Some of our members have reported issues with AirBnB cancellations. We are sorry that is happening. Many of our own team are booked into AirBnB and it is an affordable option in most cases.
Unfortunately, on the 1st of June this year new legislation is due to come into effect that will severely limit the ability for Dublin houses and apartments to be rented out for short-term lets if they were not specifically built for the short-term market (i.e. the Key Collection and StayCity apartments that are part of the convention block are permitted and not effected by the legislation).
The exception to this will probably be if the house/apartment is a person’s primary residence and then only if either let out for a maximum of 90 days per annum, and for a 14-day maximum period, or if the entire property is not rented out (i.e home-share accommodation).
As of yet we do not know the full legislation, as it is still with the Dáil (the Irish legislature) so we cannot even be sure if the new legislation will grandfather in existing bookings, or be passed in its current form.
Disappointingly, we are however hearing stories of landlords making preemptive moves to get out of the short-term let business and cancelling existing bookings. So we are advising members who have rented houses/apartments for their trip to Dublin from a private landlord to contact them and confirm that their booking is still good. And please note although this is colloquially termed the AirBnB law, it may cover all short-term lets including those made privately and through other companies and platforms.
We wish we had more definite news to pass on, but we are as much in the dark as anyone, and the current issues we are hearing about it coming from actions taken in preparation for the new legislation, rather than the legislation itself, making it even harder to predict.
As the hotel block is now closed, if you still need accommodations you need to make reservations on your own. If you are looking to reserve a hotel room, check Trivago. If you’d prefer a B&B, check B&B Ireland. For apartments or houses, check VRBO/Homeaway.