The Lonely Planet – a tourist guide site and publication which is a first stop for many planning a holiday – has published an updated report on Dublin which doesn’t hold back on the ‘chaos’ facing tourists brave enough to come.
The report is being described as making a Dublin visit seem like a ‘horror show’, but sadly it’s all based on recent developments which have made international headlines, such as sky-high car hire costs and a severe shortage of accommodation.
“Some things have changed,” the travel bible warns in regard to travelling to Dublin “particularly in the capital where accommodation shortages, soaring car rental costs, and airport chaos have all made headlines in recent weeks.”
They ask visitors to think about booking accomodation in advance and explain why: because prices are up 17% for hotel accommodation in Ireland, partly because of a travel rebound but also because of refugees being housed in Ireland and the continuing housing crisis.
“Lonely Planet looked at weekend availability in Dublin city centre in July for two people and average prices ranged between €700 and €900 through Booking.com. In one weekend, the cheapest price was €411 for a private room in purpose-built student accommodation, while the second cheapest was an eye-watering €428 for two beds in a mixed hostel dormitory,” they warn.
The guide does acknowledge that prices are cheaper in the rest of the country: “averaging at about €400 for a two-night weekend stay in Galway in early September and about €300 in Cork for the same period”.
Then, as every Irish person knows, there’s the exorbitant price of car hire which has been the subject of so much public discourse.
“In a case that made headlines in May, one couple was quoted €18,703 to rent a seven-seater car from Dublin Airport for the first week of August. And while that appears to have been an exceptional case, the cost of renting a car will likely make a significant dent in your budget,” Lonely Planet reports.
“For a 10-day hire at the beginning of August, the cheapest option available on Hertz for a Dublin Airport collection is €1,750 for a five-seater, though average prices come in at about €3k for 10 days. With Avis, prices are similar starting at €1748 for a small, four-seater and average prices are about €3k for roomier options.”
The guide also warns that “Dublin is a notoriously expensive city and the cost of living crisis is continuing to fuel price hikes across everyday goods and services.”
And then there’s the airport chaos.
“Finally, make sure you give yourself plenty of time in the airport to catch your flight home — but not too much. Passengers who arrive too early for their flights will be directed to a dedicated passenger holding area outside the terminal buildings with cover, seating and toilets available. Though it’s probably not where you want to spend the last hours of your vacation,” Lonely Planet warns.
“The airport has been plagued by long lines at security in recent weeks,” – a statement that all Irish people recognise as not just true but ongoing.
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