Handel's Hotel

We booked through Delta Stays, and only later noticed the hotel doesn’t accept Amex. Keep that in mind when they ask for a card at check-in. The room was a letdown compared with the recently renovated photos online. There was no fridge, which was inconvenient when we didn’t want to eat out for every meal. When we requested cleaning, the toilet paper, tissues, and hand soap were all empty and weren’t replaced. We were on the top floor and could hear the roof rattling in the wind all night. The location is the big plus. We stayed the week before St. Patricks Day, on the quieter far western edge of Temple Bar, close to everything and within walking distance of most places. We sometimes took buses, but mostly walked. Christ Church is nearby, so there’s frequent bell ringing and Friday night practice. The staff also arranged an airport cab for us, which was easy and helpful.

We had an amazing stay at Handel's and are already planning to come back. The room was clean and modern, breakfast at the hotel was great, and the staff were kind and helpful. It’s centrally located, with Darkey Kellys just a short walk up the street. Thank you!

The front desk initially apologized and said a refund “would not be a problem,” pending a check with the manager. We relied on that and left because we didn’t feel comfortable staying. Later, management said its internal inspections found no cleanliness problems and denied that anyone had suggested a refund. That felt dismissive and dishonest. Telling us afterward that what we saw wasn’t there doesn’t change what we experienced. The hotel wasn’t full, so our leaving didn’t keep them from selling the room or cause an operational hardship. We booked through Expedia and contacted them too, but they chose not to advocate for us. The whole handling of the situation, from refusing to take responsibility to the lack of integrity, made an already deeply disappointing stay worse. Other reviews also mention cleanliness, dated rooms, and misleading photos, which fits our impression that the property falls short of what’s advertised. At this price, the room condition was unacceptable. I’d strongly suggest looking elsewhere for a place that values cleanliness and customer service. We’d booked expecting a clean, comfortable room based on the photos and the roughly $200-a-night price. Instead, there were several hairs on the sheets, dirt on the bed and floors, and a bug in the sink. We first tried to brush the hair and dirt away, thinking it might be minor, but looking more closely we found more. It was clear the room hadn’t been properly cleaned.

The location is central, and we could walk to nearly all the attractions. The staff were welcoming and helpful, and the service was very good. Our newly renovated room was clean and tidy, everything looked new and smelled really nice. There was no view, just a roof, and we were very close to noisy air vents. We’d also been told renovation noise would run from 10 to 5, but it started around 8. Breakfast left us a bit disappointed too, it felt a little off. I’d still recommend the place.