Where to stay in Dublin: the best neighbourhoods and hotels

Grafton Street is Dublin's pedestrianised shopping spine, alive with buskers, and it runs straight into St Stephen's Green, a Victorian park of ponds, bandstands and lunchtime sunbathers. Trinity College is at one end, the Little Museum of Dublin and the Iveagh Gardens are close by, and the bars and restaurants of George's Street and Camden Street are a short stroll west.

The Shelbourne, overlooking the Green, is the grande dame, with a spa, an indoor pool and the Saddle Room. The Westbury, an Art Deco hotel just off Grafton Street, and the Conrad, which faces the National Concert Hall, are both polished and central. The Marlin is a stylish, better-value option between St Stephen's Green and George's Street.

East of Grafton Street, Dublin turns stately. Trinity College's cobbled quads hold the Book of Kells and the Long Room library, and beyond them the Georgian squares around Merrion Square are lined with the city's famous coloured doors. The National Gallery, the National Museum and Government Buildings are all here.

The Merrion is Dublin at its most elegant, a five-star set in restored Georgian townhouses, with a spa and an indoor pool. The College Green Hotel is five minutes' walk from Trinity and Grafton Street; The Mont sits beside Merrion Square; and the Trinity City Hotel, on Pearse Street, has the college on its doorstep.

Temple Bar is a tangle of cobbled lanes between Dame Street and the Liffey, crammed with pubs, live music, galleries and restaurants. Yes, it's touristy and the pints are pricey, but there's nowhere better for a night of trad music, and the Ha'penny Bridge leads straight across the river.

The Clarence, Dublin's original rock 'n' roll hotel, has Liffey views and individually designed rooms with velvet drapes. The Temple Bar Hotel and The Fleet put you right among the cobbles, while The Morrison, a design-led five-star on Ormond Quay, looks across the river with a Luas tram stop just behind. Ask for a quiet room if you plan to sleep before 2am.

The Liberties grew up outside the medieval city walls and still has a working-class, characterful edge. Christ Church and St Patrick's cathedrals are here, along with Dublinia's Viking exhibits, a cluster of whiskey distilleries, vintage shops, and the Guinness Storehouse with its rooftop bar looking over the city.

Hotels are newer and good value. Hyatt Centric The Liberties is a smart four-star in the heart of the area; Staycity's aparthotel on St Augustine Street has kitchens for self-caterers; and the NYX and Leonardo hotels near Christchurch put Dublin Castle and Temple Bar within a few minutes' walk.

North of the river, O'Connell Street is Dublin's broad main boulevard, home to the GPO, focal point of the 1916 Rising, and the Spire. Capel Street, to the west, has become one of the city's best streets for eating and drinking, and Croke Park, the great stadium of Gaelic games, is a short walk north-east.

Hotels here tend to cost less than across the river. The Gresham is a big, classic city hotel; the Leonardo on Parnell Street is right next to O'Connell Street; The July on Capel Street has a spa; and the Croke Park Hotel is steps from the stadium. Temple Bar and Grafton Street are 10 to 15 minutes' walk away.

Dublin's old docks have been rebuilt as a sleek waterfront district of tech offices, cafés and apartments. Grand Canal Dock is the prettiest corner, with the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre on its square, and the 3Arena and the Convention Centre sit along the north quays.

The Anantara The Marker looks across Grand Canal Square; the Grand Canal Hotel has a DART station across the street; The Dean Docklands, with a health club and an outdoor pool, is five minutes from the 3Arena; and the Clayton Hotel Cardiff Lane has one of the largest pools in the city plus a separate children's pool.

Ballsbridge is Dublin 4 at its most polished: wide avenues of red-brick Victorian houses, embassies behind high railings and the green expanse of Herbert Park. The Aviva Stadium and the RDS are both here, so it fills up on match and show days, and the centre is about a 10 to 20 minute walk away.

The InterContinental Dublin is set on two acres of gardens with an award-winning spa; the Dylan is a stylish boutique hotel on a quiet Victorian street; the Herbert Park Hotel is near the Lansdowne Road DART; and the Clayton Hotel Ballsbridge fills a restored 19th-century school right next to the RDS.

North of the city, Malahide is a handsome seaside village with a marina, a castle in its own parkland and a high street full of pubs and restaurants. Next door, Portmarnock has a long sandy beach and famous links golf. The DART and suburban trains run into the city centre, and the airport is close.

The Grand Hotel Malahide sits right on the waterfront with an indoor pool, while Portmarnock Hotel and Golf Links faces the beach with views of the Irish Sea. Both make a relaxed base that combines city days with sea air.

For early flights, several hotels sit within a few minutes' drive of the airport. The Crowne Plaza Dublin Airport runs an electric shuttle bus and overlooks a park; the Clayton Hotel Dublin Airport has a 24-hour shuttle; and the Holiday Inn Dublin Airport offers park-and-fly deals with a free shuttle. The city centre is around 20 minutes away by car.