The welcome
The Dean’s frontage, in a well-to-do terrace on Dublin’s happening Harcourt Street, is likeably reserved, with subtle signage. I’m welcomed by a chirpy Irish receptionist once inside its lobby, which boasts a neon sign declaring “I fell in love here” and doubles as a hip bar/ coffee shop. I’m early for check-in, so my bag is stashed while I kill a few hours with friends. On returning, the same receptionist swiftly directs me to my room.
The neighbourhood
This part of south central Dublin is awash with nightlife, which makes The Dean better for social butterflies than tranquility. Next door is the notorious Copper Face Jacks, which is reputedly among the most profitable nightclubs in the world. Suffice to say, earplugs are provided next to beds in The Dean. The public transport links could scarcely be more convenient: the city’s tram system runs right outside the hotel’s front door.
The room
My fourth-floor room is overflowing with fabulously kitsch touches and classy matte-black finishes. The former could fill this review; highlights include a vinyl record player (complete with 12-inches from Frank Sinatra to 21st-century indie-rock) connected to a Bluetooth-enabled dock modelled on a Marshall amplifier, a bright-orange Smeg fridge minibar and a huge floor lamp in the same hue, a dial telephone, a hot-water bottle, artsy books, unmistakably (unprintable) Irish slang on the Do Not Disturb sign, plus walls dotted with striking prints by contemporary local artists. The large flat-screen smart television has a variety of connected features, including a portal to log in to your Netflix account.
The service
Excellently Irish. You can strike up a genial conversation with the lobby barman and indulge in cheeky banter with the restaurant/bar staff upstairs, who nearly all share a twinkling sense of humour.
The scene
In the daytime, the lobby is bustling with trendy office types conducting casual meetings and a variety of coffee-sipping Dubliners and visitors. Come evening, it’s the preserve of 20-something revellers escaping the nearby meat markets and heading upstairs to the restaurant/rooftop bar. Music is omnipresent, unsurprisingly at a property run by the group responsible for U2’s Dublin hotel The Clarence.
The food
Sophie’s, on the fifth floor atop the hotel, specialises in modern takes on European cuisine, using local ingredients wherever possible, such as the sizeable Dublin Bay prawn taglierini (€26 [Dh107]). The veal meatballs (€23 [Dh95]) are another peak. Breakfast is in the same space, with a range of à la carte dishes, including huevos rancheros (€10 [Dh41]), bagels (from €5 [Dh21]), French toast (€8 [Dh33]), the hallowed full Irish (€11 [Dh45]) and several healthy options. Swings are suspended from the ceiling outside the restaurant entrance, while the main dining room and adjacent semi-alfresco rooftop bar lend 360-degree views across the city’s rooftops.
Loved
Just about the lot, from Sophie’s to the memorable decor throughout the rooms and public spaces.
Hated
The noise at night isn’t ideal for all but 4am night owls, but you can’t say you weren’t warned.
The verdict
A kitsch boutique success, with the bonus of being slap-bang among the Irish capital’s perma-fun late-night action.
The bottom line
Double rooms at The Dean (www.deanhoteldublin.ie; 00353 1 607 8110) cost from €110 (Dh452) per night, including taxes and Wi-Fi.
aworkman@thenational.ae
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