Dublin

My weekend trip to Dublin with my mum was made especially memorable with our stay at The Westbury Dublin.

Part of The Doyle Collection, The Westbury is a luxury, five star hotel in the heart of the city, just off Grafton Street. It’s also a member of The Leading Hotels of the World, so you can expect that extra attention to detail and top class service.

Arrival

The hotel’s grand marble lobby is impressive and always buzzing with guests checking in or relaxing in the lounge. It really comes to life with fine artwork, exquisite floral arrangements and twinkling crystal chandeliers.

Afternoon tea in the lobby lounge is quite an institution in Dublin and we loved spending time there on the comfy sofas in front of the roaring open fire. There’s even a Champagne trolley to add that extra touch of decadence.

Check-In

Our check-in was swift and very welcoming – we were offered a bottle of mineral water each and a map to get our bearings. On the way to our Deluxe Twin Room on the second floor, I was impressed that the lift has a leather bench to rest your weary feet between floors, just like Claridges in London.

The Room

Even before entering our room, I fell in love with the long corridors covered with pastel-hue striped walls and a Beverly Hills vibe. Our spacious room was just as pretty, designed in a soft neutral palette with highlights of crimson, chocolate and beige.

Happily we both had a queen-size Sealy bed covered with 300 thread count Lissadell linen, a velvet throw and floral cushions to ourselves. The room also features a fantastic walk-in wardrobe, 32″ flatscreen TV, executive writing desk, minibar, Nespresso machine and a kettle with tea and coffee.

A Welcome Treat

We were kept well hydrated during our stay with a number of complimentary bottles of mineral water, as well as a welcome gift of large bottles of San Pelegrino sparkling and still water and a generous fruit bowl.

The Bathroom

The luxurious marble bathroom has a deep-soaking tub and a shower with good pressure, plenty of extra-wide towels as well as a two full sets of gorgeous Aromatherapy Associates bathroom products. Plush bathrobes and slippers give that extra touch of comfort.

Dinner at Balfes

On our first evening, we enjoyed dinner in the hotel’s newest restaurant Balfes. Named after the street, Balfes has a modern European bistro feel and it was buzzing on Saturday night.

We were seated at a cosy corner booth on a long Chesterfield sofa with views of the street outside and the open kitchen. The menu is a tempting mix of crowd-pleasers and creative dishes, all cooked using the finest Irish seasonal produce.

To start, I ordered the most delicious Pan-fried scallops with carrot & ginger and a sesame crumb (€14). The four plump scallops were perfectly golden on the outside and I loved the subtle Asian flavours.

My mum went for a lovely and simple Celeriac soup topped with fresh herbs and drizzled with olive oil and served with wedges of sundried tomato and soda bread.

Balfes’s secret weapon is a josper grill, so I couldn’t resist following the scallops with some good Irish grilled meat. I really enjoyed my enormous, smoky Loin of milk-fed veal, roast artichoke, confit potato and baby spinach.

I thought my main course couldn’t be beaten, but my mum’s Fish and chips with crushed peas and tartare sauce was out of this world. The fresh, flaky cod was covered in the most delicious beer batter and was served with a cone of tasty skin-on chips.

The only thing that didn’t hit the spot was my Banoffi with hot chocolate mousse (€7.50). It was swimming in a rich dark chocolate sauce that overpowered the sliced banana, vanilla ice cream and chocolate cookie base.

My mum’s Rice Pudding with coconut and mango was excellent with a pleasant texture and fragrant, Thai flavours. We finished the meal with fresh mint tea and rolled up to bed feeling full and content.

Breakfast

After a good night’s sleep in our heavenly beds, we headed down to the hotel’s main restaurant Wilde for a delicious, leisurely breakfast. The restaurant is of course named after Dublin’s own Oscar Wilde and the hotel is just short walk away from the Oscar Wilde Monument at nearby Merrion Square.

We were seated at a table with plush velvet seating and were swiftly served pots of freshly-brewed coffee and tea, plus our choice of white or brown toast with salted butter.

I loved the pancakes with berry compote, mascarpone and maple syrup and my mum enjoyed fantastic scrambled eggs served with bubble and squeak and a grilled tomato.

On the second morning, we decided to keep it light and go for a few bites from the generous continental buffet. Everything is high quality and we particularly liked the chocolate cake with cocoa nibs, pain au chocolat and home-made granola yoghurt pots.

Is there anything that could make it even better? Well, perhaps a spa to complete the five star experience, however guests can indulge in some pampering with the Take 30 with The Westbury and Crème de la Mer package just around the corner at luxury department store Brown Thomas.

The Westbury is a stunning, perfectly-located hotel with exquisite hospitality, where you can feel truly at home. For a luxury weekend in Dublin, it should be top of your list.

Rooms at The Westbury start from €230 per night on a bed and breakfast basis. For reservations visit: www.doylecollection.com/hotels/the-westbury-hotel.

Chérie City was a guest of The Westbury

Photos by Chérie City and The Westbury (Balfes interior by Paul Winch-Furness)

For more Ireland travel ideas, read about Things to Do on a Weekend in Dublin.

Last weekend, I took my mum on a girls trip to Dublin, filled with sightseeing, shopping and plenty of eating.

It was our first time in the Irish capital and we were both absolutely charmed by the city’s culture, elegant architecture, friendliness and of course, the craic!

Our stylish base at luxury five star hotel, The Westbury, was well-located to see lots of the city, but there are still plenty of things on our list to bring us back. Here are a few fun things to do on a weekend in Dublin…

Trinity College

Taking a stroll around Dublin’s impressive Trinity College is an absolute must. Founded in 1592, Trinity College is one of the seven ancient universities of Britain and Ireland (in good company with my alma mater, University of Glasgow).

It’s home to the Book of Kells in the beautiful, wood panelled Library of Trinity College and notable alumni include literary greats such as Oscar Wilde, Samuel Beckett, Bram Stoker and more recently actor Dominic West.

Ideally, visit on a Sunday afternoon when the students are away studying (or nursing hangovers) and absorb the history and atmosphere of the classical buildings in the open quadrangles, Parliament Square and Fellows’ Square.

Drinks at The Temple Bar Pub

Temple Bar is a lively, historic part of town close to the River Liffey, known for its traditional Irish pubs. On the weekend, it’s cobbled streets are filled with revellers and buskers, and the sounds of live folk music can be heard from the pubs.

Before visiting Dublin, my mum told me that she rather enjoys Guinness. I wanted to put this to the test, so we popped into the famous Temple Bar Pub for an aperitif before heading back to Balfes for dinner. True to her word, my mum ordered half a pint of Guinness and I played it safe with a suitably Irish Baileys on ice.

The Temple Bar was established in 1840 and named after Sir William Temple, the provost of Trinity College, whose house and gardens were built there in the early 17th century. The pub has an extensive selection of rare and interesting whiskeys – you can even order a whiskey flight to taste three different kinds.

Shopping at Avoca

Avoca is a glorious lifestyle store with 11 outlets across Ireland only, so it’s a real hotspot for shopping. Avoca is Ireland’s oldest handweaving mill, established in Avoca, Country Wicklow, back in 1723. When the three Wynne sisters inherited the mill, they revolutionised weaving in Ireland by adding colour to their designs.

Today, the family-run business produces the most beautiful, striking throws and blankets alongside clothing, perfume, ceramics, glassware and gourmet food. I discovered Avoca in Belfast and was delighted to find that the 7-floor Suffolk Street Avoca store was just a short walk from our hotel.

At the top of the store is the Avoca Cafe with an all-day menu and vintage-chic interiors (it feels more like a restaurant than cafe) and there’s also the more informal food hall on the lower ground level where we had lunch.

The food hall has a deli, salad bar and counter full of baked goods as well as a separate rotisserie. I enjoyed a tasty chicken Caesar wrap and my mum went for a spicy chickpea and quinoa cake with carrot salad and antipasti from the salad bar. For dessert, we couldn’t resist sharing a slice of scrumptious lemon curd cake – one slice was more than enough for two.

To bring a bit of Avoca back home (along with as many scones as we could carry), we picked out a stunning wool throw each – so pretty and so cosy.

South Georgian Area

The Georgian area at the bottom of Grafton Street on the South bank was my favourite part of Dublin. This elegant, affluent part of the city is characterised by its rows of townhouses with handsome doors and tall windows.

It’s home to Merrion Square, where artists sell their works on the railings on a Sunday and also the fantastic National Gallery of Ireland. I fell in love with the ivy-covered Boston College on St. Stephen’s Square and enjoyed strolling around the tranquil St. Stephen’s Green with its duck pond and pretty gazebo.

Lunch at Fallon & Byrne

Dublin is a real foodie city and Fallon & Byrne is a great place to find the best Irish produce, delicious meals and fine wines. The top floor features a popular restaurant while the food hall has a small cafe for lighter bites.

After a long walk in the cold, we were ready for a bowl of delicious carrot and coriander soup, served with thick slices of freshly-baked brown soda bread and butter.

You can also get meals, salads, cheese and cured meats from the deli to eat in at the cafe or do a spot of posh food shopping.

Have you visited Dublin? Where are your favourites spots and things to do in the city?

All photos by Chérie City

Chérie City

A Luxury Weekend at The Westbury Dublin