Set between three corporate parks, the 155-room Carlton Hotel Blanchardstown is a chain hotel aimed essentially at the business traveler. It manages, however, to break the mold with a mixture of bold design touches and efforts to cater to vacationing families. Its location isn't convenient for a Dublin city break, but it offers easy access to the airport, and a bus that stops right outside the hotel connects to the city center in about 30 minutes. Travelers might want to consider the similarly priced Dunboyne Castle Hotel & Spa, also on the northwest fringes of Dublin.