In a key position on Grand Canal Square, Dublin city’s most striking modern hotel opened in 2013.
With its unusual geometric white exterior - and despite its location beside the attention-grabbing Grand Canal Theatre - this Manuel Aires Mateus designed hotel is a landmark building. The wide glass frontage overlooks the canal basin and boating area, and inside the high-vaulted open-plan space combines international airport chic and modern monochrome design.
Attentive service starts at the front entrance with valet parking (check the cost of parking when booking), concierge and luggage service.
Smartly furnished rooms are comfortably spacious with luxury touches like the large marble bathrooms with underfloor heating and exclusive Malin & Goetz toiletries. Hospitality trays are a little special too, featuring generous portion packs of real ground coffee with 2-cup plunger pots - a hint of the quality and care that may be anticipated with all of the hotel's food and beverages, including at breakfast.
Views from the upper floors are magnificent (it is well worth requesting a waterfront room) and the hotel not only lays claim to Dublin’s most appealing Presidential Suite but it also has one of the city's best rooftop bars.
Downstairs, the bar and lounge area forms one end of the large open plan ground floor, with an adjacent outdoor covered terrace fronting the plaza and canal bridge.
At the opposite end, attentive and friendly staff preside over the spacious Brasserie. With light flooding in from both sides of the architecturally striking room, the combination of booths, banquettes and tables for two make it a comfortable and convivial space, whether dining alone or in company. Here Head Chef Gareth Mullins offers a compact but well-judged à la carte menu featuring produce like Skeaghanore duck, John Stone's Longford dry-aged beef and Cashel Blue cheese. A pre-theatre menu represents good value and evening food is also served in the bar area, which is a popular lunchtime meeting place; the bar menu offers a balance of crowd pleasers like Caesar salad and fish & chips and more innovative dishes - a house speciality is a 4-piece bento box meal served as a healthy option.
The Brasserie makes a great space for an outstanding breakfast, especially on a sunny day. The breakfast offering is vast. Baking is of an especially high standard, from the toast – served in a silver rack with pats of creamy Glenilen butter served on little wooden boards – to sesame rolls, crusty slice-yourself loaves and choice of flaky croissants, Danish pastries and pains au chocolat. A quality hot breakfast is matched by a good selection of cold meats, cheeses and salad items. Among many treats on the buffet, smoked Gubbeen, manchego and salami lend an appealing Irish tone to the continental breakfast (you can even dress your salad with Llewellyn’s cider vinegar). You’ll also find Burren Smokehouse organic smoked salmon, Flahavan’s Porridge, Tommy Doherty’s sausages and John Stone sirloin on the hot menu too. From the health-conscious to the treat-seeker there is something for everyone here (fresh smoothies, porridge, Eggs Benedict with truffle Hollandaise...) and table service is wonderful, with well trained, engaging staff delivering toast in silver racks and tea in elegant silver teapots.
An impressive Spa & Wellness centre offering a gym and treatment rooms - and, very unusually for a city hotel, a 23 metre infinity pool - is available for the use of resident guests and open for private membership.
Its position at the heart of Dublin's south docks renewal area and beside the city's newest theatre is very appealing, making The Marker one of the most interesting places to stay in the capital - and the rooftop lounge (which is a sought after wedding venue) offers a stunning view across the canal basin and city to the Wicklow Hills beyond.
