Number 31: The Coziest B&B in Dublin

When it comes to lodging stereotypes — where hotels are cold and impersonal, and hostels are young and carefree — Bed & Breakfasts are the epitome of “quaint and cozy.”

They add an element to travel that extends beyond just having a place to crash at night; for however long you are there, that place is your home away from home.

The owners are your surrogate parents for the weekend: they make your room as cozy and personable as possible, attend to your little whims and needs to make sure you’re comfortable, and of course, provide you with a hot (and hopefully tasty) home-cooked breakfast in the morning.

This is the story of my first experience with a bed and breakfast. It blew every expectation I’d ever had for a B&B out of the water, and then some. This is Number 31.

Formerly the home of famous Irish architect Sam Stephenson, who converted the old mews building in the 1950s (and apparently played host to a number of famous politicians in the 60s and 70s), Number 31 is now comprised of two renovated buildings: The old mews, where you’ll find the famous “sunken lounge,” and an old Georgian townhouse; a cute little private garden separates the two.

Number 31 is known for two things: outstanding breakfasts and outstanding hospitality. Both are completely true, but I’ll start with the hospitality. From the minute we knocked on their door until the taxi came the next morning, we felt nothing but love from this place.

When we arrived, we were led into the sitting room with the fabulous sunken lounge. Mike and I had both taken very early morning flights into Dublin (he from Bristol, myself from Paris), and a woman told us to kindly sit — and would we prefer tea or coffee? Coffee, absolutely, we told her; she quickly returned with a welcome tray of biscuits and a full French press.

After relaxing for a while, Noel, the owner came out and gave us an overview of the surrounding area. Number 31 is located in the heart of Georgian Dublin, meaning we were closest to St. Stephen’s Green; Noel also pointed out some of his favorite cafes and pubs in the area and noted how to reach them.

We were then led to our room, walking through the tiny garden pathways into the old Georgian townhouse — where, to our surprise, Noel informed us he had complimentarily upgraded our room.

Room 22 had high ceilings, was simply decorated but had small ornate touches, and so large that even an old fireplace seemed just a small detail in the corner. As much as we love our nice hotels, they can sometimes be too cold and impersonal. This room immediately felt warm and comforting; it could’ve been our own, had we owned a house and lived in 1950s Dublin.

The classical Georgian townhouse in which we were staying comes from the late 18^th century and sits on Fitzwilliam Street, the longest street of Georgian houses in the world. The house itself is fun to explore — like our room, the decor was kept simple yet you could find ornate touches in the molding, the ceiling, the stairs, etc.

The local neighborhood is quiet; we barely saw anyone else as we were exploring (so with our cameras, we stuck out like sore tourist thumbs!). We found a little creek nearby and walked along it for a while, before having lunch only couple blocks away at The Sussex, one of Noel’s recommendations, which did not disappoint.

The next morning was the big test: Would breakfast live up to the hype? I mean, being named “Best Breakfast in Ireland” does create some high expectations (let’s be honest, it’s mostly the reason why I booked us into this place. Breakfast that’s organic, cooked-to-order, AND award-winning? Done.). We made our way through the private garden, admiring the blooming daffodils before heading back into the old mews building.

On the second floor, we found two long tables set up inside, and some folks already enjoying breakfast on the patio outside. We chose to be slightly anti-social and sat inside, where Noel immediately found us and offered a choice of a Full Irish, scrambled egg and smoked salmon, eggs benedict, kippers, or a mushroom frittata.

While we waited, we were given coffee, tea, toast, and homemade cranberry nut loaf, as well as full access to their breakfast table, which included granola, fresh berries, yogurt, etc — the best of which was of course, the poached pears in vanilla syrup. I will never stop talking about those pears, ever. They were heaven.

Yes, breakfast was wonderful and lived up to the hype. But it wasn’t just about having fresh or delicious food, it was also very much due to the inviting atmosphere and friendliness of Noel and all the staff. Which was how we felt about Number 31 overall. It’s not enough to have an awesome sunken lounge, or a cute garden or large rooms. When you add in the personal touch and really make people feel like they’re at home, that’s when you’ve got more than a place to rest your head at night — that’s when a bed & breakfast actually becomes a part of the travel memories.

Number 31
31 Leeson Close
Dublin 2, Ireland
www.number31.ie

*This was not a sponsored post. I really did just love this place.