Dublin is a fantastic city, but it also has plenty of problems. They have been well documented down through the years and anyone who lives in the capital will tell you how much of a strain it can put on your wallet.
That has long been the case both for residents and tourists alike, although the problem seems to be getting much worse for the latter.
After the tourism sector essentially shut down for 18 months due to the coronavirus pandemic, things have rebounded to quite a decent level in this country. Dublin seems to be bustling with tourists at the moment, although those who do make the trip are often paying quite the price for it as costs have gone through the roof.
Lonely Planet warns tourists of sky-high Dublin prices
Lonely Planet are the go to source when it comes to gathering information ahead of your upcoming holiday, but it's fair to say that they seem a bit taken aback by how much of a mess Dublin has become for those who plan on visiting.
In a thoroughly disheartening article, they have summed up the issues that visitors are likely to run into when visiting Ireland's capital city.
The first thing mentioned is the price of hotels, which they say will cost you a small fortune over the next couple of months:
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.
Yikes.
They said prices seem to decrease once you get to around September, while accommodation will cost less in other areas of the country.
Next comes the car rental problem. A necessity for any tourists who plan on travelling the country due to our questionable public transport links, the car will probably cost as much as the accommodation based on current prices.
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.
It would nearly be cheaper to buy an old car and dump it before catching your flight back home.
The other two issues mentioned in the article are finding a place to eat at the weekend, which will require a reservation well in advance, as well as the current issues with Dublin Airport. Current advice states passengers should arrive at least 2.5hours before their flight (or 3.5 hours for long haul), although the issues surrounding waiting times seems to have eased somewhat over the last couple of weeks.
In fairness, the piece does also point out some of the positives of visiting Dublin. It mentions plenty of interesting museums and landmarks for tourists to visit, as well the abundance of outdoor activities available.
Dublin has a lot to offer, but those who choose to visit at the moment are likely to pay through the nose for the privilege of doing so.
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