Belfast Hotels

Best places to stay in Belfast

The Central District is the obvious first stop for Belfast hotels, particularly for first-timers. The heart of old Belfast city, this neighbourhood around Donegall Square boasts grand architecture, including the magnificent City Hall building and is a buzzing commercial space. Overlapping to the north is the Cathedral Quarter, home to the imposing church. This is the city’s arts and culture hub, with a thriving creative scene and colourful murals and street art galore. For a peaceful yet eclectic vibe, check out the leafy Queen’s Quarter in the south, centred around the grand university of the same name. With a youthful population, the area is home to old bookstores, vintage clothing boutiques and trendy coffee shops. If you’re into all things nautical, the Titanic Quarter in the north is the place for you. The area has been impressively regenerated in recent years and is home to Belfast’s show-stopper attraction, the Titanic Museum.

Where to stay to be near the popular attractions in Belfast

Belfast is a compact and walkable city, so if you’d like to be in close proximity to as many attractions as possible, the Central District or Cathedral Quarter are the place to be. You’ll have the stunning architecture of the City Hall, St Anne’s Cathedral and the Grand Opera House on your doorstep, as well as the Victorian beauty of St George’s Market with its vast array of fresh produce and handcrafted gems. To learn more about the city’s dark yet fascinating history, the Solidarity Wall and Crumlin Road Gaol are just a 20-minute walk or a short bus ride away.

Where to stay with your family in Belfast

The Titanic Quarter is a great place for families in Belfast, with enough sightseeing to fill several days. Top of the list is the Titanic Experience, once voted the world’s best tourist attraction. With nine interactive galleries featuring rides and reconstructions, it’s a voyage through history that’s sure to delight little ones. All circulation spaces at Titanic Belfast are fully accessible, as are the Titanic Experience galleries. To get even closer to the real thing, step on board SS Nomadic, the world’s last remaining White Star Line ship, now fully restored. The aptly named Titanic Hotel will put you in the thick of the action.

Where to stay as a solo traveller

The friendly Queen’s Quarter is a great option for solo tourists in Belfast, with hostels dotted around the university offering a surefire way to meet like-minded travellers and sample the city’s nightlife together. And don’t worry, they also offer private rooms if you’re not a fan of bunks! The nearby Botanic Gardens is a wonderful spot to spend a few hours lost in greenery, but if the weather’s on the rainy side – not an unusual occurrence here – check out the Queen’s Film Theatre for a fantastic selection of indie movies. Alternatively, the nearby Ulster Museum hosts charming events like Wellbeing Wednesdays, a Tai Chi session followed by a mindful look at part of the institution’s collections.

Where to find cheap hotels in Belfast

If you’re after hotels in Belfast on a budget, Hotel ETAP offers rooms for under £60/ night or even a triple room for ~£80 to really maximise those savings. The well-reviewed hotel is handily located just south of the city centre and near Great Victoria Street railway station. To be right in the midst of it all, try Travelodge Belfast Central, which lies literally steps away from Donegall Square and the city’s bustling nightlife, including locals’ folk music favourite, the Garrick Bar. Accessible rooms are available, and all rooms feature a super-comfy king-size bed. For around £100 a night, travellers can enjoy the very popular Ramada By Wyndham, which has a restaurant with an al fresco terrace for those precious sunny days. For a similar price, depending on your travel dates, you might be able to snag a room at the 4-star Radisson Blu Belfast, featuring Nordic-inspired décor in the heart of the Gasworks business district.

Surrounded by rolling hills and lush countryside, Belfast is the jewel in Northern Ireland’s crown. Wander around this historic city and you’ll find a wealth of cultural hotspots to visit, activities to take part in and traditional bars for enjoying Guinness into the early hours.

Ships and Swords

When on a cheap holiday in Belfast, visit the Harland and Wolff Shipyards, where the iconic SS Titanic was built, before heading next door to Titanic Belfast. A museum set in a stunning nautical-inspired building, you’ll explore the Titanic’s history and legacy through special effects, rides, full-scale reconstructions and interactive exhibitions. Much of the fantastic television series Game of Thrones is filmed in Northern Ireland, so if you’re a fan, visit the nearby National Trust property, Castle Ward. Used as the setting for Winterfell, you’ll be able to try archery in the very same spot as Jon Snow.

Tee Off

With golf superstar Rory McIlroy having grown up near the city, Belfast has plenty of courses for you to practise your swing. Royal Belfast Golf Club is the oldest in Ireland, where you can tee off with the Irish Sea watching on as a spectator. If you want to stay in the city centre, check out Citigolf, an entertainment venue that incorporates indoor golf as well as karaoke and exciting virtual reality simulators.

The Great Outdoors

Showing you the murals spread out over the city, as well as the stories behind them, book with Belfast Mural Tours for a guided personal tour. For a breathtaking view of Belfast, go hiking in Cave Hill Country Park, where you’ll be able to see the whole of the city, as well as the Isle of Man and Scotland, on a clear day. It’s easy to get to the iconic Giant’s Causeway from Belfast if you want a day out seeing the famous columns drenched with mythology. Get the train or bus to the World Heritage Site, supposed home to the giant Finn McCool, who lived there 2,000 years ago.

Belfast Bars

When on your cheap Belfast holiday, be sure to pop into one of the traditional pubs for a pint of the black stuff. It doesn’t get much more traditional than Kelly’s Cellars on Bank Street in the city centre. The oldest watering hole in Belfast, dating back to 1720, it plays host to live Irish music most nights and has an energetic atmosphere.

Hotels with rooftop bars

For a swanky rooftop experience without breaking the bank, Bullitt Hotel’s Tetto Roof Garden offers upbeat, soulful tunes, resident DJs every weekend, and garden parties all year long. Open 2 pm till late every Saturday, it’s a wonderful addition to this “no-nonsense” hotel, which strips away the unnecessary extras to deliver quality service with no hidden costs.

Hotels with gourmet restaurants

The Restaurant at the Fitzwilliam Belfast is a work of art decorated with striking furnishings in warm, contemporary colours. Diners can choose between large sharing tables for big get-togethers or intimate booths for romantic date nights. Luckily, the food is up to scratch as well: slow-cooked beef, pan-seared duck breast, fillet of sea trout and much more, all expertly paired with tantalising accompaniments.

Spa hotels

For an opulent spa experience, head just out of Belfast city centre to the Holywood Hills and the Culloden Estate and Spa, Northern Ireland’s most prestigious 5-star hotel. Once a palace for the Bishops of Down, the estate’s spa offers everything from treatment suites to relaxation rooms, a swimming pool, and a range of heat experiences, fusing advanced techniques with ancient therapies for a blissful result.

Exceptional hotels

An icon of Belfast city centre and steeped in history, the Europa Hotel stands out from the crowd with its distinctly modernist style. Built in 1971, it became known as “the most bombed hotel in the world" during the Troubles, having suffered 36 bomb attacks. The hotel later became a favourite of the Clintons, who stayed several times, once booking out 110 rooms for their presidential entourage.

Luxury hotels

Looming large over the city centre as one of Belfast’s tallest buildings, the Hastings Grand Central Hotel offers luxurious bedrooms and a superb café and restaurant. The jewel in the crown, though, is the Observatory: a cocktail lounge all the way up on the 23rd floor with an unparalleled view over the city and far beyond.