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Schoolhouse Hotel

Dating back to its opening in 1861 as a school, this canalside building at Mount Street Bridge has seen many changes, and it is now one of Dublin's trendiest small hotels - and an ideal place to stay while exploring Dublin.

A huge amount of business goes through the hotel and can show signs of wear and tear, but the spacious individually decorated bedrooms (all named after Irish writers) are well appointed, with king size beds, very good fabrics, air conditioning, power showers and the usual amenities expected of a quality hotel; breakfast is very good too, with hot dishes like the full Irish or French toast equally well cooked.

Head chef Kevin Arundel has earned an enviable reputation for smart cooking in both The Inkwell Bar which is always a-buzz with young business people of the area - and the restaurant, Canteen, where his signature dish is seared scallops with black pudding, spiced apple purée and roasting juices, and many people head here specially to try it; local lobster with cajun spiced butter, herb salad & chips is another favourite.

Kevin is very much a hands-on chef and this shows in happy customers whether he is cooking for the extensive bar menu with all its popular dishes (bagels, baguettes, sambos, soups, burgers, steaks, pasta etc), or the more substantial dishes on the evening menu (monkfish, duck, fillet steak, scallops), he delivers quality at a competitive price.

Schoolhouse Restaurant : Small conference/banqueting (18/85). Wheelchair accessible. Parking. Children welcome (Under 5s free in parents room; cots available with no charge). No pets. Lift. Rooms 31 (30 no-smoking, 10 ground floor, 2 for disabled). B&B from about €99 pps, SS €66. SC discretionary. Closed 24-26 Dec. Amex, Diners, MasterCard, Visa.

Directions:

Southbound from Trinity College, at the end of Mount St. across the Grand Canal.