Arrival/Check-in: I arrived in Dublin after driving through fog, sleet and snow on the motorway from Galway. The 252-room Gibson Hotel sits on the north bank of the River Liffey in the revitalized Docklands area, east of downtown. The warm glow from the hotel’s glass-cube façade was a welcome sight on a darkening winter afternoon. The expansive lobby is located on the third floor and is reached by an exterior glass elevator from street level. The hotel was lightly occupied on a Sunday night, and the friendly young woman at the front desk immediately upgraded my room, explained the underground parking garage, and reassured me that although the property was unusually quiet the bar and restaurant remained open until midnight. (28/30)
Guest Quarters: My one-bedroom suite on the fifth floor featured a striking amenity: a large landscaped terrace accessed from both the bedroom and the living room. The terrace sits above part of the fourth-floor roof and is shared with about ten other rooms on the same floor. With wicker chairs, teak benches, wood planters with low-level lighting, a few potted trees and a meandering walking path, it evoked New York’s High Line elevated park. In warmer months it would be a lovely spot to sit and take in views of the river and Dublin skyline.
The room’s furnishings were modern and earth-toned, clearly designer-driven. Flat-screen TVs were provided in both the living room and the bedroom, and the work desk offered plenty of outlets and a sleek metal desk lamp. Wall switches controlled motorized wooden blinds and drapes over floor-to-ceiling windows. The large, white-tiled bathroom included a tub, a glass shower stall, heated towel racks and two round porcelain sinks, and it was spotlessly clean. Complimentary WiFi is available throughout the property. The room, like the rest of the hotel, displayed artwork by Irish artists such as Tom Moore and Charles Cullen, photography by Stuart Smyth and oil paintings by Richard Gorman. A collection of art, travel and photography books on a low shelf in the living room added to the relaxed, cultivated atmosphere. The space felt exquisitely trendy without being pretentious. (29/30)
Services/Amenities: Catering to corporate meetings for European firms and the local companies in Dublin’s International Financial Services Centre, the hotel provides nine dedicated conference rooms overlooking Dublin Port, a 300-seat theater, an 875-space underground parking garage and a fully equipped fitness center. The relaxation area includes a steam room, sauna, foot baths and two Japanese copper baths on an outdoor terrace with city views.
I enjoyed dining in the spacious Coda bistro, with its two-story ceiling, soaring wine rack and eclectic artwork. Coda serves breakfast to hotel guests and offers a varied lunch and dinner menu that includes tasty dim sum. The Gibson’s Hemidemisemiquaver bar stretches 30 feet and opens onto an adjoining outdoor terrace that is heated in winter and overlooks the O2 arena and the outdoor concert space in Point Village Square. (38/40)
The Experience: Since opening in mid-2010 the hotel has hosted musicians and performers appearing at the nearby O2, and a musical theme is woven throughout the public spaces. Rock photography by Ken Regan and Pattie Boyd and Gered Mankowitz’s paintings of Jimi Hendrix are displayed unobtrusively. The names of the restaurant and bar reflect musical terms, and both venues fill up early and stay lively late when concerts are on at the O2. The Docklands district itself is a striking urban renewal project, home to the Kevin Roche–designed Convention Centre Dublin, the Daniel Libeskind–designed Grand Canal Theatre and Santiago Calatrava’s Samuel Beckett Bridge. The curving Aviva Stadium is also within walking distance.
The staff were helpful and friendly, and the Docklands location proved convenient for my meetings. Getting around Dublin was straightforward thanks to the modern and frequent Luas light rail tram, which stops near the hotel entrance. Dublin Airport is only a 10–15 minute taxi ride away.
Total Score: 95/100
The Gibson Hotel
Point Village
E. Wall Road
Dublin 1, Ireland
tel 353 1 681 5000
www.thegibsonhotel.ie