Conrad Hotel Dublin

The UpSide -

Location, location, location!

If you are wanting to see all of Central Dublin and want to ensure you have modern accommodations, like A/C, and have more than a few bones to drop on a hotel room then the Conrad should be your choice.

The Conrad is directly across from the National Concert Hall and just off one of the 4 corners of St. Stephen's Green.

Walking Distances:

St. Stephen's Green - 2 minutes, 4 to the middle
Grafton Street - 6 minutes (other side of The Green)
Temple Bar - 12 minutes or so, depending on how many pints you stop for!
Pearse Station - 12-15 minutes (from this train station you can get to just about any point within 45 minutes N or S of Dublin)


Rooms:

Great beds, and the best sheets and comforter to pull up over your head!
Both EU and US outlets in the rooms. Excellent amenities, mini-bar, larger bathrooms, etc. Everything you would expect with an upper end Hilton.

Facility:

There is a main hotel restaurant which serves and excellent buffet breakfast, good lunch and a decent dinner. The staff at the lobby bar are always willing an able to pour a cold one or a cellar temperate one!

There is a Irish style pub on the G floor and has splendid Pub Fare.

The front desk staff, concierge and all staff are always helpful.

For those that do not like to walk there is always a taxi out front - or several!

The Downside -

This is not the cheapest way to see Dublin. The hotel can be expensive. I was just here in July 2007 and the lowest rate to be found was 200EU, which equates to around $273 USD at the current exchange rate at the time of this printing, so buyer beware!

A few notes:

I found that Dublin - especially this hotel will not negotiate rates at the front desk. In which the opposite is typical in the US. I have not walked into a US based hotel yet and not gotten a lower rate than I booked just by talking to someone at the front desk with a kind voice.

Credits for issues - now and again issues do happen, and it is usually the American way to ask for a credit. This is not the European way. Usually the most offered is to fix the problem and apologize. If a credit is afforded it usually comes from the GM.

Overall an excellent hotel for the dollar (especially if you are traveling on business), but look around as there are several in the Dublin area which are more local (Jurys) and a better rate can be found.

I was treated to an extra special birthday present in June, l had stipulated that l did not want to be in the country (i.e. Northern Ireland) over my birthday which was on a Saturday, but as l had just come back from Prague which was as l thought my present l didn’t expect anything more (and l got the Harry Potter latest as well!). Well as l am a very spoiled and lucky girl, my wonderful boyfriend had booked us into the Conrad International Hotel in Dublin. Five stars l’ll have you know (previously l had been more for a B&B girlie!)

The Conrad International Hotels is set just off St Stephens Green in Dublin and therefore pretty central for those who know Dublin, and for those who love shopping Grafton Street is minutes away. I was a happy bunny!!!! I was excited and a bit apprehensive about staying in a swish city hotel – lm a country bumpkin originally and although think l can swan around with the 5 star crowd most of the time l was feeling a wee bit shy that l would show my self up!! You know how the staff and that sometimes in these swank hotels can be a bit uppity!!

So we get to our hotel- we drove Paul regularly works in Dublin therefore navigates the city with ease – me l would be in bits navigating Dublin traffic – its not for the faint-hearted!! Anyway there’s an underground car park for residents, and l think it’s free or at least a nominal charge.

There’s a lift from the car park to reception. Check in was painless – although Paul took care of it, we were quickly dispatched to our room. The foyer its self was understated yet one could feel the air of affluence in the air!!! It wasn’t overly contemporary; it had a period mix thrown in.

The Room

We had the junior suite. Absolutely fab, it took my breath away in fact!! The Conrad is a member of the Hilton Group and Paul regularly stays there so is part of the Honours Scheme and has a Platinum Card, so we got upgraded to a suite!!

The room was quite contemporary, with modern art print above the bed. As for the bed it could have fitted a small family comfortably! We got lost in it! There was the usual TV, and a separate CD player. The mini bar – l was warned to stay well away from this at pains of death – you needed to take out a mortgage for a glass of wine! 2 large dressing areas, and excess wardrobe space. There was a sofa and a chez lounge also! The view was over a quaint outside sitting area with fountains and the garden was blooming. There were complimentary dressing gowns, bedroom slippers, umbrellas, shoeshines, bottle openers, sewing kits, water and chocolates (hand made too l’ll have you know!). I was in my element!!

And then the best bit…. the bathroom!! There were his and hers twin sinks – with enough room to put the contents of my wee house at home in at either side. There was moisturiser, soap, cotton buds and balls, and various smells for male/female guests. The loo was in a separate wee room – with a phone!!! There was a power shower cubicle and a deep sunken bath!! Bliss and luxury!!


Guest Services

To be honest we didn’t really just any services – it was only an over night stay as such. We got up and went down for breakfast, which was included in our tariff, but if you are staying please check to ensure that it is inclusive - it was because Paul had the Hilton card again that we benefited. Breakfast served between 8am and 10.30am (it was a Sunday so probably served earlier during the week), in the main restaurant.
Those who have a hangover – why because there is enough choice and availability that you need to make the most of it should not experience well breakfast at the Conrad. Needless to say that we ate enough that we almost had to be rolled out of the room after. You can have juice – freshly squeezed, and any variety, full Irish breakfast, any coffee, speciality tea under the sun, breads, yoghurts, pastries, Danishes, fresh fruit, omelettes, muffins, nuts, dried fruits, cereal – the list is endless! Yes it was delicious too!

Other services the guest can benefit from include:

· Safety deposit in rooms
· News Stand
· Shoe Shine Stand (do people actually use these??)
· Multi-Lingual Staff
· Room Service


Dining & Entertainment

The hotel boasts the Plurabelle Brassiere – which l cannot comment on as we went out to eat in Dublin (l lovely Thai which is another opinion!). We did however have a drink in the Alfie Byrne Bar (lve no idea who he is but he must have been popular cos there’s a road in Dublin named after him! Maybe The Mad Cabbie could help out!). The bar was busy enough – well it was a Saturday evening in June, l had a JD and Coke and Paul vodka and coke – usual hotel prices – not much change out of 15 euro! The bar was ok, bland is a word ld use, not much atmosphere. There was a band playing popular hits, but l don’t remember much about them so obviously not that great!

Fitness Suite

It was my birthday weekend – l went nowhere near the gym! There’s a small gym – fully equipped but cramped – Paul took a look and said it was small – that’s the only reason l know! There isn’t a pool. It didn’t bother me; l wasn’t there for the fitness suite!

Customer Service

The staff were efficient, and prompt, but to be honest, there wasn’t any of the inter-personal touches that makes customer service special too me. There was any banter with customers, no chat. Im in customer services so am qualified to speak on this topic. Please don’t get me wrong though – the staff were great, we were asking directions to Kilmainheim Gaol and they found out bus times, stops and so on, but it was all very mechanical. Smiles seemed to be forced. I like the personal touch and l didn’t seem to be getting it.


Facts and Figures

Set at Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin 2 – tel: (353) 1 6028900; fax (353) 1 6765424. It is relatively new only opening its doors in 1989. There are 191 guest rooms and 9 of these are suites broken into junior suites and suites. For those non-smokers rooms are available. The hotel will cater for conference and parties, and the business traveller is well catered for.

The Conrad International is a chain of superior hotels and in the group (which l have mentioned is part of the overall Hilton Group) includes such top class hotels as The Waldorf Towers, in New York or the Conrad Istanbul. So l was staying is style!!


Overall Thoughts

I enjoyed my stay immensely and as l was not picking up the bill it made my stay even more enjoyable! This is also the reason l have not commented on tariffs, but if you wish to book, check out rates or take a closer look at the hotels in the group check out www.conradhotels.com. I enjoyed my stay, and l would go back! Funnily, Paul has been back a few times since – the Hilton in Dublin over booked so put him in the Conrad a few times!! He loves ringing me to tell me this.

If you are looking for some luxury in central Dublin, the Conrad is a great wee spot.