Dublin is one of the great cities of Europe for visitors — walkable, full of charm and history, loaded with pubs and eateries and, of course, peopled by famously friendly locals.
But let’s say your clients have already done the main attractions — the Book of Kells, Grafton Street, Dublin Castle, the Guinness Storehouse — and are looking for insider tips on new things to see and do in the city and nearby.
The guest experience team at the Anantara The Marker Dublin Hotel, a 187-room, five-star property on Grand Canal Square, took this challenge head-on during a recent press trip, with bespoke activities that surprised even those of us who had been to Dublin numerous times.
The Baily Bites trailer is part of Kish Fish, a seafood market on Howth Pier. Photo Credit: Felicity Long
Village life
Our first off-property outing was to the 14th-century fishing village of Howth, located on a peninsula about half an hour out of the city. Accompanied by Gareth Mullins, the hotel’s executive chef, we arrived by car, but there’s a train that offers frequent daily departures from the city station.
On arrival, we hopped on a private charter boat for a tour of the bay.
We were told to keep an eye out for seals, puffins and falcons, but for most of the hourlong trip I was transfixed by the spooky crevices and caves on the windswept Ireland’s Eye, an island bird sanctuary topped by the ruins of an ancient church. The surrounding cliffs offer miles of hiking trails and the kinds of views that conjure up fantasies of the Old Ireland that North Americans typically are looking for, all within easy daytrip distance of the city.
Clients should give themselves plenty of time to explore the town of Howth, where we stopped for a first-rate lunch of fish and chips at Kish Fish, a locally owned seafood market on Howth Pier.
A friendly horse at the Irish National Stud and Gardens. Photo Credit: Felicity Long
Racehorses, two ways
The next morning we found ourselves tucking into a traditional Irish breakfast at Johnny Murtagh’s Stable and Yard in County Kildare, about an hour outside of town. We learned from various sources that Murtagh is Ireland’s most famous retired jockey, but nothing prepared us for the exuberant host and his unflappable wife, Orlagh, who plied us with homemade scones in their cozy kitchen.
Murtagh then bundled us into Jeeps for a tour of the yard in time to see the racehorses from his stables tearing past us during their morning training sessions.
The Anantara arranged our three-hour outing, but visits are also bookable via Murtagh’s website.
We then embarked on a tour of the Irish National Stud and Gardens, where we were treated to the sight of stallions, mares and day-old foals; wandered through a serene Japanese-style garden; and finished with a virtual horse race called the Irish Racehorse Experience that had us sitting astride mechanical horses for a simulated race whose winner (in this case, me) advances based on questions he or she answered during the “training” sessions earlier.
Public tours are available throughout the day and are included in the admission price of about $20 per adult.
Iconic clothing needs no introduction at the Museum of Style Icons. Photo Credit: Felicity Long
Shopping and fashion
Hand-knit woolens are synonymous with Ireland, but the tradition has morphed beyond the traditional fisherman’s sweaters of old. This was especially apparent at Kildare Village, a designer outlet with more than a hundred posh boutiques — some local, some international — located about an hour south of Dublin.
Visitors can wander around on their own or book a private concierge at Kildare Village’s Personal Shopping Suites, which offers a variety of services, from color analysis to a 90-minute customized personal shopping experience via PersonalShopping@KildareVillage.com.
We also made time for the Museum of Style Icons, which features permanent and rotating exhibitions of clothing so iconic that visitors will recognize them from across the room: Princess Diana’s voluminous wedding dress; the Beatles’ shiny, gray suits from their early days; and Marilyn Monroe’s “Happy Birthday, Mr. President” dress, to name a few.
Anantara The Marker Dublin Hotel executive chef Gareth Mullins demonstrates the proper way to slice smoked salmon. Photo Credit: Felicity Long
The Docklands
The five-star Anantara hotel, which opened last year, offers plenty of surprises, not least of which is its location in the Docklands. Situated smack in the center of Grand Canal Square, overlooking the waterfront, the property’s exterior is a bold, modern testament to Dublin’s new generation of tech entrepreneurs — so much so that the neighborhood is known locally as Silicon Docks.
Adjacent buildings include the International Financial Services Centre, the Bord Gais Energy Theatre and Google’s and Meta’s European headquarters.
An especially interesting attraction nearby is the Epic Emigration Museum, which personalizes the Irish diaspora by offering clues to visitors researching their own heritage or just helping to bring the Irish emigration story alive.
Meanwhile, hotel amenities include an award-winning spa, complete with an infinity pool, sauna and eucalyptus-infused steam room; a rooftop terrace with 360-degree view of the city all the way to Dublin Bay (guests can even sign up for early-morning, rooftop plunge baths); and multiple eateries, including Forbes Street by Gareth Mullins and the Marker Bar & Lounge.
On-property experiences included a poetry-inspired afternoon tea, Irish whiskey and Irish coffee master classes and even hands-on Irish soda bread-making.
And because this is Ireland, home of some of the world’s best storytellers, the property employs a guest experience and guardianship manager, Derek Brennan, who regales guests with stories about the city, its origins and an entire menu of humorous anecdotes.
