I stayed at this hotel on two separate occasions in 2007. My first visit was for St Patricks Day and we booked this hotel because it was cheap even though this would be their busiest weekend. We booked a triple room for 4 nights arriving on a Thursday and departing Monday.
On our first visit we got the airportbus which costs 5 Euros. We got off the bus at O'Connell Street and then got a taxi as it was late at night to the hotel. The hotel is located on the south side of the river Liffey in the direction of the Sea. It is located near The Point so is a good location for attending concerts and events. It is approximately 15 minutes walk to O'Connell Street, the main shopping areas of Grafton Street and Henry Street and Temple Bar. It might seem like a long walk back after a night out in Temple Bar but the walk back helps sober you up! The hotel is just off the road that runs alongside the river. Opposite the hotel is a building site which was being worked on when we were on our second visit and we were informed by some people we met that they are building offices there.
The reception area is huge; there are plenty of seats if you are waiting, the entrance to the bar, stairs up to a further seating area and internet access and the area where breakfast is served. There is also a luggage storage room and 3 lifts.
Check-in was quick and easy; the staff were helpful and gave us all the relevant information and we were directed to our room.
On our first visit our room was located at the back of the building and overlooked a postal depot, our view was car park full of green postal vans! The room we were in was a disabled room with a double bed and a single. There is also a seating area with a table and two chairs, a desk and chair, a hairdryer, iron and ironing board, wardrobe and tea and coffee making facilities. There are no mini-bars in the rooms but every floor has vending machines (which actually didn't seem that badly priced) which had soft and alcoholic drinks and snacks. You also get an ice bucket in your room and next to the vending machines is an ice machine. If you want drinks in your room, get some from a shop (there are loads in the city centre) and fill your bathroom sink with ice and cool it in there, we had soft drinks, wine, vodka and milk in ours! The bathroom was 'wet-room' style with just a shower. The shower curtain went round the shower, there were no steps up or down and there was a seat if required under the shower which folded flat against the wall if not needed. The hotel supplies Dove hand wash next the sink and Lux shower gel next to the shower.
On out second visit we again had a triple room with a double bed and single bed. This room overlooked the entrance and had doors leading out onto a small balcony area which had a table and two chairs. The balcony runs basically along the building without any walls as dividers but between the rooms are thick material dividers to give you some privacy but means you can still make friends with the people next door and very handy if you are in a group. The view from the balcony was basically of the building site opposite but u can see up the street to the river and also the canal nearby. Also you can see some arty structure thing that had lights at night, it was only a couple of minutes walk away near the canal but we never ventured to see what it actually was! Once the building is up opposite you probably won't be able to see this from the hotel and the view might just be of some people at work!
We only ate at the hotel for breakfast. It wasn't included in our rate so it cost 13 Euros (paying when checking out) each but is well worth it. There is plenty of choice of hot breakfast, meats, cheeses, breads, cereals, pastries, fruit and juices etc. And it is all delicious.
The hotel has great leisure facilities located in the basement. There is a 22m swimming pool which you can even have the lane barrier in so you can do lane swimming. There are floats and waddles and even sun loungers for those who don't want to swim! There is a small children's pool too. There is also a jacuzzi, steam room and sauna all of which are only for over 16s so no children to disturb you! In the pool you do have to wear a swimming hat, these can be bought from the leisure centre reception (where you also can get towels so you don't need to use ones from your room) for 2 Euros. And as everyone else is wearing them you don't feel you look stupid! You can also get a padlock from the reception for use with the lockers. You had to pay a deposit for this (5 Euros I think) and you get this back when you return after your swim. There is also a gym but I can't really review this as I never went. However between the swimming pool and the gym is a glass wall and it looked like it had a lot of equipment in. They also do various fitness classes including aqua aerobics in the pool; I never went to these either.
My first visit to the hotel was very good but once a returned home I encountered a problem which a payment still pending on my bank account even though we had paid fully on check-out. After speaking to my bank they advised me they could sort it out after 7 days but if I spoke to the hotel they could cancel it at their end. So I tried to ring the hotel, no-one understood what I meant so I got passed about and cut off by them twice. In the end I got sick and let my bank sort it out, which they did. I wrote a letter to the general manager of the hotel, mentioned that I was planning to return (which I was) but as I'd been disappointed in the staff's help after my visit I was unsure I'd stay there again. A few days after I sent my letter I had a voicemail from the general manager saying how sorry he was and how he would be sending me a letter too. He also gave me options of free breakfast, discounted rooms, upgraded rooms and dinner in the hotel on my next visit. He even gave me a mobile number to contact him on if I wished to discuss further. The letter arrived a few days later and I was offered rooms that worked out at £150 cheaper per room over the visit. I thought this was a good deal so booked with the hotel again. I did this direct through the managers assistant who was very friendly and again apologetic for my problems. So my second visit to the hotel was in September 2007.
As the hotel is located away from Temple Bar etc it is quieter then the hotels you find there. It seems to attract a variety of people, those on business, groups of all sizes, couples and families.
Around the hotel there are a few pubs; one in particular is the Ferryman which is located up the street toward the river and on the corner. On first look this seems like a very 'local' pub that you might think you're not welcome in! But this is not the case at all as it gets a lot of people there from the hotel. It also attracts a lot of people from the building sites nearby (as this area is in development) as well as locals. So there are plenty of people to meet and it is definitely worth a drink on your way to Temple Bar. And have a vodka and red lemonade!
This is a great hotel, I guess the only thing that would put people off is the location if you can't or don't like walking. But as this area is being developed I am sure bars and restaurants will pop up down the river too. I would recommend it to everyone from business people, groups, families and couples. I will return to this hotel on my next visit to Dublin.
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Jan 19th, 2008
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