Dublin with a Baby or Toddler

Where did you go?

We took a weekend break to Dublin and stayed in the Trinity City Hotel which is close to Trinity College and Grafton Street.

When did you go?

For 2 nights (Friday and Saturday) in December 2015.

Who did you travel with?

My mother and son

How old were your kids when you travelled?

My son was 6 months old at the time.

Where did you stay?

We stayed in the Trinity City Hotel which is very central. The hotel is in close proximity to all the main shopping areas and restaurants in Dublin. It is also near to Trinity College which is lovely for a walk. The hotel is very modern and spacious and has a great bar and restaurant and the staff are really friendly. We ate in the hotel both nights and had breakfast there which was fantastic. My son was not crawling or walking at that stage which made things a bit easier. The staff were very friendly and were happy to heat his food etc.There are lifts in the hotel and the rooms are very spacious. Overall the hotel is very stroller friendly. There is a ramp also which allows you to get to the lower level of the ground floor area where the restaurant is. There are also changing facilities.

How was the journey there?

The journey was fine. We drove straight from Cork without stopping at nap time. When we arrived we pulled in next to the hotel and the valet took the car to be parked. We did not use the car again until we were leaving and we asked for the car at reception and it was brought straight around.

What was the food like at your destination?

The food in the hotel was very good and there were loads of menu options. I brought food for my son and the hotel staff were happy to heat it. The breakfast was especially nice!

Were you able to find all your baby and toddler essentials at your destination (formula, food, wipes, nappies, medication etc)?

I brought pre-mixed formula and ran out. There was a Boots pharmacy about 5 minutes away on Grafton Street where I was able to get more. There is also a small convenience store around the corner where I noticed you can buy nappies and wipes although I did not need these.

How was the public transport system?

We walked everywhere so did not use it. Dublin City Centre is quite easy to walk around although it is quite busy at the weekends which can make maneuvering the stroller more difficult.

Did you use a baby carrier or a stroller?

We used a stroller only.

What kind of activities did you do?

We went to Trinity College, walked to Stephen’s Green and did a lot of Christmas shopping on both Grafton Street and Henry Street. We also took nice long lunches while the baby napped and went to Bewley’s for Cake.

Overall, did you have a good trip?

It was a great trip but Dublin was very busy on the Saturday which made the stroller a bit harder to maneuver. The shopping is fantastic in the city and overall it is very baby friendly with changing facilities in all of the Department Stores and restaurants that we went to.