Quietly situated on the banks of the Grand Canal, the Clayton Charlemont Hotel opened in November 2018 following two years of painstaking work, during which three Georgian houses dating back to the 18th century were restored and sympathetically married with a new four-storey building.
The result is captured best in the central lobby, an airy, light-filled atrium which showcases a Georgian facade in all its historical glory, with plenty of room for guests to sit and relax, work on their laptops or meet friends and colleagues.
The off-centre location is convenient, with the vibrant neighbourhoods of Ranelagh and Rathmines just across the bridge, and the sights of St. Stephen’s Green and Grafton Street a few minutes walk to the north. On-site, there's a new, fully-equipped fitness suite and a dedicated Red Bean Roastery barista bar in the lobby - or you can grab a bite to eat or a drink in Gaudens Restaurant or the Lockside Bar/Social.
While popular with guests of all kinds, including families, business travellers and corporate visitors are especially well catered-for and there are six purpose-built meeting rooms available, all featuring state-of-the-art technology. The spacious guest rooms are thoughtfully equipped with every comfort the business or leisure traveller could need, including tea and coffee facilities, a work area with USB ports, a laptop size safe, fridge with water and fresh milk provided and an iron and ironing board. There are also handy charging points and light switches on each side of the beds - which are very comfortable and, together with the quiet canalside location, promise a restorative night’s sleep.
Breakfast is served in Gaudens restaurant, which named after the sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens, who was born in one of the Georgian buildings now incorporated into the hotel. There's an emphasis on a healthy breakfast and, while a plentiful buffet features all the usual favourites, including Irish sausages, freshly-scrambled eggs and homemade bread, the Clayton’s signature Vitality Breakfast offers an attractive array of healthy options. It's an appealing option for business guests looking for a quick, light and niutritious bstart to the day and there's plenty to choose from for anyone with allergies and intolerances.
While there's little mention of provenance at breakfast (except for the excellent G's Gourmet Jams from Co Laois) it's good to see that other menus in both the restaurant and the bar do credit respected suppliers, such as Slane Valley lamb, Silver Hill duck and Ardsallagh cheese.
The welcome is very warm at the Charlemont, which is not always the case at big chain hotels, and staff are friendly as well as efficient. And, with its calm, quiet ambience and pleasant canalside setting - and also good value for Dublin city - it should appeal to many visitors who prefer to be away from the hustle and bustle of more central locations.
