Hotel review: We don’t get off on the best foot at this Dublin five-star

9/10

Style and design

Conrad’s exterior isn’t flashy — and notably, for a five-star property, it’s missing a doorman. But while first impressions didn’t blow us away, there’s lots to appreciate inside. Lemuel’s bar, inspired by Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels is a delight, with a brass ceiling adorned with a map of Lemuel Gulliver’s adventures. The Coburg brasserie — named for the Iveagh Gardens’ original name — features clever equine details like intricate leather and brass details that reference the Garden’s Royal Horse Bazaar of the 1800s. The Terrace, the most recent fit-out, feels less restrained. A bright, fun space with pink walls and delightful abstract art by Galway’s Ciara O’Neill, it brings a welcome hit of dopamine to the hotel’s offering.

8.5/10

Service

We don’t get off on the best foot. There’s no doorman and no one around to offer to take our bags. Check-in is pleasant, but while we are given information about breakfast and check-out time, we aren’t given any on the gym (open 24hrs a day) or other amenities.

Welcome aside, service throughout the rest of our stay is warm, friendly, and attentive. In Lemuel’s, Katie listens to our usual cocktail order and helps us select one she thinks we’ll like from their original menu (she was right). In The Coburg, Marcin is clearly passionate about the food he’s serving and takes a real interest in getting our thoughts after each course.

8.5/10

Guest rooms

Our king premier room with a large bay window is perfectly lovely — but with rates starting from €387 a night, we were expecting a bit more.

Let’s start with the positives — a king-sized bed with 300 thread count sheets and heavy black-out curtains offers a very sound sleep. There’s a sizeable desk with adjustable lamp, comfy leather chair and all the sockets and USB connections one could need. If you don’t mind the prices, the mini fridge is well-stocked.

Now, to the gripes. Despite turning up our thermostat to the max, we can’t get the room a comfortable temperature. We’re disappointed to find the TV isn’t a smart one — we imagine most guests would expect to be able to log into their streaming services. The bathroom offers illuminated mirrors, a gorgeous marble sink, and stunning Byredo toiletries but our heart drops at the shower head above a bathtub. Has anyone ever had a comfortable shower in one of these?

7/10

In-room perks

Butler’s chocolates, Nespresso machines, and the aforementioned Byredo toiletries in the Mojave Ghost scent are some of the perks here. Neatly packaged dental, vanity, and shave kits are handy, and there’s an offer of a complimentary shoe shine too.

8/10

On the menu

From a tasty lunch to a three-course evening meal and the breakfast spread of dreams, the hotel has all options covered.

Despite it being particularly quiet during our visit, we found The Coburg, the hotel's main restaurant, to be a highlight of the stay. Fresh ravioli filled with wild mushroom and goats cheese, a chargrilled Hereford steak cooked to perfection, and slow-cooked lamb ragout are all delicious. For dessert, the Paris-Brest is a monster we feel doesn’t belong in an otherwise very sophisticated and elegant dinner, but the brownie is a showstopper. Dark and rich, its mirror glaze, mousse and mandarin and ginger sorbet elevate it to five-star standards.

Breakfast offers some of those extra five-star touches — pre-made green juices and smoothies, prosecco, a DIY Bloody Mary station and raw honeycomb are some of the buffet stand-outs. We order eggs benedict off the à la carte menu which are delicious – though incur an extra charge.

9/10

Activities and amenities

Aside from the gym, there isn’t much. A pool is never a given in a five-star property, but we did miss it here. There is no spa or thermal suite facilities either.

6/10

The bill

Rooms from €346.

The Hotel Examiner was a guest of Conrad Dublin.

Our rating: 8/10

Room to improve? Upgrading all TVs to the smart variety seems an obvious one. A small thermal suite with a hydropool would be a welcome addition to the five-star property’s amenity offering.

Accessibility? One fully accessible room with semi-accessible rooms available offering partial features. Common areas are fully accessible.

EV Chargers? Yes.

Family-Friendly? Dedicated family suites available themed around fairies and zoo animals. Kids ’ menus are available, with colouring books and stuffed toys available for purchase at reception.

Dog-Friendly? Guests can bring up to two pets per room (no more than 20 kilograms each). A surcharge of €50 per night applies.

• Conrad Dublin, Earlsfort Terrace 
• hilton.com/en/hotels/dubhcci-conrad-dublin