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Dublin hostels charging over €1,500 per room for Paddy’s Day

Published 17:22 28 Feb 2023 GMT

Fancy paying €509 to share a room with seven others?

There are claims tourists are being put off coming to Dublin for St. Patrick's Day due to the cost of accommodation in the city. The St. Patricks Festival returns this Paddy's Day and is hoping to attract thousands of visitors from across the world but it's looking like people won't be able to afford to stay for long. Travel websites as well as the city's hospitality industry are receiving backlash following some of their outrageously priced listings. In the west of the city, there's a hotel charging €1,200 for a one night stay for two. Not too far away in this dockland apartment is a double room listed for a total of €1,350 for the same night. But, not to worry, it's just €1,215 if you don't want the option of free cancellation.

View on Airbnb Lovely Flat in Dublin Center

Most of the city's accommodation is fully booked for St Patrick's Day according to Booking.com meaning the remaining 5% of rooms are going for insanely inflated prices.

One city centre hostel is offering a one night stay in a shared same-sex dormitory room with seven others for €509 each.

A guest house with two single beds and three bunk beds has a 'king sized room with a lake view' up for grabs starting at €1,664 for two occupants.

This is compared to just €304 if you were to stay on March 3rd.

However, if you're heading to the city with some pals, you'll be forking out even more money.

To sleep three people in the same space it'd cost € 1,728, for four it'd be € 1,792 and for five you'd be € 1,856 out of pocket.

Although the booking description says 'lake view' it's questionable considering the building is just 300m from the city centre.

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It's not just the inner city seeing the soaring accommodation prices, B&B's and hotels in Dublin suburbs are the same. A room in a Dun Laoghaire B&B is currently priced at €689 for two with breakfast being optional and at a €5 additional cost per guest. The same room would usually be priced at just €119 any other Friday in March. In Clondalkin there's a double room with a shared bathroom going for €665 but, if you want a private bathroom, it's an extra €105 for the night. According to Trivago, the cheapest rate for an overnight stay within 1km of Dublin city centre for St. Patricks Day is €449 which many people are calling 'absolutely disgraceful.' Even with the lower hospitality VAT rate of 9% extended until August, it seems many places are taking advantage of the lack of accommodation available to tourists. Related links: