Conrad Dublin displays a contemporary setting with a speckled marble lobby opening onto the Alex Cocktail Bar where clusters of people gather on soft, blue armchairs and creamy-colored leather sofas next to the baby piano at one end. Staircases, rooms and corridors throughout the hotel are bedecked with diverse artwork showcasing rural and urban landscapes, still life scenes, seascapes, and ancient architectural sites, all mainly by Irish artists from places such as Strabane, Waterford and Belfast.
Imagine my surprise upon entering the brightly lit, bistro bar of the seven-floor, 191-room Conrad Dublin hotel to find a colorful row of 27 craft beers and ales on tap and Cillian, a knowledgeable bartender, to guide me through the selection. Under the management of Martin Mangan, the property proudly displays its five-star rating, trusting in the discerning nature of its clients for thirst-quenching drinks qualitatively different from the usual selections. With the help of the hoppy, Galway-brewed Goodbye Blue Monday, Storm and Fury and Indian Pale Ales from the Boundary Bay Brewery in Michigan, Alfie Byrne’s—an Irish-American themed bar on property—was a highlight of our stay.
We also enjoyed a relaxing dinner in the Alex restaurant named after Alexandra Ladies College, which once occupied the space where the hotel now stands. In a modern setting with touches of art deco and an impressive triptych of traditional Dublin scenes by Kildare-based artist Elizabeth Cope, we enjoyed a surf and turf dinner of scallops from Kilkeel, chorizo as a starter, Dublin prawns in a cheese and mustard seed sauce and a steak served on a wooden board accompanied by pepper sauce as a main. All this was washed down with a Napa Valley Zinfandel 2011 from Chateau Montelena. For dessert, try the Tonka and mango panna cotta coconut crumble with crème de cassis sorbet alongside an herbal tea which comes in designer tea pots with their own individual heater.
From our upper-floor corner suite we could see the impressive façade of the National Concert Hall which reminded me of a winter scene from James Joyce’s Dubliners. The suite, dressed in warm colors, features deep, sand-colored carpet, twin crimson armchairs beside a low-slung coffee table, a writing desk and an Essenza Nespresso machine. On the coffee table are books focusing on the city's diverse architecture such as The Irish in Hollywood and Dublin: A Grand Tour. The bathroom features both bath and shower facilities with toiletries from England-based Aroma Therapy Associates.
While not spacious, the gym offers cardiovascular equipment, free weights and running machines. With 10 meeting and conference rooms accommodating up to 350 guests and a large ballroom featuring an ornate Waterford crystal chandelier, the property is also well suited for weddings and business events.
The Conrad Dublin offers friendly and efficient service and a convenient central location within easy walking distance of many of Dublin’s leading landmarks such as Grafton Street, the city’s main pedestrian shopping area, the leafy St. Stephen’s Green, the National Museum and the Little Museum of Dublin, as well as the concert hall across the street.
