STAY DUBLIN: THE WESTBURY
I say this all the time, when you think about where you want to stay, you have to think about what really matters most to you. Most times, it’s hard to find a place that will perfectly bring those things all together, but then sometimes, sometimes, you find a place that is the perfect combination of all and that’s what The Westbury was for us. Full disclosure, our stay at the Westbury was comped, but I don’t owe them any rave reviews, this is fully what my experience was, even with a teeny flag that I hope they remedy soon. So let’s get into it.
Your hotel criteria might be different from mine, but here are the things that matter to us. I've been traveling for over 20yrs and for the last 3.5 yrs with twin toddlers, so those priorities have evolved a little over time.
Criteria 1: Location
Gone are the days of just wanting the best deal in a city and staying super far away from the center to save $$. Now with kids, and needing to be efficient, also needing to be able to quickly rush back to the hotel if a tantrum arises, I like to be as close to the heart of everything. We want to be walking distance to food, art, shopping, parks and more. And when I say that The Westbury delivered on location, it more than did. I quite frankly don’t think it can get much better than this. You’ve got Grafton streets, you’ve got Stephen Greens park, you’ve all the things just steps away. And those steps away make all the difference, because it manages to maintain peace and privacy and you’re not immediately accosted when you step out the doors.
Criteria 2: Design & Amenities
If I’m going to stay somewhere, I need to be excited about the space, I need it to feel special, I need it to have enough space for a family of 4, I need the conveniences of a full fledged hotel- give me restaurants, in room dining, spa, fitness center ( which I likely won’t use, but like knowing it’s there), give me amenities, give me a room setup with toys and bath goodies for the kids, give me the extras. The Westbury is definitely luxury in that sense, they know what they’re doing. Their connecting rooms were brilliant for a family of 4, and so very spacious. Oftentimes, hotel rooms (even the most luxe ones) that are centrally located tend to have quite teeny rooms- you see that in big European cities, to be fair, it’s much the same in Manhattan. Real estate is expensive in big cities. Of course, the different room types and sizes come at different prices, but this is definitely a place where you do get great bang for your buck.
Criteria 3: Service
There was a time where I could not give a damn about service. Hotels were places I slept at night and exited in the mornings. Now, with kids, we somehow are always in need of something and find ourselves calling for something to be moved, changed, brought up, fixed etc. And so our interactions with hotel teams are more than ever before. So it makes a big difference when you get support and responsiveness from the hotel team. It makes a difference how well the room is cleaned and setup cos now the room gets messy. I honestly remember traveling solo and keeping my room so neat they didn't even think I slept there. Gone are those days- now I pay so much attention to housekeeping, maintaining the clean and maintaining my mental peace.
Those are my top 3 and I have to say, it’s a great feeling, after touring and exploring a new city, to feel good about going to a space where you will be comfortable and are actually looking forward to returning to.
Special shoutout to Hotel restaurant : Wilde
Hotel Dining on its own is not usually an important criteria for me with hotels. Reason being, we’re often on the go and plan on eating at all the places a city has to offer. I’ll say this about Wilde- hands down the best dining experience I’ve had all year. Even if you’re not staying at The Westbury, do grab a reservation at Wilde. Every single thing was delicious, I would fly back for the scallop and vegan curry. The space was beautiful, the staff was friendly and fun, the ambiance was chill. Definitely the icing on our Westbury stay.
