday 17 March, 3.2 km from Parnell Square down O’Connell Street and over O’Connell Bridge to the Cuffe Street and Kevin Street junction. A hotel on that line has the best view and the most closed streets: roads are shut from early morning until late afternoon.
This guide covers what the festival and the Gardaí had published in November 2026, six areas, 12 hotels, the VAT and what to ask before booking. For the rest of your trip, where to stay in Dublin covers six areas and 12 hotels, 11 of which also appear here. The hotels are researched picks, chosen for location, what each property publishes and consistent guest feedback, and each was checked as operating in November 2026. No hotel pays to appear here.
The short answer
| If you want… | Stay in | Why |
|---|---|---|
| to start the day on the parade route | O’Connell Street to Christchurch | The route runs down O’Connell Street and over the bridge; the festival’s 2026 map had grandstands beside Christchurch Cathedral |
| a first trip on foot, with the pubs | Temple Bar | Between Trinity College and Dublin Castle, beside Westmoreland Street, where the 2026 map had grandstands |
| the finish line, and a quieter evening | St Stephen’s Green and Merrion | The 2026 parade dispersed at St Stephen’s Green West, and the Céilí Mór is on Merrion Square West |
| a lower price, close to last year’s assembly point | Smithfield and Stoneybatter | Last year’s parade assembled at Western Way in Dublin 7, and the Luas is moments from one hotel |
| modern hotels with pools, and the funfair | The Docklands | The Festival Funfair is on Custom House Quay |
| quiet streets away from the closures | Ballsbridge | The DART runs in from Lansdowne Road |
Not sure which area? Rank these areas for your trip: pick what matters and see the reasons.
13 to 17 March: what the festival has published
St. Patrick’s Festival’s site, stpatricksfestival.ie, gives the 2027 festival as Saturday 13 March to Wednesday 17 March, “at various locations around Dublin City Centre”. Its FAQ lists what the festival will feature and says the detailed programme will be announced in January 2027.
| When | What | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday 13 March | Dublin City Council St. Patrick’s Festival Treasure Hunt | Not given |
| 13 to 16 March | Citywide street performances, workshops and the After Dark programme | City centre |
| 13 to 17 March | Festival Funfair | Custom House Quay |
| Wednesday 17 March, from 12 noon | The parade, which the festival says takes about two hours to pass | Parnell Square to the Cuffe Street and Kevin Street junction |
| Wednesday 17 March | Céilí Mór | Merrion Square West |
Watching the parade is free, with “lots of standing points” along the route. Covered, tiered grandstands can be booked through the festival’s website, and the festival expects about 500,000 people. It has three wheelchair-accessible viewing areas, on O’Connell Street, on Westmoreland Street and at St Patrick’s Cathedral, and a Relaxed Parade Space for neurodivergent families. Applications for both open in mid-January 2027. The two official pages differ on the start: the route page says Parnell Square and the FAQ says Granby Row.
Not yet published for 2027: the full schedule, the road closures, the grandstand sites and public-transport diversions. The festival says the closures will be “available closer to the Festival dates”.
Last year’s pattern is the best guide. The 2026 parade was on Tuesday 17 March, started at noon at Parnell Square North, assembled at Western Way in Dublin 7 and dispersed at St Stephen’s Green West, and the Gardaí announced rolling closures across the city centre from early morning. No vehicles could enter the route, parking along it was not permitted and traffic went round by the North and South Circular Roads. The festival’s 2026 map showed grandstands at Parnell Square North, the GPO, O’Connell Bridge, Westmoreland Street, Christchurch Cathedral and St Patrick’s Cathedral. Treat it as a pattern, not a promise.
What the bill includes: 13.5% VAT, and no tourist tax
Revenue, Ireland’s tax authority, says a supply of guest or holiday accommodation is taxable at the reduced rate of VAT, and its table of current rates gives the reduced rate as 13.5% from 1 January 2026.
| Charge | Dublin, November 2026 |
|---|---|
| VAT on a hotel, guesthouse or B&B room | 13.5%, the reduced rate |
| Ireland’s standard VAT rate, for comparison | 23% |
| Tourist or city tax | None that we could find |
The Department of Finance’s summary of the tax changes in Budget 2027 mentions neither a tourist tax nor a change to the accommodation rate. We found no rule creating a bed tax, published or in force.
The VAT is inside the price you are quoted. As our arithmetic: on three nights at €250 a night, the €750 total includes €750 × 13.5 ÷ 113.5 = €89.21 of VAT, so nothing is added at checkout.
Getting in from the airport, and around
There is no train to Dublin Airport. Each operator’s own page gave these details.
- Dublin Express coaches run from “just €9 one-way” when you book online, and the fastest service takes as little as 14 minutes. Its city stops include Aston Quay by O’Connell Bridge, Wellington Quay by Dublin Castle, Trinity College, Arran Quay in Smithfield, Heuston Station, Custom House Quay by Connolly station, North Wall Quay in the Docklands and Christchurch on Patrick Street. The timetable box on its page is dated 2022, so check the current stops and times.
- Aircoach advertises tickets from €6 one way or €8 return when you book online. The 700 and 700X run every 15 minutes or so, 24 hours a day, to O’Connell Street, with the Riu Gresham named as a stop, and O’Connell Bridge; the 700 continues to Kildare Street and Leeson Street Lower. The 702 serves the 3Arena, Grand Canal Dock and Ballsbridge. Aircoach puts journeys at 20 to 40 minutes, and says a taxi costs roughly €30 to €45.
- City buses: Dublin Airport lists Transport for Ireland routes 16, 19, 24, 33a, 41, 101, 102 and 109A, and Generator Dublin suggests the Airlink 747 to Usher’s Quay.
- On parade day, the Aircoach stops on O’Connell Street and at O’Connell Bridge and Dublin Express’s Aston Quay stop all sit on the route, our inference from the route and the stop lists. No operator had published 2027 arrangements, and we could not read Dublin Bus’s or Luas’s 2026 parade notices, so we give no diversion details: check Transport for Ireland, Dublin Bus and Luas from early March, and ask your coach operator where it will set you down.
O’Connell Street to Christchurch: on the route
Sleeping on the route means a view and a short walk home, and a street closed to traffic when you want a taxi. Ask each hotel about arrivals and departures that morning.
Where to stay on the route
How the hotel links work: a hotel’s name goes to its own website. “Check rates” opens it on Booking.com through our partner Stay22, which pays us a commission if you book, at no extra cost to you.
- Riu Plaza The Gresham Dublin, comfortable. At 23 Upper O’Connell Street, with five room categories, a buffet breakfast, a lounge bar and a 24-hour gym; Aircoach names it as a stop on the 700. Choose it to be on the avenue the parade comes down. Watch out: the street is closed to vehicles from early morning on the day, so expect to walk with your bags. Check rates on Booking.com →
- Leonardo Hotel Dublin Christchurch, good value. A hotel of 182 rooms at 8 Christchurch Place, opposite Christchurch Cathedral, with a lift, a bar and restaurant and a Superior King room sold with a Christchurch Cathedral view. The festival’s 2026 map had grandstands at the cathedral. Choose it for the south end of the route at a mid-range price. Watch out: no room sizes are published, and the street may be restricted on the day. Check rates on Booking.com →
- Latroupe Jacobs Inn, budget. A hostel at 21 to 28 Talbot Place, Dublin 1, north of the river, with private rooms for two, dorms of 4 to 12 beds with shared en-suites, a large bar for drinks and live events, a 24-hour reception and an Irish buffet breakfast. Choose it for the lowest price on the north side. Watch out: the bar is part of the place; light sleepers should book a private room, not a 12-bed dorm. Check rates on Booking.com →
Temple Bar: the first-trip base
Temple Bar is the grid of cobbled lanes south of the Liffey, between Dublin Castle and Trinity College, and a walk from the 13 to 16 March street performances and the After Dark programme. Both hotels below are on Fleet Street.
Where to stay in Temple Bar
- The Morgan Hotel, comfortable. A four-star hotel at 10 Fleet Street with 168 air-conditioned rooms and a restaurant and bar. Its offers page lists a “Stay Longer & Save 20%” rate for three or more nights, for stays until 31 March 2027, and a 15% advance-purchase rate paid up front. Choose it for four-star comfort in Temple Bar. Watch out: check whether an offer covers 13 to 17 March, and read the cancellation terms before you prepay. Check rates on Booking.com →
- Temple Bar Inn, good value. 101 en-suite rooms at 40 to 47 Fleet Street, with a 24-hour reception and a buffet breakfast that is complimentary with every direct booking. Rooms run from the 10 m² Single and 12 m² Cosy Double to the 15 m² Twin. Choose it for Temple Bar at a lower price, with breakfast. Watch out: a Cosy Double is 12 m², and Fleet Street may be noisy; ask which rooms face away from it. Check rates on Booking.com →
St Stephen’s Green and Merrion: the finish line
South of Trinity College is St Stephen’s Green, where the 2026 parade dispersed, and the streets towards Merrion Square, where the festival lists the Céilí Mór on 17 March. The parade ends at Cuffe Street and Kevin Street, so these hotels are near the end of the line.
Where to stay around St Stephen’s Green
- The Shelbourne, splurge. At 27 St Stephen’s Green, “hospitality since 1824”, with the Saddle Room restaurant and the Horseshoe Bar. Choose it for a grand hotel by the Green. Watch out: its site says the hotel is “undergoing room renovations to May 2027 – some noise may occur”, and that the spa, including the pool, is closed. March 2027 falls inside that period. Check rates on Booking.com →
- The Merrion, splurge. On Upper Merrion Street, a hotel of 142 bedrooms and suites with an 18 m pool, a spa and gym, and Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud, which the hotel describes as two-Michelin-star. Booking.com lists its address as Merrion Square. Choose it for the five-star stay near the Céilí Mór. Watch out: price; its home page does not mention St Patrick’s. Check rates on Booking.com →
Smithfield and Stoneybatter: a neighbourhood base
West of the centre on the north bank, Smithfield is a cobbled square beside the Jameson Distillery, in Dublin 7, the postcode of last year’s parade assembly at Western Way. Temple Bar is across the river, which is the trade-off for the lower prices.
Where to stay in Smithfield
- Maldron Hotel Smithfield, good value. A four-star hotel at Smithfield with 92 bedrooms, including triple and quad rooms, and the Luas “just moments away”, the hotel says. Choose it for groups and families on the north side. Watch out: the route and Temple Bar are a Luas ride or a walk across the river. Check rates on Booking.com →
- Generator Dublin, budget. A design hostel on Smithfield Square, “right next to the Jameson Distillery”, with private rooms, dorms and a six-bed female dorm, a Shuffleboard Bar open from 11:00 to 23:30, a café that stays open until 1:30 on Friday and Saturday nights and a 24-hour reception. Choose it for a lively base at hostel prices. Watch out: the bar and café are part of the building. Check rates on Booking.com →
The Docklands: modern hotels, pools and the funfair
East of the Custom House, the old docks are now offices, the 3Arena and Grand Canal Dock. The festival puts its funfair on Custom House Quay, and Dublin Express and the Aircoach 702 both stop here. Both hotels below have pools.
Where to stay in the Docklands
- Anantara The Marker Dublin Hotel, splurge. On Grand Canal Square, with 187 rooms of 30 to 35 m² and floor-to-ceiling windows, a spa with a 23-metre infinity pool, and the Rooftop Bar & Terrace. The hotel puts College Green and Grafton Street within walking distance. Choose it for space and a pool after a day in the crowd. Watch out: price, and a walk from the route. Check rates on Booking.com →
- Clayton Hotel Cardiff Lane, good value. A four-star hotel near Sir John Rogerson’s Quay, with, it says, complimentary access to a 22-metre pool, one of the largest in the city, a separate kids’ pool, and the 3Arena and Aviva Stadium within walking distance. Choose it for a pool at a mid-range price. Watch out: its page gives no distance to the route. Check rates on Booking.com →
Ballsbridge: quiet streets, away from the closures
Ballsbridge is in Dublin 4, south-east of the centre. The Aircoach 702 stops here, and the DART runs in from Lansdowne Road.
Where to stay in Ballsbridge
- Herbert Park Hotel & Park Residence, comfortable. A four-star hotel with self-catering studio apartments in its Park Residence, underground parking, a 24-hour gym for guests and, by its count, a 10-minute walk to Lansdowne Road DART. Choose it to be outside the closures and still on the DART. Watch out: the centre is a DART or bus ride away, and parade-day trains may be crowded. Check rates on Booking.com →
How to book Dublin for St Patrick’s Day
- Wait for the programme, then pay. The full schedule is due in January 2027, and the closures only “closer to the Festival dates”. Book with free cancellation first, and prepay once the plan is out.
- Ask about minimum stays. None of the 12 hotels publishes a St Patrick’s minimum stay or package on a page we could read; the Morgan’s offers page lists a three-night discount and an advance-purchase rate for dates up to 31 March 2027. Ask before you book, and ask in writing.
- Check the street. If your hotel is on the route, ask how a taxi or a coach reaches you from early morning, and where to leave bags.
- Read the renovation notice. The Shelbourne’s room renovations run to May 2027, and its spa and pool are closed.
- Count the VAT, not a tax. A quoted Irish rate normally includes the 13.5%; check that breakfast and parking are included or priced.
- Compare totals. Our hotel booking sites compared goes through where to book, and hotel taxes around the world shows how other cities charge theirs.
All 12 at a glance
| Hotel | Area | Tier | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riu Plaza The Gresham Dublin | O’Connell Street | Comfortable | A hotel on the parade avenue | Street closed to vehicles |
| Leonardo Hotel Dublin Christchurch | Christchurch | Good value | The south end of the route | No room sizes published |
| Latroupe Jacobs Inn | Dublin 1 | Budget | The lowest price north of the river | A large bar, dorms of up to 12 |
| The Morgan Hotel | Temple Bar | Comfortable | Four-star comfort in Temple Bar | Check which offer covers your dates |
| Temple Bar Inn | Temple Bar | Good value | Temple Bar with breakfast | 12 m² Cosy Double, street noise |
| The Shelbourne | St Stephen’s Green | Splurge | A grand hotel by the Green | Renovations to May 2027, spa closed |
| The Merrion | Merrion Square | Splurge | Five stars near the Céilí Mór | Price |
| Maldron Hotel Smithfield | Smithfield | Good value | Families and groups | A Luas ride to the route |
| Generator Dublin | Smithfield | Budget | A lively base at hostel prices | Bar and late café |
| Anantara The Marker Dublin Hotel | Docklands | Splurge | Space and a pool | A walk from the route |
| Clayton Hotel Cardiff Lane | Docklands | Good value | A pool at a mid-range price | No distance to the route given |
| Herbert Park Hotel & Park Residence | Ballsbridge | Comfortable | A calm base away from the closures | A DART ride to the centre |
Before you go
- Before you fly, sort out mobile data (the best eSIM for Europe; check that Ireland is included) and cover (the best travel insurance). For the rest of your trip, see where to stay in Dublin, and where to stay in London or Edinburgh if Dublin is one stop of several.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Dublin St Patrick's Day parade in 2027?
St. Patrick's Festival gives the 2027 festival as Saturday 13 March to Wednesday 17 March, with the parade starting at midday on Wednesday 17 March. The full events schedule is due in January 2027, and road closures will be published closer to the dates.
Where does the Dublin St Patrick's Day parade run?
The festival describes a 3.2 km route from Parnell Square (its FAQ says Granby Row) down O'Connell Street and over O'Connell Bridge, through the south side of the city to the Cuffe Street and Kevin Street junction. It says the parade takes about two hours to pass.
Where is the best place to stay for St Patrick's Day in Dublin?
It depends on how close to the route you want to be. O'Connell Street and Christchurch are on it, Temple Bar is beside it, St Stephen's Green and Merrion are near the end, Smithfield is a lower-price base on the north bank, the Docklands have pools and the funfair, and Ballsbridge is quiet and away from the closures.
Is there a tourist tax on Dublin hotels, and what is the VAT?
We found no tourist tax in force in November 2026. Revenue says guest accommodation is taxed at the reduced VAT rate, which its table gives as 13.5%, and the VAT is already inside the quoted price. Our arithmetic: on three nights at €250 the VAT included is €89.21.
Do Dublin hotels have minimum stays for St Patrick's Day?
None of the 12 hotels in this guide publishes a St Patrick's minimum stay or package on a page we could read. The Morgan Hotel lists a three-night discount and a prepaid advance-purchase rate for stays until 31 March 2027, and The Shelbourne says its room renovations run to May 2027 and its spa and pool are closed, so ask before you book.
How do you get from Dublin Airport to the centre for St Patrick's Day?
Dublin Express advertises fares from €9 one-way online and Aircoach from €6 one way or €8 return, with journeys of 20 to 40 minutes on Aircoach and as little as 14 minutes on the fastest Dublin Express. Stops at O'Connell Street and O'Connell Bridge sit on the parade route, and no operator had published 2027 parade-day arrangements.
Sources & further reading
- St. Patrick’s Festival: the parade map and route and Your Visit (FAQs, road closures, accessibility)
- An Garda Síochána: St. Patrick’s Day policing plan for Dublin City, 17 March 2026
- Revenue: current VAT rates
- Revenue: VAT on guest and holiday accommodation
- Department of Finance: Budget 2027 tax policy changes, summary (PDF)
- Dublin Express: Dublin Airport to Dublin City
- Aircoach: Dublin Airport to Dublin City routes
- Dublin Airport: buses to Dublin city and the Greater Dublin Area
- Official websites of each hotel named above, checked in November 2026
Dates, rules, prices and hotel terms change, and the 2027 programme, road closures and public-transport arrangements were not yet published when we checked; where we describe last year’s arrangements we say so. Every hotel detail here was checked in November 2026; confirm minimum stays, rates and cancellation terms with the hotel before booking. These are researched picks, not reviews. This article contains affiliate links: hotel rates on Booking.com and other booking sites through Stay22, and tours, transfers and eSIMs through our partners; if you book through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. No hotel pays to be included.
Keep reading on Gently Yonder
- Where to Stay in Dublin Six areas, 12 hotels, and Dublin's 13.5% VAT on rooms, with no tourist tax and no airport train.
- Where to Stay in London Five areas, 12 hotels, and London's 20% VAT on rooms, with no city tax yet.
- Where to Stay in Edinburgh Six areas, 12 hotels, and Edinburgh's new 5% Visitor Levy, charged on the first five nights.
- Hotel Taxes Around the World (2026) What Paris, New York, Tokyo, Kyoto, Hong Kong and more add to a hotel room, checked at official sources.
- Hotel Booking Sites Compared Hotels.com, Booking.com, Trip.com, Agoda — what each is genuinely good for.