THE BEACON (above)
Beacon Court
Sandyford
Dublin 18
Ireland
Tel: +353 1 2915000
www.thebeacon.com
82 bedrooms
My Thai Restaurant
Crystal Bar
Spa (opening late 2005)
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THE G (above)
19 Eyre Square
Galway
Ireland
Tel: +353 (0)91 865200
www.theghotel.ie
98 guestrooms
The Santini Restaurant
Gerrys Bar
GÕSpa
Ladies Salon
the Grand Salon
Gentlemens Salon
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THE D HOTEL (above)
Scotch Hall
Drogheda
Co. Louth
Ireland
Tel:+353 (0)419877700
www.thedhotel.com
104 bedrooms
The D Restaurant
The D Bar
6 meeting and event rooms |
THE FITZWILLIAM (above)
St Stephen's Green
Dublin
Ireland
Tel: +353 1 478 7000
www.fitzwilliamhotel.com
2 bedrooms
Private Dining for 6 people
Private bar
Living Area with home entertainment system
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THE MORGAN (above)
10 Fleet Street
Temple Bar
Dublin
Ireland
Tel: + 353 1 6437000
www.themorgan.com
106 bedrooms + 15 extended stay suites
The Morgan Bar
6 Meeting Rooms
Penthouse & Courtyard
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TULIP INN DUBLIN AIRPORT (Above)
Airside Retail Park, Swords
Dublin
Ireland
www.tulipinndublinairport.com
155 bedrooms
Bibo Bistro & Bar
3 Meeting Rooms
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Winter 2005 / Places
- Ireland
The pace of hotel development in Ireland has been frenetic in the last few years, but is such growth unsustainable or will the market correct itself?
Even by Ireland's standards, 2005 was a prolific year in hotel development. According to a recent article in the Irish Times, almost one billion euros were being spent on building 37 new hotels in Ireland last year. Part of the reason for this rush is that capital allowances for hotel development are due to end in July 2006.
Such frenetic activity is causing concerns about over-supply in the market. According to the Times 2.2bn euros had already been spent on new accommodation and visitor attractions from 2000-2004. But tourism figures increased just 4% against a 15% increase in the number of rooms.
Yet perhaps this is simply the market catching up with that of other European countries. The impact of inbound tourism on the dazzling performance of Ireland's 'Celtic Tiger economy' is well documented. Until this new hotel development started, visitors to Ireland would have found a plethora of family-run establishments, mainly B&Bs and guesthouses. Yet, outside the major cities, the midmarket was under-serviced and the international hotel chains were barely present at all. All that has changed as the brands have found a fresh market to tap into. The statistics suggest the lower end of the market is being squeezed by higher quality entrants, mainly around the three star level. According to the Irish Times, 58 hotels have failed to renew their licences in the last three years, most of them at the budget end of the market.
Surprisingly Dublin hasn't really been at the heart of this explosion. Astronomical property costs in the city centre have meant hotel development has migrated to the outskirts of the capital - particularly its airport where five new hotels will have opened by mid-2006.
But other cities have seen their hotel offer well and truly upgraded - notably Cork. The biggest county and second largest city in the Republic of Ireland, Cork is situated on the south west coast and justifiably considers itself the commercial, industrial and educational capital of the region.
After a severe economic decline and population loss during the 70s and 80s, it has been the focus of a sustained programme of investment co-financed by the Irish Government and the European Regional Development Fund. One of the objectives of the investment was to regenerate Cork's city centre and promote it as a tourist destination. Progress towards this goal was accelerated with the appointment of the city as European City of Culture 2005.
Despite reaching the end of its tenure as Sleeper goes to press, Cork is still a work in progress. Its skyline is defined by cranes - creating exciting new streetscapes in the city centre. It's a pattern that has been repeated across Ireland as visitors, whom may have expected traditional Irish pubs, increasingly find hotels with contemporary interior design in shiny new multi-storey buildings, many taking advantage of the country's abundance of waterfront locatons.
Galway is another city which has undergone a hotel boom. The city's most recent opening - the G - has generated many column inches thanks to the involvement of celebrated hat designer Philip Treacy as 'design director' to the project. The launch of branded hotels such as Courtyard by Marriott, Ibis, Days Inn and the Radisson SAS has been complemented by locally funded developments such as the Blackrock Hotel The Kingsvalley and the Fairgreen Hotel.
The warning signs are there for operators who do not raise their game. Great Southern Hotels, a nine-strong group owned by the Dublin Airport Authority, is expected to come up for grabs next year if trading does not improve, after four years of successive under-performance. One of the main reasons has been new competition from branded three star hotels at airports.
Yet projects such as the D in Drogheda suggest that although competition in Ireland's major cities might be overheating, in the secondary towns there is still scope for further regeneration and development.
The Clarion, Cork
Cork's status as European City of Culture 2005 has heralded a spate of hotel construction including the new Clarion Hotel by architects Scott Tallon Walker for developers Howard Holdings.
Situated at the heart of Cork's redevelopment, in the new City Quarter on the River Lee at Lapps Quay, the Clarion is part of a 100 million euro programme that has changed the face of this once-derelict area. Developer Howard Holdings - pronounced Cork Business of the Year for its work in the docklands area - has reconstructed the quay walls and created the city's first boardwalk and pedestrian ways, as well as building two linked, six storey buildings, one of which comprises the four star, 200 bedroom hotel.
Operated by Choice Hotels International, whose other brands include Quality Inn and Comfort Inn, the Clarion Cork is the third of five Clarion hotels in Ireland and opened in February.
According to brand requirements it features bar, restaurant and leisure club facilities, and has access to a further 10,500 sq. ft. of conference and banqueting facilities in the adjoining City Quarter building, accessible via a sky bridge.
What this list doesn't evoke is the wow-factor of the scheme, designed by architects Scott Tallon Walker and built by PJ Hegarty & Sons, which combined with the hotel's scenic, central position and proximity to the historic markets will ensure that it appeals as much to tourists as to business guests.
From the outside the pedestrianised boardwalk, serviced at each end by cafes and centrally by the hotel's bar/restaurant, is picturesque and inviting. On a good day, with the sun glinting off the river, this area is reminiscent of Sydney's Darling Harbour - minus the plethora of yachts and with just a small touch of poetic licence. It provides a great spot to soak up the unique ambience of the city.
Inside guests walk through a spacious modern lobby, punctuated by bright and comfortable soft furnishings, and move into the stunning atrium, which stretches the full height of the building. The large gold globes hanging in the ceiling void are an installation created by a local artist.
The 187 bedrooms, contemporary in design, are also geared to deliver comfort: with individually controlled air con, Egyptian bed linen, hassle free duvets, enhanced lighting and the small but appreciated luxury of a hairdryer that actually dries your hair. Furniture, including headboards and bedside cabinets, wardrobes with full length mirrors, luggage racks, desks and chests of drawers, is of contemporary oak finish and was supplied by Cork-based O'Donnell Design. Those who chose to use their room for business get the benefit of a large work desk with dataports, broadband and a two-line telephone.
Opting for a suite gives the guest a slightly different experience. Seven suites are created around cool, clean lines out of simple, elegant colours. Large king-size beds, soft comfortable sofas and balconies overlooking the River Lee make them the perfect location to sip a glass of wine and watch the world go by.
At the top of the hotel is the split-level penthouse, which offers uninterrupted panoramic views of an evolving city. Spacious, inviting and modern, it is marketed as the ideal location to host private business meetings, small lunches, dinner or cocktail parties - or just for those who want the most exclusive address in town during their stay.
Access to the penthouse remains the privilege of the few, but all are invited to enjoy a meal in the hotel. The first option is Kudos, a relaxing bar/restaurant accessible from the waterfront where guests can sink into low, comfortable chairs and order fresh Asian food from the hotel's wok stations. At the back of the hotel, across the atrium, is the restaurant Sinergie, where the menu combines classic Irish food with contemporary international dishes for a more formal dining experience.
However in 2005, top quality dining isn't the only compulsory item on the menu. In the basement of the hotel is the Essence Spa, which has proved even more popular with day visitors as it is with residential guests. Treatments are administered in fully equipped treatment rooms, hydrotherapy baths and a detox tunnel, with staff eager to customise a package to suit your individual needs.
And this flexibility, that so defines the hotel, is one of its critical selling points. Those who arrive at the Clarion for business reasons may well find themselves staying for pleasure - a fact that stands as ample testament to this centrepiece of a reborn and revived city.
The Beacon, Dublin
The Fitzpatrick Hotel Group's latest property, by Traynor O'Toole Architects and interior designer Brian McDonald, mixes ethnic influences with contemporary furnishings.
aul Fitzpatrick reasserts the familiar 'location, location, location' mantra in explaining the opening of The Beacon, the latest hotel from The Fitzpatrick Hotel Group: "Our new hotel is only minutes from the M50 and located in Sandyford business region which is currently expanding its number of offices and residential areas. International companies such as Microsoft, Vodafone and Siemens are also located within the vicinity and 40,000 people are employed within the area. Furthermore, John Hopkins International Hospital is opening on the Campus, adjacent to the hotel, early in 2006, so that will bring us an additional audience."
Fitzpatrick is one of three operators within The Fitzpatrick Hotel Group. In addition to The Beacon, Paul already has two hotels under his belt, namely The Morgan in Temple Bar and The Beacon in Sandyford. But that is not to say that the latest addition to the stable is merely a carbon copy of its predecessors. "We asked our designers to think outside the box, whilst at the same time offering us the facilities associated with a 5 star hotel", asserts Fitzpatrick. By enlisting the aesthetical abilities of Traynor O'Toole Architects and Brian McDonald, who was responsible for modelling the interior scheme, he has achieved just that.
Inspiration throughout the hotel has been taken from some of the most legendary projects in the world. Think of the Delano in Miami, the Mercer in New York and the Prince in Melbourne, and you won't be far off the mark. One can clearly see that The Beacon is based upon an appreciation of the hip hotel concept, bringing a slice of boutique life to Dublin.
On entry to the foyer, guests are under no illusion that this hotel is mundane. An eclectic array of contemporary furnishings litters the floor, whilst a 4-poster bed inlayed with a coffee table takes centre stage, furniture-wise. Illuminating proceedings, the "light modular" chandelier, designed by Shane Holland, is the true star of the show. Constructed from 3000 metres of optic fibre strands, coupled with granule-filled glass bubbles, the feature changes from cobalt blue to brilliant white, dependent on the time of day. Says Fitzpatrick; "We certainly pushed the boundaries on the design features throughout the hotel, most clearly in the lobby with its special one off designs."
This floor also plays host to the Crystal Bar, a space that adapts well to trading times. During the daytime the space benefits from natural daylight flooding in, and so it is granted a bright and fresh appearance. Access to an alfresco area is also available, allowing guests to take advantage of the balmy summer weather. As twilight falls, candles add a twinkle to the room, while large French chandeliers, contained within translucent lampshades, added a sophisticated edge. Naturally, cocktails are order of the day here, although the well-stocked bar can cater for most requests.
Neighbouring the bar is My Thai, the hotel's Asian Pacific restaurant, where cuisine is a fusion of food where East meets West. Exuding a modern elegance, the space is governed by neutral tones; light toned leather clad fixed booths and banquettes are offset by dark, timber floorboards and loose dining chairs. Ethnic sculptures and inspirational artworks add eye candy, and, most importantly, flourishes of colour to the otherwise pale space.
What is clever about both the bar and the restaurant is their multi-faceted appeal. Both spaces not only cater for the demands of the hotel's guests, but also have soon become firm favourites with local businesses in the area. And because of their abilities to subtly change dependent on the time of day or night, they are perfectly suited to accommodate meetings and parties alike. "These two areas are extremely important as they really are the heart and soul of the hotel, where guests can mingle with locals and experience true Dublin hospitality", asserts Fitzpatrick.
Adjourning to their rooms, guests are first struck by the eye-catching lifts. Leather-lined and chandelier lit, they are certainly a talking point, and aesthetically, echo the design ethos to be found in each of the bedrooms. Each of the rooms, of which there are 82 in total, has been granted a strong designer edge. Clad in white, each of the spaces is offered a splash of colour through bespoke artworks by acclaimed Irish artist, Siobhan McDonald. Philippe Starck baths and chairs reveal a strong commitment to the finer things in life, as do the Ligne Roset leather chaise lounges in each room. Business facilities are offered in abundance - from interactive plasma screens to wi-fi access - whilst those embarking on a relaxing get away are sure to be impressed by the glass-encased bathrooms. "Our clients feedback is that they find the environment to be fresh, stylish, comfortable and exciting", reports Fitzpatrick.
"We are very excited about the opening of this new hotel which is part of our strategy to develop design led hotels in city centre locations across Europe", says Fitzpatrick.
And things for the group are progressing at a quick rate. A spa area is to open at The Beacon by the end of the year, whilst The Morgan is being remodelled to offer additional rooms and the facility to house guests for extended stay.
The G, Galway
World famous milliner Philip Treacy brings glamour to Galway with his designs for The G, the first in a series of hotels planned by Monogram Hotels, with architecture by Douglas Wallace.
Galway on the west coast of Ireland isn't the first place you'd think of in which to build a luxury, 'glamour' hotel. Especially if the 'you' in question happens to be a world famous milliner.
But that's exactly what happened with Philip Treacy, who has brought his flair to add to that of the architects behind The G, one of a series of similarly-titled hotels across Ireland (joining The D in Drogheda) and eventually at Bow Street in London.
The G is a 102-bed hotel which peers from its lofty site next to a cinema and series of unsightly retail sheds over a beautiful lake on the less beautiful road leading out of Galway. Originally proposed as an office building, the scheme's owners, Monogram Hotels, a subsidiary of Edward Holdings, had a change of heart midway through the process. This meant the architect, Hugh Wallace of Douglas Wallace Architects and Designers, had to work hard to convert what would have been conference and meeting rooms and open-plan offices into sumptuous bedrooms.
'The trouble with Galway was that there was no hotel of differentiation here', says Wallace. 'And you have a group of people who seek out and look for somewhere to stay that isn't the same - an awful lot of professional women, who are much more discerning as to where they want to stay. That's where there's a huge market.'
Galway's population is around 75,000, with around 1,200 bed spaces - 2,500 including Salthill, the seaside part of Galway around two miles from the city centre. But it gets its fair share of visitors. Around three hours' drive from Dublin, it is a university town, and annual events include two oyster festivals, a film festival, an arts week in July and a hugely popular race week. 'Race week is it', says Wallace. 'You just can't move'.
The hotel is five-star, with quality of service aimed to win over its rivals in Galway, such as the Radisson - at 'The G', this extends to a butler for each guest.
But the building's the thing, and the interior its spectacular design feature, into which Treacy has poured much of his life and attention to detail, just as he creates shapes and forms for hats. On entry, the immediate ambience is created by black glass, black marble flooring and an Armacoat ceiling with a pearlescent Philip Treacy sculpture of a shell. Such features from the sea are a recurring motif throughout. These, says Treacy, hark back to his childhood in Ahascragh, a small village 40 miles away. 'We'd go to the seaside at Galway every year for just one day', he says. 'but it felt like weeks because we packed so much in - the sun, the sand, the sea, it was my whole perspective.'
Then there are the other 'autobiographical' Treacy memories connected to 1950s glamour and movie stars, items he believes lift the interior from run-of-the mill hotels he has stayed in worldwide. 'I remember going to a wonderful hotel, the Copacabana in Rio', he says. 'It was a beautiful building - but inside it could have been anywhere.'
This is not an accusation that could be levelled at the G. The glamour extends to a series of photographs and watercolour artworks that Treacy has collected or commissioned featuring models wearing his hats, hung in the hotel's rooms and public spaces. 'Hotel art can be pretty grim - it was important to have beautiful things that people enjoy.'
An image of Marlene Deitrich hangs in the hotel after Treacy snapped it up at auction. Marilyn Monroe was another unlikely visitor to Galway in the '60s when she stayed with film director John Huston, but Treacy 'chickened out' of buying her eyelashes for The G at auction when bidding got too high. But another world famous celebrity model with eyelashes of note, Linda Evangelista, has the premier suite named after her at The G after the pair bumped into each other in Paris. The other bedrooms on two floors are each accessed via long, deep purple, dimly-lit corridors that have something of the bordello about them. Sized from 30m2 to 50m2, the stylish rooms feature crystal and acrylic coffee tables, especially-designed furniture and lights, fireplaces, LCD TVs, DVDs and generous bathrooms with Villeroy & Boch baths. Again, sea imagery is prevalent, from the coral curtains to the shell-like bedside lamps.
All the casegoods - headboards, bed bases, wardrobes, bedside tables, writing desks, oval tv units and mirrored minibar units - feature a Kevasingo veneer and were manufactured by O'Donnell.
Downstairs, beyond the reception area, a red carpet leads one way to a late-night bar nicknamed Gerry's bar after the owner and the other down to a new, 100-cover restaurant which, like the spa and hydro-therapy pool, is open to non-residents. The operator is Laura Santin, who also runs Santini, a long-established Italian restaurant in London's Belgravia. To get to that restaurant, however, visitors pass a vibrant pink - nominally ladies' - champagne-drinking area featuring chairs with pink Warhol-camouflage fabric and a disorientating, black and white hand woven rug in a whirlpool-like design, followed by the royal blue 'gentleman's' area. Both face west onto Lough Atalia, while on the rear wall a series of glazed ceramic tiles have been especially designed by an engineer, David Bartlett, to fit together in different configurations. Next to the pink area, they form a series of concave shapes; next to the blue, convex.
But all of this stems from smaller details. Treacy's first design, from which he says the rest flowed, was for the door handles. These are in a long, flowing, curvaceous shape which mirrors the flourish of a Treacy hat. From this shape came other features - lighting, cushions, glass tables with seashells. Then there are a series of glass balls he fought at every meeting to retain. Designed by Tom Dixon, one of Treacy's favourite designers, the lights hang down in a ground floor, double-height atrium space on different length cords. 'The balls are the heart of the hotel', Treacy says. 'I wanted to have Ziegfeld Follies in the hotel and those balls are fantastic. Nobody believed in them but me.'
After being 'slightly perplexed' initially about what he could contribute when asked to design the hotel, Treacy is happy with the result, which is a 21st century Irish destination hotel that is an extension of the designer and his millinery. 'Hotel design is about entertaining people visually, just as much as hospitality-wise', he says. 'I like beautiful things.' Hats off to him.
The D, Drogheda
Monogram Hotels' second hotel forms part of a massive regeneration project by parent company Edward Holdings, which is set to transform the historic town of Drogheda in County Louth.
Where Monogram Hotels' first hotel - The G in Galway - has received much publicity for its affiliation with renowned hat designer Philip Treacy, their second hotel is a more low-key affair.
Most people have heard of Galway, but not so many will be familiar with Drogheda, a historic coastal town situated just 28 miles north of Dublin.
Drogheda is known as the "Gateway to the Boyne" and like many Irish waterfront locations, the south bank of the River Boyne is currently being redeveloped. The centrepiece of the area's rejuvenation is Scotch Hall, a 150 million euro development by Edward Holdings, the parent company to Monogram Hotels. This is the largest mixed-use scheme presently under construction in Ireland outside of Dublin, and promises to transform the retail scene in Drogheda and its hinterland.
Comprising in its entirety some 80,000 m2 of shopping centre, office, and residential space it is no surprise that Edward Holdings have sought to capitalise on the influx of people it will attract through its Monogram Hotels subsidiary. Indeed Scotch Hall is only the first phase of the company's plans. They have applied for a further 80,000 m2 of mixed-use development on lands adjacent to the site.
The D itself has been designed, like the G, by Douglas Wallace Architects & Designers. The hotels provides 108 guest rooms and six conference and meeting suites, with panoramic views from the upper levels. Public rooms include a 'D' bar and restaurant and 'D' lounge area which open out onto the riverside terrace and promenade giving a fantastic outlook on the medieval town centre.
The hotel's contemporary interiors feature glass, leather and woods with natural luxuriant colours. The design may not have the theatricality which Philip Treacy's involvement as design director lent to the G but this is certainly a cut above what visitors to Drogheda will have had available in the past.
Mary McKeon is Chief Operating Officer of Monogram Hotels and brings over 20 years' experience in the hotel and hospitality business, in Ireland and internationally.
Commenting on the opening of the D she explained, "Our aim at Monogram Hotels will be to provide guests with a truly memorable hotel experience - coupling the very best design and quality interiors with warn, professional yet personal service."
In many ways, the D, like so many of the hotels in our Ireland location report, is a product of Ireland's renaissance and the 'Celtic Tiger' economy. Tourism has been an integral part of this boom, and now Ireland is getting hotels to match, as Taoiseach Bertie Ahern must have recognised when he officiated at the 'topping out' of the D hotel in September, prior to its official opening in November.
Fitzwilliam Penthouse, Dublin
Bond meets Blofeld in the new penthouse suite at Dublin's Fitzwilliam Hotel, a high-tech lair designed by Project Orange.
If the scriptwriters ever send Daniel Craig - the new James Bond - on a secret assignment to Dublin, the location assistants would be well advised to check out the new penthouse apartment that sits atop Dublin's Fitzwilliam Hotel.
"Masculine yet luxurious, with the feel of an exclusive members club," is how designers Project Orange describe the space, named by the Independent as one of the world's top five penthouse suites in a recent article.
The palate throughout is one of travertine, fired acacia wood and deep claret Chinese lacquer.
From its private lobby on the 5th floor, guests ascend a curved black stairwell up to the upper level and into the principal reception area.
In the reception area a grand piano takes centre stage. For those who like their martinis shaken not stirred, there is a fully stocked private bar, whilst the Italian dining table, dressed with contemporary glass and tableware, allows private dining for up to six guests.
As befits the masculine feel of the apartment, there are plenty of 'boy's toys' to keep technologically adept guests entertained. The touch of a button, in both the living room and master bedroom areas, activates a home entertainment system, concealed behind a leather clad wall which retracts to reveal plasma screens with cinema quality sound systems.
A sculptural ceiling, incorporating computer controlled lighting, unites all the key spaces on the upper floor. This ceiling was designed by Project Orange as a complex three dimensional landscape in which sources of both artificial and natural light can be exploited. The same electronic system also controls the curtains, which consist of organza voiles located in front of red Thai silk curtains.
Accent lighting is provided by mid-century modernist classics by Castiglioni and Scarpa - an Italian theme which is continued in the specification of key furniture items from B&B Italia and MaxAlto, with accessories by Missoni Home. The rugs are deep, hand-tufted shagpile by Danskina of Holland.
The master bedroom is lined with silk and cream leather A wall of mirror-fronted, maple-lined closets provides storage, with a chaise lounge in the bay window offering views over the hotel's famed roof garden - apparently the largest in Europe.
The adjacent master bathroom is lined in travertine with double shower, twin basins and an elliptical limestone bath by Boffi. The free standing bath is set before a mosaic mirrored wall which provide fragmented reflections. A second fully quipped shower room is provided en-suite to the second bedroom, with secondary access for general use from the bedroom lobby.
The second bedroom is normally dressed as a study with the double bed concealed behind a fold down leather clad panel.
Throughout the suite there are a number of contemporary art pieces by Irish or Ireland-based artists, some site specific commissions, but all carefully selected for their particular locations.
The opening of the Fitzwilliam Penthouse has heralded a spate of activity in Ireland for Project Orange. Also under construction at present are the Kilternan Hotel - a 140 bedroom newbuild spa hotel on the outskirts of Dublin, as well as the Radisson SAS Farnham Hotel at Cavan.
The Morgan, Dublin
In addition to opening The Beacon, reviewed elsewhere in this issue, Dublin hotelier Paul Fitzpatrick has updated and extended one of the city's original 'design hotels' adding 40 bedrooms and 15 extended stay suites to The Morgan.
With the proliferation of new boutique-style hotels in Dublin, the city's first wave do not have the opportunity to rest on their laurels - even when one of your biggest competitors is yourself. Not long after he opened the doors to the Beacon - in the John Rocha designed Beacon Court Campus in Sandyford - Paul Fitzpatrick was putting the finishing touches to a 9 million euro facelift of The Morgan, one of Ireland's original 'boutique' hotels. The renovations have been extensive, adding another 40 bedrooms to the property as well as a new bar, courtyard, conference facilities, and a penthouse with rooftop garden.
The final touch has been the introduction of 'Home @ The Morgan', offering 15 extended stay suites for executive guests.
Fitzpatrick purchased the old USIT building on Aston Place which is situated behind the Morgan last year. Brian Cobb of Niall D Brennan & Associates designed the hotel and interior architect Brian McDonald of Design Farm was commissioned for the interiors. His brief was "to create a hotel that was full of surprises and fun yet had all the comforts and facilities of an internationally recognised design hotel."
McDonald has collaborated with a number of artists including artist Robert Shaw for the specially commissioned art pieces in each bedroom.
Shaw has sold internationally and is increasingly being recognised as an emerging success in the world of contemporary Irish art. He has created a unique installed exhibition for the Morgan, entitled 'Open Cluster.'
McDonald also sourced inspiration from many parts of the world with the eclectic mix of furniture and finishes reflecting his design mood.
Bedroom pieces include etched mirrored wardrobes, Philippe Starck chaise and chairs, Le Corbusier chairs, counter-lit writing tables, glass-encased bathrooms, white ash floors and walls, white quartz finishes, relaxing balconies and feature baths in the middle of the bedrooms in all the suites.
Other features in the public halls and reception include a hand-carved 'snowflake' wall, hanging egg chairs, black leather couches and crystal chandeliers.
The Parisian style courtyard features a daybed suspended from the ceiling on chains alongside Parisian style furniture, lanterns and water feature.
The bar includes a retro designed wall, and red 'Mummy' chairs inspired by a designer in Milan and over sized lamps.
The hotel's prime Fleet Street location is a short walk from Dublin's shopping centre and the LUAS.
In total, the new Morgan now has 106 bedrooms and 15 extended stay suites. A chef has been shipped in from Spain to provide authentic tapas food in the bar and the hotel also includes six meeting rooms, a larger room for bigger events and a dramatically designed Penthouse.
Speaking at the opening Paul Fitzpatrick said "We are very excited about the new design and space at The Morgan. We wanted the hotel to have impact but also be a place to relax and unwind in the heart of Dublin city. We pushed the boundaries on the design features which include eclectic lighting pieces and special one off designs in the lobby and bedrooms for guests to enjoy."
Tulip Inn, Dublin Airport
Golden Tulip UK's new 155 bedroom Tulip Inn at Dublin Airport is their first hotel in Ireland, and the group's largest property to date.
Dublin Airport saw more than 17 million customers pass through its halls last year, making it the fifth fastest growing airport in Europe. Such increased numbers have attracted the construction of new hotels, not least the Tulip Inn Dublin Airport at the Airside Retail and Business Park, which opened in October 2005.
The opening of the hotel, Golden Tulip's first in Ireland, sees the company join the ever-increasing number of European hotel operators looking at Ireland as an under serviced market, with the potential for many more branded hotels than are currently situated there. The 20 million euro, 155-bed hotel is also Golden Tulip UK's largest hotel to date.
Described as a "'new generation' three star hotel offering a fresh approach in the Irish hotel market," the hotel mixes innovative interiors with comfortable, relaxing accommodation.
There is also the Bibo Bar & Bistro, ten specially adapted guestrooms for those with special needs and three meeting rooms.
Helen O'Dwyer, General Manager, says: "Research has shown that customers really appreciate these new generation three star hotels. We already have similar hotels performing well at 6 locations across the UK from Glasgow to Portsmouth." The company has further plans to launch 18 more hotels throughout the UK and Ireland over the next three years.
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