DUBLIN — The 143-unit Merrion, the only hotel in the Irish capital to earn a two-key rating from the Michelin Guide, is a beloved city-center hostelry created by combining four listed 1760s Georgian houses and restoring or reconstructing 18th century interior architectural features.
From No. 22 Upper Merrion St., guests access reception areas plus adjacent drawing rooms, which show off part of the property’s extensive art collection and are the setting for afternoon teas. The door at No. 23, no longer in use, is part of the decor in a cocktail bar called simply the No. 23.
The Duke of Wellington, Napoleon’s most famous nemesis, was born in No. 24. Today, this door provides a separate entrance for special events, and its side door gives access to the locally popular Cellar Bar, in original wine vaults. No. 21 is the public entry to the Merrion’s two-Michelin-starred Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud. Behind the street-facing historic houses the hotel’s Garden Room, a 2017 new build, offers some very fine dining of its own — based on my experience in late autumn.
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The airy and spacious eatery, which doubles as the breakfast site, opens onto a courtyard garden that seems far removed from any city center. The Merrion’s modern Garden Wing (110 of the 143 units) is opposite the garden
In the neighborhood
Thanks to its location, the Merrion is within easy walking distance of some can’t-miss attractions.
• The Book of Kells Experience, which beginning January 2024 includes two exhibit locales. Supplementing the long-standing intro to and viewing of the illuminated ninth century Book of Kells and the Old Library where it is located, the new on-campus Red Pavilion retells the stories of the book and library by immersing us in compelling digital exhibits.
The Red Pavilion, the newest part of the Book of Kells Experience in Dublin. Photo Credit: Nadine Godwin
• The EPIC Irish Emigration Museum, the world’s first all-digital museum, opened in 2016 and spread across 20 basement-level vaults under a repurposed warehouse in Dublin’s Docklands.
The museum tells the story of emigration (10 million people over 1,500 years) and the diaspora of more than 70 million today. Visitors can utilize the affiliated Irish Family History Centre to seek out ancestral connections. A prearranged EPIC tour can include a full-blown research package that starts four months before a visit.
• And for a more unusual outing, we sampled the Windmill Lane Recording Studios Visitor Experience. We learned about artists who’ve recorded here (ranging from U2 to 80-piece orchestras) and then cut our own record, a short one. Given Windmill is an active studio, this experience must be booked in advance.
Back to the hotel
I was housed in Merrion’s main building, in a room both spacious and cozy, with fabrics and furnishings, plus fireplace, matching the 18th century theme — not counting the perfect 21st century marble bathroom. The room’s comforts paired nicely with the Aer Lingus business-class flight that got me there. The best part of that, besides a lie-flat seat, was the option for a quick-service meal, allowing more time to sleep en route.
Merrion room rates for a standard double start at around $390 including taxes but not breakfast.
