I’ve just had a chance to do Dublin to the hilt—more specifically, I guess—to the Hilt-on. On a recent visit I got the chance to try out all three of the city’s Hilton hotels, each one situated in a different location convenient for shopping, sightseeing and exploring.
Easing into town, I tried out the Hilton Dublin, which is located on the picturesque Grand Canal that winds through the city. It is comfortably modern with a cool, contemporary décor and pale brick exterior in keeping with the city’s historic Georgian facades. Scorning the air conditioning, I loved that the windows opened for fresh air and glimpses of the waterway and a charming cabin cruiser moored across the street. The Dublin Convention Center is only three miles away. The hotel is located right on the green public transit tramline, which whisks you away to the fashionable shops of the Dundrum Town Center in minutes.
The outdoor courtyard café is comfortable on sunny days, but I hunkered into the lobby’s Stil Bar & Lounge, which offers refreshments from lattes to whiskey. Selecting a delicious mix of fruit juices, I poured over the Irish Times to brief myself on local sights and events. Across the lobby, the water view Uisce (it means water in Gaelic) Restaurant specializes in meals prepared from local ingredients.
My next stop was the upscale Conrad Dublin, situated about a five to 10 minute walk away, near the corner of historic St. Stephen’s Green. My spacious suite overlooked the elegant period façade of the National Concert Hall. The room would be an ideal lodging for visitors attending Dublin Contemporary, the city’s huge visual art exhibition. It is scheduled for September and October and will debut 17 top Irish and international artists to create “Terrible Beauty—Art, Crisis, Change & The Office of Non-Compliance.”
Besides my sunny L-shaped sitting room and bedroom, I had a spacious marble bathroom with tub, shower and dressing areas. The desk was well equipped with data ports and international sockets. There were two TV sets, multiple telephones and an in-room trouser press. Wine and chocolate-covered strawberries done up in little “bow ties” were waiting in the room as a welcoming gift.
Pitchers of fresh lemonade are offered in the lobby, and the hotel’s open plan Alex cocktail bar, along with a piano player, is a favorite gathering place for guests and concertgoers. Irish ingredients, fresh beef, lamb and salmon are the focus of meals at the comfortable Alex Restaurant. Tucked downstairs near the exercise room, almost unmarked, is Alfie’s Bar and Grill where I devoured a delicious Peking duck wrap and a mandatory pint of Guinness.
Both the Hilton and the Conrad are short walks from Dublin Castle, the National History Museum and the National Gallery. The pedestrian mall of shops on Grafton Street is just beyond St. Stephen’s Green. Also nearby is the Book of Kells at Trinity College and Merrion Square, which features a statue of a languishing Oscar Wilde.
After scouring the shops in Temple Bar, visiting the amazing multi-visual displays in the official Guinness Storehouse and spending a day at the Dublin Horse Show, I hated to leave. But I prepared for my early-morning flight by checking into the Hilton Dublin Airport, which squelched once and for all my customary aversion to airport hotels. On the edge of the city, just a five-minute drive from the newly remodeled airport, the Airport Hilton is situated in its own “city center” with a Tesco mall across the street and little boutique shops along the block.
The lobby lounge feels like a spacious living room, and is a welcoming place to sit and snack. It is decorated with dramatic black and white photo portraits of Irish stars including Liam Neeson, Gabriel Byrne and Colin Farrell. I ate a delicious and amazingly sophisticated salad of blue cheese and frilly greens topping a bed of tomato slices with a piquant Asian dressing. The sticky toffee pudding was deliciously paired with fruit compote, which enhanced the dish’s classic super sweetness.
The airport’s schedules of arriving and departing flights are displayed on video screens in the lobby. And while personal Internet access is available, computer terminals right in the reception area allow you to check in and print up your boarding pass free of charge. The courteous concierge schedules regular complimentary shuttles to the airport for departures or pickups. My minivan was waiting promptly at 6:30 a.m. They almost had to tear me away.
FROM TOP TO BOTTOM: The Dublin Hilton’s Stil Bar & Lounge overlooks the courtyard and adjacent waterview Uisce Restaurant; The sitting room and desk area lead into the bedroom in the Conrad Dublin’s sunny L-shaped suites; Pitchers of lemonade and a piano player welcome guests to the open plan lobby of the Conrad Dublin Hotel.; The living room setting of the Burnell Bar and Lounge welcomes guests to the Dublin Airport Hilton; Soundproof windows ensure quiet and concentration for working or relaxing at the Dublin Airport Hilton.
