The hotel: Eastmoreland Place, Dublin 4. Open since January 2007, the stylish 44-room five-star property is based in a leafy suburb just ten minutes walk from the city centre and close to St Stephen's Green, Grafton Street and Trinity College. It's so new and discreet that our taxi driver took an age trying to find it.
The check-in: Extremely efficient. Staff were friendly and attentive from the start and remained that way throughout my stay. I was reunited with my suitcase within five minutes of signing on the dotted line.
The room: The room – big, if not huge – put the über chic into contemporary. Features included a plasma screen TV and an MP3 player. The Bang And Olufson cordless phone looked like something relay runners might pass to each other and it took me an age to figure out how to use it! The bathroom had a deliciously powerful shower, Etro toiletries and underfloor heating. But the centrepiece was the extremely comfortable Seventh Heaven bed.
The facilities: There’s no business centre but there is wireless internet in every room. Two 'business butlers' are on hand to provide laptops, chargers, co-ordinate printing facilities, shirt-pressing and shoe cleaning. There’s a meeting room, with audio, visual and telecommunications capabilities that can accommodate up to 12 people.
The restaurant: The classy Still restaurant was smart yet informal, with a dinner menu priced in line with most Dublin restaurants. Breakfast – not included in the nightly rate – kicked off with a large continental buffet with an option for an Irish cooked breakfast. The Dylan’s bar has an excellent cocktail list and, of course, Guinness on tap. Classy upholstery: blood-red sofas and leather-studded walls.
The CHECKOUT: Speedy and seamless. Our taxi – ordered ten minutes before – was waiting by the time I’d got down to the desk.
The verdict: This is a sophisticated but vibrant and fun hideaway with a touch of decadence in a prime Dublin location. Through the light-hearted touch and helpfulness of its staff, and the enthusiasm and original ideas of general manager Siobhan Delaney, it manages to steer itself clear of any serious sniff of pretentiousness.
The details: The hotel has launched a series of packages aimed at the business traveller. The base package starts at 249 per room per night and includes laptop loan, chargers and wifi access, as well as printing, shirt-pressing and shoe cleaning. Rack rates start at 395 for a luxury room.
Tel: +353 1 6603000; www.dylan.ie Steve Hartridge
