A new hotel in Ireland is creating a buzz for all the right reasons. Margaret Hussey checks in to The Leinster, Dublin’s hottest new address.
The Country & Town House Responsible Tourism Guide
Review: The Leinster, Dublin
Dropping off us at The Leinster in Dublin, our taxi driver was full of praise. ‘I’ve heard good things about that place,’ he mused. ‘I’ll have to give it a spin myself. I remember it as a nightclub.’
The Leinster was indeed a club, called Howl At The Moon, but all trace of that has been removed – apart from a glorious dark, windowed-panel at the side of the hotel, hinting at one of its former lives. The transformation is impressive: a 55-room hotel (including four suites) that is bringing a new vibe to this corner of Dublin.
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And what a corner it is. Situated just minutes away from the Georgian Merrion Square, it’s the perfect place to explore the Irish capital. Everything is within walking distance. From Trinity College to the Hugh Lane Gallery, from Temple Bar to The Liberties, we pounded the streets, covering many miles. It’s the best way to see the city – with plenty of stops for the occasional refreshment.
Art is hugely important to The Leinster. Not only is the National Gallery of Ireland is only minutes away, the hotel itself is filled with over 300 paintings from either Irish or Ireland-based artists. The one exception is a sparkling Damien Hirst behind reception.
Jean Georges restaurant at The Leinster
EAT
Look out for the woodland-themed mural on the rooftop restaurant. It was painstakingly hand painted by Irish artist Jo Murphy and is a real talking point on the terrace. The restaurant, under the auspices of world-acclaimed chef Jean Georges Vongerichten and executive chef Ross Bryans, is a fusion of French and Asian with an Irish twist. Highlights include a delicious seared salmon with potatoes and fermented black bean and ginger, and charred duck breast with cabbage and homemade sriracha.
The wine list is excellent too. We tried a very quaffable white from Chateau La Coste Vin De Provence, owned by Irish property magnate Paddy McKillen. His son Paddy Jr is the co-owner of The Leinster and this family connection is a nice touch.
Breakfast is served on the rooftop too and it’s an extensive list. The blueberry bowl with toasted oats, peanut butter and banana really set us up for all that walking. And there are eggs in every combination from Benedict to Royale and Florentine as well as a very colourful full Irish.
STAY
A quick look around and you’ll see that colour is a huge component of the hotel’s design ethos. It’s so lovely to see designers O’Donnell O’Neill use their palate to the full, from the lobby to the guestrooms. Our room had a gorgeous red velvet sofa and chair with red accents on the lamp, as well as a window seat overlooking the Georgian buildings. And the bed’s headboard was beautifully upholstered in a floral fabric (don’t worry, no chintz here). Every corner is perfectly thought through, from the cabinet housing Irish chocolate and a cocktail mixer to the very extensive bar outside on top. Even the bottles of Drumshanbo gin and vodka in their blue and red jewel colours matched the interior of the room.
The compact shower – no bath, although the suites do have them – had Brooks toiletries from County Laois and a very fancy Japanese washlet loo. In this small space too colour has a presence, from the pretty linen wallpaper to the black petal sink.
And, for a city hotel, it has everything. There’s an outdoor whirlpool hot tub, a sauna and huge steam room (which was still being finished when we visited). Outdoors the colourful theme continued with huge tropical tiles lining the route down to the superbly-equipped large gym.
If it’s a snack or cocktail your crave – or even a place to dance near home – head to the ground floor Collins Club. It’s packed with colour and prints and a spectacular Murano chandelier. They have a DJ here from Thursday to Saturday, but from our rooms we did not hear a thing. It was perfectly soundproofed and, after hours of exploring, it was heads down, lights out. Exactly what you want from a capital stay.
The Collins Club at The Leinster (c) Paul O’Connell
The Final Word
Despite its already stellar credentials, you get the feeling that The Leinster isn’t going to rest on its laurels just yet. And, with plans already to extend next door, there’s a real sense of dynamism and that nothing will be static. We can expect only good things going forward.
BOOK
Room rates at The Leinster start from €300 (£250) per night. For more information, please visit theleinster.ie
Margaret was on a personal holiday when this review was conducted.
