Had a 3 night stay at the property, booked standard room on a 3day cash rate.

Room: Upgrade onto "Hilton Honors" floor. Cannot tell what the difference to different floors may have been. Early 11am check-in. First room was facing the courtyard, in essence that means all I could see was grey (hotel is U shaped and the roof of the conference centre below is also largely grey).

Fearing I may suffer from depression with that view over a 3 night stay and immediately requested a room change, which was granted. Opposite the lift (they had warned me), with a number of undefined noises in the room, but a pretty good view across the surburbs onto the green hills surrounding Dublin. Beautiful! Those rooms also face the front car park / coach parking, but that didn't bother me. There is some sort of alarm opposite the hotel which makes a noise every once so often around the clock. I noticed it during the day, but slept through it in the night once in bed. With the lift lobby right outside the door, I could hear some people, but nothing that seriously disturbed me or woke me up.

Bathrobe was supplied after a request by phone, also one of the few hotels to have male deodorant on request.

Diamond Benefits: 3 breakfast vouchers were pushed under my door during my first night, with a little welcome letter.

Also access to their lounge, which is now fully operational. It has no windows, but has a great ambience, with a bar and bar stools as well as plenty heavy leather seats. Tables are all quite low, best place for working was sitting at the bar. The self serve Guiness tab was in operation 5.30-7.30pm, together with wine and a number of beers served by the bar staff. Sometimes they also came around to offer top-ups. Canapes were of excellent quality (none of this spring rolls or mozarella deep-fried stuff), with one hot item each night and two cold items, plus a dessert. However, whilst the food gotreplenished regularly, it often ran out and it certainly would not serve as a replacement for a proper meal somewhen during the day.

Other than the evening service, a small breakfast is available in the lounge, and the space is open (key card controlled) throughout the day until 11pm, for tea, coffee, soft drinks, biscuits and sweets. OVerall, I liked the lounge and quality of evening canapes, as well as the dark heavy interior of it - suits Dublin.

I understand from the FD that no welcome gifts are provided any longer, now that the lounge is operational.

No password needed for internet access (at least on Hilton Honors floor).

Breakfast of excellent quality, its a huge operation but worked well (many groups travelling by coach use the hotel as a base apparently).

Generally food was of consistingly high quality.

What annoyed me badly is the management of the place, however. Whilst staff were friendly, I mentioned at check-in that I had sent two emails prior to my stay enquiring about advance rates. I never had a reply to these. Check-in promised someone would get back to me. Two days into my stay, I reminded the same check-in agent of that promise, as no-one had come back to me. He appeared genuinly suprised, and said once the colleague would return, I'd hear back. Well, I haven't. I have however heard from another colleague, promising me they would look into this - unfortunately this was in response to an email inquiring about their response....

I also had requested a room with a view, and was put into this courtyard thing initially, but then changed with no problem after inquiring about this - a room was as such available....

The conference facilities had mixed reviews by my colleagues. Clearly some significant money has recently been spent on them, but stories included a painter rocking up half way through a session and starting painting whilst the room was in use. Cannot confirm the truth of that story, seems unlikely but had multiple reports!

EDIT: There is a SPAR shop nearby and a large number of independent restaurants&bars, some with excellent lunch offers. Walk into the centre is easily possibly, 10-15mins depending on destination.