The Shelbourne
Dublin

The grand-dame of Dublin hotels, The Shelbourne has been a luxury hotel since its opening in 1824 and has welcomed a glittering array of guests from Peter O'Toole to JFK and Princess Grace of Monaco over the years. Reopened in 2008 after a 2 year refurbishment, and now sister hotel to the St Pancras Renaissance in London, The Shelbourne manages to successfully combine old-world traditional with 21st century glamour and facilities. Rooms are light and airy and are some of the largest in the city you'll find them tastefully decorated in yellow and gold hues with art-deco touches and antique style furniture. The hotel's public spaces reflect the hotel's rich heritage, the Lord Mayor's lounge is the perfect place for afternoon tea while in Dublin the high ceilings, grand gold chandeliers and neo-classical grandeur, combined with St Stephen Square views, makes for a charming afternoon. The Saddle Room restaurant is stylish and sexy it boasts an open kitchen and champagne and oyster bar. The Horse Shoe Bar and Number 27 bars are popular Dublin watering holes and attract a smart crowd as the work day winds down. The spa and fitness centre is not to be missed one of Dublin's largest indoor hotel pools and gym sit next to the calming spa with its exquisite traditional style relaxation room lie in your bathrobe and look up to ornate ceilings and chandeliers while you relax. Also, the hotel's onsite genealogy concierge is something not to be missed for those tracing ancestry in Ireland!

I can't think of anything that excites a greater sense of childlike wonder than to be in a country where you are ignorant of almost everything.
Bill Bryson