A red-brick facade above a line of Main Street shops, the Dublin City Inn has no formal lobby -- there's simply a reception counter for check-in -- but guests can gather in the Guest Lounge, which has polished wood floors, black leather lounges, circular dark-glass coffee tables, abstract artwork, vending machines, and an open fireplace. Here guests will also find tourist maps and activities for the taking, and a coin-operated computer with a printer. The lounge leads to a pleasant outdoor terrace, another spot to gather, with checkered paving and outdoor table seating. 

The Dublin City Inn is located at the pulse of the city center. It's about a five-minute walk to O’Connell Street, with its restaurants, bars, and shopping, and to the Abbey Theatre, Dublin's stage for both national and international productions. Trinity College and Grafton Street are within a 10-minute walk, and for nightlife, Temple Bar is about 12 minutes away on foot. The hotel is about an eight-minute drive from Croke Park, Ireland's biggest stadium for Gaelic sports. Connolly Station, one of Dublin's central transport links, and the Luas tram stop at Abbey Street are within a 10-minute walk of the hotel. Dublin Airport is approximately a 20-minute drive away.

Dublin City Inn's 60 rooms consist of Standard Double and Family Rooms, which can sleep up to four. Basic wood furniture, which is occasionally worn, is offset by lime-green accent walls, and while the rooms are compact, storage space is ample. All rooms come with free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs with local cable channels, laptop-size safes, tea/coffeemakers, and hairdryers. Ironing boards can be requested at reception. White-tile bathrooms have glass-enclosed showers, or shower/tub combos, and well-lighted mirrors. Note that front-facing rooms receive ambient street and pedestrian noise.

The Dublin City Inn offers free Wi-Fi, and limited on-site parking. A full Irish breakfast or light continental breakfast is served daily for a fee, but there's no full restaurant or bar. There's also no business center, but a coin-operated computer with a printer is available in the Guest Lounge. A discounted taxi service can be arranged through the hotel's reception desk, which operates 24 hours a day.