Fia Larkin's boutique hotel overlooking Dun Laoghaire harbour and Dublin Bay has evolved over several years, and it has become an increasingly favoured destination for independent travellers with a taste for something a bit different - the emphasis is on welcoming guests to the local neighbourhood and the four Victorian townhouses that comprise Haddington House.
Reflecting the age of the buildings, this seaside gem has been given a contemporary twist and offers rooms in four styles (Deluxe, Classic, Comfy and Cosy) featuring a combination of classic and modern decor. Some of the rooms have sea views, others are in quieter situations towards the back of the hotel, but all are comfortable and interestingly furnished with carefully selected artwork and craft in the mix.
The restaurant, Oliveto, is a long-established neighbourhood favourite in Dun Laoghaire, and it has led the transformation of Haddington House into a multifaceted dining destination with fine food at the centre of that vision.
Oliveto is not so much a hotel dining room as a restaurant with hotel attached - as, unusually, the hotel was taken over in 2015 by the man behiind Oliveto, Fia Larkin. The Italian restaurant itself has long been a popular choice for families thanks to its reliably good wood-fired pizzas. In recent years, the menu has become decidedly more grown-up, though during fair weather the Haddington Garden remains a family-friendly space for pizzas and drinks.
A talented culinary team is very competently developing the hotel’s expanding food offering. This includes a seriously special three-course Afternoon Tea in the Parlour bar, situated in a period drawing room with atmospheric views over the harbour and pier and down towards Sandycove harbour and the iconic Forty Foot bathing spot. Hosted with panache by Virginia Anton Cebrian (ex-Chapter One), Afternoon Tea (c.€50pp) includes a glass of Piper-Heidsieck Brut champagne.
The beautifully presented savoury treats are especially good: think smoked Goatsbridge trout on Guinness and rye bread with an organic egg dressing, alongside macaron of beetroot on crispy chicken skin with foie gras mousse and blackberry, or a house-made beef fat brioche with Lough Neagh eel, horseradish and dill pickled shallot. Next comes a shortcake-style scone with strawberry jam and cream, served with your choice of fine teas such as Organic Sencha, Irish Whiskey Cream (made with Teeling Whiskey) or Passion Fruit & Orange. Finally a colourful third course of sweet treats show off great pastry skills, such as with the pitch perfect mint and lemon meringue tart. By night, the space transforms into a sophisticated cocktail bar. Don’t miss the unique cocktail menu booklet inspired by the life of one Adelaide Haddington, the adventurer, bon viveur and skilled poker player who had attended the Haddington House school ‘for daughters of gentlemen’ before going on to transform it into an hotel.
Other culinary plans have been gaining pace too, including a new all-weather Garden Cafe with a stand-alone kitchen making the most of the enviable location and views.
Meanwhile at Oliveto itself, the offering takes inspiration from regional Italian cooking with a strong commitment to showcasing the best of local Irish produce. The wood-fired pizza oven still turns out those signature 48-hour-fermented pizzas (all of them available gluten-free), but the menu now spotlights well-sourced Irish ingredients like sustainably cultivated trout or Irish rope mussels, ethically reared pork or local game on a short menu that injects broad appeal with imaginative flair.
Opening ‘snacks’ might include courgette fritti with whipped cod roe and basil, or house-baked sourdough with shallot and porcini butter. Starters exemplify the approach here which is not to reinvent the wheel but rather to riff on classic pairings. Think ravioli of Carlow farmhouse pecorino, with rainbow chard and warm sorrel sauce; or antipasti of Italian cured meats and artisan cheese with house pickles, brines and sourdough.
Homemade pasta offerings might include deep-flavoured dishes like pappardelle with osso buco ragu and smoked bone marrow, alongside lighter flavours such as a tagliolini vongole of Irish clams and cockles, fresh garden herbs and Amalfi lemon. Main courses push the boat out with dishes like pan-fried cod with soft polenta, chicken and thyme butter sauce, hispi cabbage with lemon and dill, and pickled mussels; or Bistecca alla Fiorentina style dry-aged striploin cooked over coals, with grilled onion and beef fat roasties.
Choose from a Marsala-spiked deconstructed tiramisu for dessert, or perhaps an oat and almond mousse with Wexford strawberries, aged balsamic and black pepper; or skip straight to the after-dinner cocktails. The wine list is suitably Italian in focus and offers good choice with most available by the glass and carafe as well as bottle.
The spacious dining room boasts wonderful views over the hotel’s light-festooned garden and the pier, bay and Howth Head beyond. If you want to nab one of the few window or terrace tables, you’ll need to book well ahead, but banquettes and bentwood bistro chairs make the rest of the room a relaxed place to spend a couple of hours.
With a talented team at the kitchen’s helm, Oliveto remains firmly at the heart of this independent-spirited seaside hotel. One to watch as it continues to evolve.
