Hotels in Belfast, the United Kingdom

Best time to visit Belfast

Belfast experiences a temperate climate, and there is not much difference in the temperature or rainfall throughout the year. However, from April – October, you will get mostly sunny days and average temperatures of around 15 degrees Celsius. It is warm and pleasant, and also the time when several festivals and events are hosted in the city. If you plan to visit, this is a good time to explore Belfast. Since it rains almost all year round, make sure you bring an umbrella and rain boots when you visit Belfast. From November – March, average temperatures hover around 10 degrees Celsius, but the days are shorter, and there may be a few wet spells during this period. You are likely to find attractive deals and discounts on hotels and travel at this time of the year.

Getting around Belfast

Belfast is a compact, walkable city with most of the tourist attractions located around the city centre. The bus and train network within Belfast and across Northern Ireland is integrated and operated by Translink. Fares are calculated based on routes and distance travelled. You have the option to buy a Metro dayLink Card which provides unlimited travel for 1 day at £3.50 GBP. You also have the Ulsterbus Town Service Travel Card which allows unlimited town travel on the bus for 1 day at £2.20 GBP. Taxis are available in plenty, at all times of the day. Renting a car is also a good option to explore the city and its outskirts. If you book early, you may find the best deals for car rentals with momondo.

Best places to stay in Belfast

Belfast, the capital city of Northern Ireland has emerged into a colourful blend of art, music, food, architecture, and history. Over the years, Belfast has transformed itself into one of the coolest cities in the UK. A large student population gives the city an energetic, youthful vibe, and every neighbourhood or ‘Quarter’ in Belfast has its own unique charm and character.

City Centre

The buzzing city centre features the best of the culture, architecture, and dining that Belfast has to offer. If you are visiting Belfast for the first time, stay in the central area where most of the popular attractions are within a short walk from each other. Amid restaurants and cafés in the heart of the city centre, consider the Bullitt Hotel which features stylish rooms and a range of thoughtful amenities. You can also look at the Europa Hotel on Great Victoria Street. Known internationally as the ‘most bombed hotel in Europe’, it has now been beautifully refurbished and exudes an understated grandeur. Or for a mid-range budget option, stay at the Ten Square hotel located in a mid-19th century former linen mill, just behind the City Hall.

The Cathedral Quarter

Just a short walk from the City Centre, the Cathedral Quarter has an artsy vibe, and is relatively more relaxed. Plenty of restaurants, shops, cafés, and pubs, make for a pleasant stay in what is also called the ‘culture quarter’ of Belfast. Stay in grandeur at the Victorian and Art Deco-styled, The Merchant Hotel on Skipper Street, just a 4-minute walk from the St. Anne’s Cathedral. For mid-range budget accommodation, consider the Premier Inn Belfast City Cathedral Quarter hotel located on Waring Street, right across from the Royal Ulster Rifles Museum.

Queens Quarter

Catering to a large student population from the nearby Queen’s University Belfast, this neighbourhood has a young and hip vibe. You will get a wide choice of cheap eateries, lively pubs, affordable shopping, and entertainment in this area. Stay at the Dukes at Queens Hotel set in a beautiful, Neo-Gothic Victorian building, just a 3-minute walk from the Botanic train station, and close to several restaurants and pubs. You also have the Benedicts of Belfast Hotel, a boutique hotel with stylish, comfortable rooms.

Titanic Quarter

This is a recently regenerated neighbourhood comprising historic maritime landmarks, film studios, and a host of riverside entertainment activities. Stay in modern, comfortable rooms at the waterfront property of Premier Inn Belfast Titanic Quarter hotel. Or consider the modern, upscale rooms of Park Avenue Hotel, conveniently located on Holywood Road, and in close proximity to the George Best Belfast City Airport. Along the waterfront on Queen’s Road, you can enjoy the meticulously preserved maritime history, and exquisitely furnished rooms of the Titanic Hotel Belfast.

Cheap hotels in Belfast

Belfast boasts of several youth hostels all over the city. You have the Belfast International Youth Hostel, the Lagan Backpackers hostel, the Global Village hostel, and Vagabonds Belfast hostel, amongst many others. You also have several low budget hotels in the city. Stay at the Ramada Encore Belfast City Centre hotel which is a 2-minute walk from the cobbled Hill Street and right next to the buzzing Cathedral Quarter. On the Botanic Avenue in Queens Quarters, just a 1-minute walk from the Belfast Empire Music Hall, you have the charming, Crescent Townhouse Hotel. Around the corner, on Cromwell Road, you also have the Tara Lodge which features bright, airy rooms with modern amenities. In the heart of the city centre, consider the budget accommodation of Hotel ETAP Belfast on Dublin Road.

A small city which is big on attractions and entertainment, Belfast has a unique history, world-class dining choices, a thriving arts and live music scene, and much more. Belfast has plenty to offer it visitors. Put the below activities on your itinerary for a holistic experience of this hip and vibrant city.

• Visit the Titanic Belfast museum which showcases the city’s maritime history, and offers insights into the life and times of building the infamous ship, the Titanic.
• Scribble your name or add a message over the vibrant art and graffiti of The Peace Wall, which separates the Republican and the Loyalist communities west of Belfast.
• Choose a 45 – 60 minute free tour to truly appreciate the great architecture and magnificent surroundings of the Stormont Parliament Buildings.
• Take a leisurely stroll around the city centre to view the political and historical murals and images adorning many of the city walls and buildings.
• Visit the scores of stalls selling the finest local and international produce at the St. George’s Market in the heart of the city centre.
• Visit The Black Box on Hill Street or Ulster Hall on Bedford Street for a wide range of live music performances. Or head to the traditional Irish pub Kelly’s Cellar on Bank Street. Sip some of the best local brews as you watch locals bring out their own instruments for an impromptu jam.
• At the Cathedral Quarter, also known as the ‘cultural quarter’, admire the St. Anne’s Cathedral, visit the Metropolitan Arts Centre (MAC), indulge your tastes buds at a variety of restaurants in the area, and then go bar hopping until the early hours of the morning.
• Book a tour that takes you to the filming locations of The Iron Island, Winterfell, The Twins, and The Dark Hedges, all featured in the popular TV series Game of Thrones (GOT).
• Get a peek into the whiskey distilling process followed by a tasting session at the Bushmills Whiskey distillery. Also sip on some of the best local brews at The Duke of York pub located in a narrow cobbled alleyway in the Cathedral Quarter.
• Take a look at the Europa Hotel, which has become famous for being ‘the most bombed hotel in Europe’.
• Head to the world-renowned basalt columns of the Giants Causeway, which has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is a 70-minute drive from Belfast City Centre. Just 20 minutes further, you can enjoy one of Northern Ireland’s most picturesque locations, where you can walk across the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge. The bridge originally dates back to the mid-1700s. On a windy day, it can be quite an adrenalin-pumping experience to make it across the bridge.