THE MARKER HOTEL, DUBLIN
Annually our readers enjoy our Wine Destination Travel features where we take them on an adventure to great wine regions highlighting the fabulous vineyards-wineries-restaurants-resorts and activities that they can enjoy when visiting on their own. However, with the ever-increasing additions of spirits and high-end beers being promoted by our advertisers and sponsors we decided to take a brief trip to Ireland, to experience the hospitality-libations and wonderful sights that the Emerald Isle has to offer!
We began our journey to Dublin by checking into the 5 Star Marker Hotel Dublin’s newest luxury hotel, located on Grand Canal Square in the heart of the city’s most vibrant new cultural and business center. The Marker is part of the Leading Hotels of the World family, with more than 430 of the world’s greatest properties it is the largest collection of luxury hotels!
The Marker features the stunning ground floor Marker Bar and Brasserie and offers 187 luxurious rooms on 6 floors. The hotel features a full-service spa with infinity pool and well-equipped fitness room, with whirlpool, saunas and steam room. We especially enjoyed the spectacular rooftop bar, which gives you a beautiful view of the city at night and offers a full assortment of appetizers and top-shelf libations, beers, and wines. The mostly outdoor area featured heat lamps strategically placed so that patrons could enjoy the spectacular setting even as the sun set and temperatures dropped. We sampled some fine Cuban cigars with a variety of cocktails and international beers- a fabulous way to end a great day in Dublin!
We had the pleasure of dining in the first-floor Brasserie, which places a focus on Irish locally produced produce. In Ireland, the traditional way of cooking is to create simple dishes built around one great ingredient. The Brasserie has perfected this tradition by utilizing succulent rare pork, dry aged beef and the freshest of local catch to create a memorable dining experience! We enjoyed the Celery Consume, Brandy Bay oysters and Pine Smoked Thornhill Duck Terrine for our first course and the mouthwatering John Stone Rib Eye with Rosemary Fries and the Roast lamb Rump with Smoked Boulangere and Pumpkin Puree. A great Bordeaux vintage the 2005 Margaux Les Hauts Du Tertre was the perfect pairing for the meal and we finished with a nice selection of local cheeses and a flight of Dow ports. This was by far the best dining experience of our trip to Ireland!
For reservation information on the Marker or to make reservations at the Brasserie go to www.themarkerhoteldublin.com; or call +353 (0) 1 687 5100. When planning a visit to Dublin the marker is a must stay!