Situated directly opposite the National Concert Hall and just a stroll away from St Stephen's Green, this fine city centre Dublin hotels celebrated its twentieth anniversary in 2005 with the completion of a €15 million refurbishment programme which saw the entire hotel renovated and upgraded - an exercise that was repeated in 2015-16, seeing the hotel emerge as stylish, elegant and even more relevant to the needs of today's traveller.
This is an extremely comfortable place to stay - friendly staff are well-trained and helpful, and many of the pleasantly contemporary guestrooms enjoy views of the piazza below and across the city; nice touches include providing an umbrella in each room - and also a laminated jogging map of the area with one- and three-mile routes outlined.
The Conrad has particular appeal for business guests, as all of the bedrooms also double as an efficient office, with ergonomic workstation, broadband, dataports, international powerpoints and at least three direct dial telephones with voice-mail - and the hotel also has extensive state-of-the-art conference and meeting facilities, a fitness centre and underground parking.
Public areas include a raised lounge, Lemuel's (named after Jonathan Swift's fictional traveller, Lemuel Gulliver) which makes an ideal meeting place, and Alfie Byrne's, a popular bar and casual dining spot which is is operated by Galway Bay Brewery and known for its international and Irish craft beers and whiskeys; home from home to locals and visitors alike, it opens onto a sheltered terrace.
The Coburg:
The Conrad's new brasserie, The Coburg, is the most perfect of restaurants. From beautiful decor to an appetising menu, engaged sevice and delicious food this Dublin restaurants really raised the game in hotel dining in Dublin.
Named for The Iveagh Gardens, once known as the Coburg Gardens, the leafy space once served as event headquarters to the Royal Horse Bazaar, and this equestrian link has been used to great and subtle effect in the décor. A plush mix of marble, leather and brass detailing suggestive of reins are the right side of tasteful. A muted palette delivered with clean lines, smooth surfaces, curved seats, mirrors and dark edging pays a very chic nod to the Art Deco era.
Spread over two rooms – a dark intimate space accessed from the foyer with circular tables and marble topped champagne bar (perfect for oysters and bubbly) to a much larger space flooded with natural light. The seating is a clever mix of tables, long banquettes and a few cosy looking booths, making it a versatile space for dates, business lunches and group celebrations.
Head chef Dmitry Stroykov has been with the hotel for some time but has brought a fresh and exciting approach to his new diningroom. The menu is classic brasserie, offering a wide range of dishes all day every day. From soup to shellfish, salads to sandwiches, fish to meat and a whole grill section there’s even a section of egg dishes, catering to all appetites and moods. Vegetarians are especially well catered for.
Choose from something simple like grilled mackerel with wholegrain mustard or risotto of the day, maybe a sublime saffron risotto with goats cheese, micorleaves and asparagus. Seafood is prominent and the prawn, Castletown crab or Donegal lobster cocktails come dressed with a spiky house mayo served in striking copper-coloured martini glasses. The cooking is thoughtful and impressive.
The Coburg salad, a perfect mix of baby spinach, quinoa, roasted squash, pumpkin seeds, herbs, shallot, and grapefruit dressing is worthy of its signature name. From oysters to steak frites, Wexford rose veal schnitzel to Guinness onion soup there’s a super selection of crowd pleasers.
Dishes are elegantly presented on contemporary tableware and style lovers will enjoy the slim-line cutlery, elegant glassware, crisp napkins with a smart stripe and comfortable seating. Everything feels luxurious and is of the best quality.
A comprehensive wine list offers lots of choice by the glass, including super pairings for the lovely seafood offerings. There’s plenty of provenance on the menu, showing support for super Irish produce, although we’d love to see it across all the dishes.
Staff are very well trained and service is exceptionally warm and professional. The creative dessert menu might include delights like an excellent lemon posset and an impressive cheeseboard comprising homemade crackers and chutney, grapes and a really generous selection of five great cheeses.
