BEST WESTERN PLUS Academy Plaza Hotel

The best thing about this hotel was the location. You walk out of the hotel and you are in the city center where all the buses are and the tourist offices, its awesome. And its so easy to get around especially walking, everything is so close. The hotel restaurant wasn't that good and it was really expensive. Especially the breakfast. We got little breakfast pastries at the SPAR at the corner of the hotel for 1euro each and it was more than enough so do not waste your money. And you can get a full Irish breakfast for 7 euro anywhere. The hotel staff were phenomenal!! We stayed here because we know what to expect with a Best Western being from the US, but it exceeded out expectations!

We really liked our room, which was comfortable and very clean. I was disappointed that the wi-fi in the room was spotty. A few nights were a bit like sleeping in a college dorm because people were yelling and slamming doors late into the night but most of the time this was not a big problem. We did not have the €9-15 breakfast but had dinner at the restaurant and it was very good. We enjoyed the location. Sites were within walking distance with shopping and bus stops in the area. The staff were very friendly and helpful. Overall, a good stay and I would recommend this hotel.

Hotel staff very helpful: gave us a larger room upon request, made useful suggestions regarding plans and travel about the city and made reservations for us. Bus to/from airport stops directly across the street, as does the hop on/hop off bus.

This Best Western is located right off O'Connell St. We took the AirCoach from the airport, got dropped off at Gresham Hotel and then walked two minutes to Best Western. Check in was quick. We had a twin bedroom. Most places in the US have two double beds but this one had two twins. Not a big deal. I think the location and price is what is a nice draw. If you are looking for a place to sleep and relax, and you want a prime location in Dublin and aren't big on luxury, go here.

I stayed at the Best Western Academy Plaza Hotel on two separate occassions in one week. For both nights, I booked standard accommodations with two twin beds. The first night the accommodations were comfortable. However, the second time I stayed, I did not check in until 9:00pm. It became evident that the hotel provides rooms on a first come, first-served basis. I was provided with room 001. BEWARE! Do not accept this room, find another hotel! The room is in the basement. The two twin beds make it nearly impossible to move about the room. There is no telephone or tea/coffeemaking amenities. If it's cold, there's no obvious source of heat, just a wall-mounted air-conditioner. Additionally, Room 001 is located just next to the staff rooms. Everytime someone enters or leaves that room, you can hear and feel the door slam. If there are people in the staff rooms, you can even overhear there conversations. I stayed on a Saturday night and there is a nightclub next door. My father and I had a terrible time sleeping with the loud reverberations of the bass from the nightclub. When we went up to the front desk to complain, the staff were rather unhelpful, did not seem to care. The hotel was booked except for one room which was, according to the reception, worse than Room 001. As a result, we were offered a free breakfast for the next morning. When we arrived, the greeter asked for our room number, shrugged, and commented that we must not have slept well. The entire staff knows how terrible Room 001 is, but generally do not care. I urge travelers to beware. Room 001 is the dungeon of the Best Wester Academy Plaza. Do not accept this room (or any other in the basement). But if you are lucky, you will stay in one of the upper floors.

My husband and I just returned from a five day visit to Dublin and stayed at the Best Western the whole time. It was a good hotel - not extraordinary but it had everything we needed. The rooms are rather small, but that might be the case of all hotels in Dublin. We especially enjoyed the on-site bar on the first floor because it provided a nice, calm place to have a Guinness late in the evening when we didn't want to fight the crazy crowds in Temple Bar and lower O'Connell Street pubs. We didn't have any problem with noise, even on the holiday weekend. We did choose to skip housekeeping service on our second day there because we were running out the door and hadn't stored our valuables or prepared the room for housekeeping (I always like to tidy up a little before they come in). We encountered a housekeeper later who questioned us about it and didn't seem satisfied with our answer, so the next day our "Do Not Disturb" sign went missing and housekeeping was at the door by 8:30am wanting in. I'm not sure if that was a coincidence or not, but it was a little uncomfortable. For the most part everything was good. The hotel is in the upper O'Connell Street area "north of the Liffey" and looks a little dodgy, but we didn't have any problems. It is a decent walk to all of the main areas, attractions, and restaurants, but it wasn't too far. There are a couple of nearby pubs and fast food places or convenience stores, so if you need something quickly it's available. On the couple occasions we didn't want to walk we just hailed one of the twenty or so cabs sitting in front of the hotel and got to our destination in minutes. It was a good hotel for the price and I would recommend it to anyone on a budget who doesn't care about being in the middle of all the touristy areas.

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at this hotel. Perfect location for a middle-age couple trying to stay away from the maddening crowds of a rugby tournament weekend in Dublin! Responsive staff, well appointed rooms, a great price, and a great location made for a fantastic weekend.

I stayed at the hotel initially in February 2010 and am so glad I returned in February 2012. What a great deal! The Best Western Plus Academy Plaza Hotel had everything at a reasonable price. The staff were extremely helpful and friendly! The room was contemporary, quiet, and clean. The mobility accessible bathroom is excellent and shower stalls have improved drainage from my first visit, which is appreciated. Dinners and drinks in the hotel's Sir Harry's Bistro were excellent and a wonderful way to end a busy day of sight seeing. The Best Western Plus Academy's best point is location, location, location! The hotel is just off O'Connell Street. Restaurants, pubs, Temple Bar and the City Hop on Hop Off Bus Tours are within walking distance. Whenever I return to Dublin, The Best Western Plus Academy Hotel will be at the top of my list for accommodation!

The staff was very friendly and helpful. The location is the best.

Stayed here for New Year in Dublin; hotel has a good location (10 minute walk to central shopping district) at a very reasonable price. Room's are a little on the small side and for some reason my TV was very high up adjacent to the bed (as opposed to opposite it) which I would lead to neck strain if the TV was watched in bed. Their games room shouldn't be plural as there is only one game (table football) and there is no pool. Bottom line though, would I stay again? Yes as it answered what it needed to: a clean, smart hotel, close to Dublin centre at a affordable price.