In this post:
Location
The InterContinental is situated in the affluent area of Ballsbridge about 10 minutes from the city centre and about 20-30 minutes from the airport. I got a taxi from the airport which was around €30. There is also a stop for the Aircoach outside which operates an hourly service from Dublin Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, to Ballsbridge (Route 702) – stopping outside the hotel. It is about a 30 minute journey time and costs €14 if you pay in cash.
Check-in
On arrival my taxi was greeted by a doorman and assistance offered with my luggage. I declined since I had travelled hand luggage only for this short trip. Walking into the hotel it felt very grand with a big chandelier and large floral arrangement in the reception area and a grand piano being played in the conservatory lounge by reception.
This was my first stay since joining the InterContinental Ambassador Club which you can read about here. I had booked an executive room which is the third category up from the base level. At check in I was told I had been upgraded as per the guaranteed upgrade benefit. It turned out to be a double upgrade to an enormous executive suite which was quite a result for my first stay. I could get used to that! There is no InterContinental Club lounge at this hotel and it is also worth bearing in mind even if you get upgraded as an Ambassador to a club room, it doesn’t automatically mean you will get access to the Club lounge.
Next, I was offered a choice of a free drink in the bar or some extra points. As I was travelling solo and it was quite late at this point, I decided to go with the points. When it appeared on my statement it was 400 points, so next time I would probably take the drink. I was also entitled to a free sweet or savoury snack in my room but I had forgotten to fill out my preference online so I can’t say what you would get. The check-in agent was very charming and helpful.
The room
My room was on the second from top floor, floor 4. When I walked in I was wowed by the size as the suite was absolutely huge. It had a small entrance area with a Nespresso maker/kettle plus a mini bar and a closet. Then there was an enormous lounge area with a sofa, armchair, dining table with 2 chairs and a large desk for working. As well as a large flatscreen TV with English channels, there was also a DVD player.
Post from RICOH THETA. #theta360 #theta360uk – Spherical Image – RICOH THETA
In the bedroom, there was a door leading to a small terrace although there was nowhere to sit on this unusually warm and sunny day in Dublin for early June. Off the bedroom was a dressing area with several wardrobes which contained bathrobes and the usual iron and ironing board. Two bottles of mineral water had been placed next to the bed as per the Ambassador benefits.
Post from RICOH THETA. #theta360 #theta360uk – Spherical Image – RICOH THETA
The bed had good quality bed linen but I did find it quite a bit harder than the bed that I had at my last InterContinental stay in London at the Park Lane InterContinental. The pillows were fluffy and soft though. The room was very quiet during the night but I did hear some noise the next morning with what sounded like work being done but it wasn’t very loud and only intermittent.
The bathroom was luxurious with its marble tiles and large walk-in shower. There was a nice deep bath for soaking and a large, well-lit vanity area with a magnifying mirror.
Post from RICOH THETA. #theta360 #theta360uk – Spherical Image – RICOH THETA
The toiletries were the L’Occitane Bergamot and Jasmine fragrance which seem to have taken over from the Verbena which used to be the de rigeur fragrance for upmarket hotels. There were also quite a few extras in the bathroom such as mouthwash and a shaving set.
Other room types
Dining
The Whiskey bar and Lobby lounge
Breakfast
Breakfast was not included in my room rate but I went to the Seasons restaurant for breakfast anyway. The restaurant also feels quite grand with its chandeliers and white tablecloths. There was a choice of the buffet or a la carte. The buffet wasn’t cheap at €28 for the full Irish or €22 for the continental. I decided to go for a la carte as all I fancied were some poached eggs and toast.
Facilities
- Treadmills, Bikes, Crossover machines, Cross trainers and Rowing machine
- Chest press machine, Leg extension machine, Leg curl machine, Shoulder press machine, Pectoral machine and Lateral pull
- Bench and a selection of Free weights from 1kg-50kg
- Step and a selection of kettlebells
- Pilates equipment
How to get free breakfast & $100 credit
If you want to pay cash, your best bet is to book through an IHG Luxury and Lifestyle agent or Virtuoso agent. These are luxury travel agents who are able to give extra benefits and you still get all the points and perks as a IHG Rewards member the same as booking direct which is not the case with most travel agents.
The rates are flexible and for most places don’t need payment in advance.
The benefits for IHG Luxury and Lifestyle agent are:
- Guaranteed late check-out
- $100 hotel amenity
- Complimentary breakfast for 2
You can book IHG Luxury and Lifestyle with our partners Debonair who are part of Pro-Travel, one of the largest collections of independent luxury travel agents in the world.
