[email protected] is the guest relations manager

Thanks!

Just thought I'd update, Jane Igoe got back to me:

"Thank you for your recent email and my apologies for the delay in responding to your query our management team have just finalised the Food and Beverage schedule for the Christmas season. Please find attached the Food and Beverage schedule for your review. I would be happy to answer any queries you may have in regards to this schedule.

In relation to your query regarding renovation works, the majority of major renovations in guest areas are now complete for example the Lobby Area, B-Bar, Sussex Restaurant and Conference and Meeting Room Centre have all been completed. There are currently no major works planned for the dates of your stay and as you will be staying with us during the Christmas holidays, I imagine any contractors conducting superficial renovations on the property will be on holidays during this period."

So looks like things are pretty much wrapped up. And the "limited food and beverage facilities" apparently just meant that there would be limited hours (she attached a schedule), not that they would be without a kitchen due to renovations, as I had feared.

Just finished up a five night stay at this property and figured I would provide my thoughts if they can be of use to anyone.

The location of the property is quite good; the AirCoach bus will drop you off from the airport literally at the front door of the property (stop is the legacy "Burlington Hotel" name) and pick you up across the street for the return. The cost for the round trip fare is about 19 USD at current exchange rates. Walking from the hotel, the St. Stephen's Green area is about 15 min and similar to the DART station at Landsdowne road. If you prefer taxis there is always a lineup right in front of the hotel at all hours. Bus service running along the line from Bray up to Heuston station, along with other lines, picks up right out front.

Upon showing up from the U.S. at 9 AM local time, I inquired if I could leave my bags with the desk and then return upon proper check-in time. The desk agent instead insisted that he find an open room immediately, which he did.

The remodeled guest rooms are quite nicely finished. Hilton worked with what was their during the remodel; the designs are obviously tied into the legacy sizing and form factors. The built-in storage is very nice (an open closet and one with a door, plus several drawers) as is the desk and other furniture. The rooms have proper thick drapes which actually close fully and overlap to block out the light, which is something that I value highly and which I almost never see in U.S. Hilton properties. Bathrooms are small, the tub is tiny and the shower door is a swinging half-door which does not really seem to have any function. The showerhead is at approximately 5'6". Water pressures comes on at a very high level and then goes up to a magnitude which could be used to pressure-wash concrete.

I cannot speak to suites or any special rooms as I didn't see any. It seems that suites are located on the front corners of the building as these rooms have a large and ornate entry door.

Noise is a bit of an issue; wall sound transmission is OK but the main issue is door slamming. The building seems to have envelope airtightness issues (the revolving door in the front blows like a wind turbine in high gusts, and that air is going somewhere) so they went nuts with the weather stripping on the door frames and you have to wind up and rip on the door to get it to properly close. Thus when anyone leaves on your floor, you know it.

HVAC seems to not be controllable by the user; it is a hot water system and it is what it is. In the winter it was keeping things plenty toasty but in the summer if and when AC is needed I'm not sure how far a passive system without forced air is going to get them.

As far as other hotel facilities, the gym is pretty standard-issue DT - cardio equipment, free weights up to 20kg, a C2 rower, a cable stack, and some nautilus-type stuff. The business center is good for what one would generally need - copying and printing. The conference/ballroom facilities seem to be quite large. The lobby features both the actual bar off to the side (the "B Bar") which is nicely done and very large, and a coffee bar with barista in the main lobby.

The breakfast room is off to the side of the main lobby and is very large, nicely appointed, and well-staffed. As far as breakfast itself goes, we were issued a voucher for each morning. The stock language on the voucher mentioned only a continental breakfast (and it certainly was an option as the menu on the table offered a continental-only offering), but we were given the full breakfast as is apparently standard at Hilton properties in Ireland per the Hhonors breakfast thread. So the full breakfast was quite good: hash browns, tomatoes, beans, mushrooms, sausage, black and white puddings, bacon (ham), scrambled eggs, Belgian waffles, fruits, cheeses, cold cuts, cereals with mix-ins, beverages, and probably 10 or so bakery items. It did not get tiring after 5 days and it was nice to be able to fill up each morning before heading out for a full day.

Service was very good. As Hhonors gold we were given a welcome gift of some Bailey's and shortbread cookies. We were also given a handwritten card on Christmas Day, which was a thoughtful touch. Staff in all departments were very attentive and friendly. The two guys working the lounge on Christmas Day were absolute professionals and could/should have been working in a five-star place somewhere. At breakfast, the host/ess, wait staff, and cooks all provided great service. Across the board, it seemed like everyone took their job quite seriously.

The Executive Lounge is a bit of a curiosity. It is pretty conspicuous, located right next to the elevators in the lobby. The first day we were there (Christmas Eve) there was nothing going on. There was no mention of it from the desk staff and I did not ask. The second day (Christmas), due to the holiday they were using it as their lounge for the hotel since they had closed their main bar. We went there for dinner and thus got to see the facilities. The lounge is pretty nice; it is spacious (not like Palmer House spacious, but decently sized), with a full built-in bar with four draft lines and refrigerators for bottles behind the bar, as well as full liquor. There are also refrigerators out in the main area for self-service (which were empty at the time we were there). Seating is probably for 30 or so and consists of nice leather chairs, couches, and barstools. We ordered dinner there (just sandwiches) and it was tasty and well-presented. Afterwards, out of curiosity, I asked at the front desk what the status of the lounge was. The agent replied that it was usually for their Hhonors members. I mentioned that I was one, and that's why I was curious, and he sort of mumbled some nonsense. I never saw the lounge open again in the 3 remaining days of our stay. So I feel like it goes without saying that they're still figuring that one out. But it's certainly a nice space.

Overall I felt that the property was a good value - 20,000 Hhonors points per night at that time of year, with a 5th night free bringing it down to 16k/night. Revenue rooms were going for about 90 euro all-in on the nights I was there so the redemptions weren't an exceptional deal in cents/point terms, but in absolute value (5 nights plus 10 full breakfasts for 80k points) I thought it was quite excellent for a budget trip that was sort of done on a whim.

Unfortunately when checking out I encountered the dynamic currency conversion racket, which was new to me. At the desk for check-out I was presented with an invoice in Euros (this was only for incidentals as I had booked a points stay) and asked if I wished to charge it to the card on file (my Hhonors Reserve Visa). I said absolutely as this is a no-brainer since it is my standard card for Hilton purchases and is a no forex fee card. I then was presented with receipts (one on Hilton letterhead and then another from the terminal printout) showing a converted amount to USD with a 3.5% upcharge. I was not asked to sign the receipt; it had already been processed without signature. Since I am not an expert on this subject, was in a hurry, and the amount was low, I just went on with it, but I have put in inquiries to Hilton and my CC company.

Update on DCC situation 1/15/2014: Received an email directly from Jane Igoe, the hotel administrator, explaining that this was indeed an error and that she has been working with her staff to make it clear that customers must be given a choice of currency for payment. It was a sincere response and I trust that this matter will not be an issue for future customers.

In sum, I would recommend this place for travelers on a budget looking for a good points redemption in a decent location. There are certainly some constraints on the hard product (showers, HVAC, etc.), and those who are looking to sit in the lap of luxury should go running down the street to the Shelbourne or out to the Four Seasons or whatnot. But this hotel certainly has its role. I will be curious as to the resolution of the DCC issue, and I also will be interested to hear future reports once the lounge opens. If they do a good lounge service it could add to the value significantly.

Great review, we are booked here June 28-July 1; my wife (bit of a hotel snob) was nervious about staying here but your review has reassured her. Hopefully the lounge will be fully functional by then.

Good to hear. Like I mentioned, there are some various minor physical annoyances on the property which might stand out to a "hotel snob" but overall I thought it was a good value! It's not in the same class of hard product as the higher-end offerings, but nowhere near the cost (in cash or points) either.

I booked a couple of nights in mid-Feb at this property, and you still can't book an Executive Room, so I was wondering if they had a functioning EL, since this shows up on their web page:

Executive Lounge

Make your stay extra special by upgrading to an Executive room or suite, with access to our new Executive Lounge. The Executive lounge is open 7 days a week, with continental breakfast served every morning, soft drinks & snacks served throughout the day and complimentary drinks and light bites served in the evening.

HOURS
MONDAY 6:30 am - 9:30 pm
TUESDAY 6:30 am - 9:30 pm
WEDNESDAY 6:30 am - 9:30 pm
THURSDAY 6:30 am - 9:30 pm
FRIDAY 6:30 am - 9:30 pm
SATURDAY 7:00 am - 9:30 pm
SUNDAY 7:00 am - 9:30 pm

Promising! This wasn't on the website when I stayed there late last month, so I certainly think it's a sign of progress. The lounge was 100% functional when I was there; the tap lines and everything were working, they just weren't using it as an EL.

As far as an executive room or otherwise goes, the top two floors were labeled as "concierge floors" but the signs didn't have the standard hhonors branding so I wasn't sure if this was a Hilton addition or something legacy from when it was the Burlington. At any rate in my mind part of the usefulness of the exec floor is being on the same level as the lounge, and since in this case the lounge is on the ground floor I doubt it will matter much.

If they offer you lounge access and you can still take breakfast in the restaurant, I would advise it, as the spread is almost certainly sure to be better.

Let us know how it goes! As I said above, I feel that with a decent EL service this property could be an absolute steal in terms of paid or points stays.

I made a reservation at Hilton Dublin originally for St. Pat's day weekend. But then this hotel showed availability for rooms with Lounge Access, so I booked a room here too. I made the reservations back in October. I am curious to know more about the lounge.

Since "arlflyer" provided such an excellent and detailed review of the property a few posts earlier, I will only add a few observations from my point of view.

What a juxtaposition when you first get dropped off in front of the hotel. Construction debris everywhere, bland fascia etc., and then you walk in.. warm colors everywhere. High end finishes to almost everything from furniture to ornamentation.

Got upgraded to the 6th floor (an Executive Floor). Didn't get a room with a great view, (inside court), but that was OK, having that I paid 66 euros a night for the room (pre-pay). Received vouchers for breakfast and an interesting letter stating that we were invited to have access to the Executive Lounge as it was reserved for Diamond status members only.

Room was fine, only complaints would be low water pressure for the shower and the door really wanted to slam shut loud if left to its own devices.

Executive Lounge was really nice, albeit not very large. Very comfortable leather chairs and a large TV hung up which was really nice for watching the Olympics

Now for the awesome surprise.. A pour your own Guinness station set next to the bar. Had a looping video on how to pour a perfect pint. Kind of got it on the first night, but mastered it on the 2nd after spending some quality time at the Guinness Storehouse earlier in the day (highly recommend the Connoisseur Experience, btw). Not a lot of food offerings, although what was put out was of high quality.

The breakfast offering in the EL was some fruit, cold cuts and cheeses. Ended up using the vouchers instead in the main restaurant. Nice selection and one even gets a full thermos of coffee or tea when ordering.

I enjoyed the gym that wasn't very large but it has a spectacular view overlooking the city and mountains beyond. Very pretty sunrise.

The walk from the Hotel down Leeson to St. Stephens takes about 10-15 minutes. Another 10 gets you down to Grafton and Temple Bar, so the location is not central, but not bad at all either.

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.

Two night stay on points (30,000/nt) as HHD. No noticeable upgrade, but EL access.

Location. Last time, I stayed in the Conrad Dublin. On the map, this hotel looks close to the Conrad, but it is a 15-20 minute walk from here to the city centre, so less convenient.

Lobby & bar. As mentioned by many others, this hotel is the refurbished Burlington (I was told that they couldn't call it "DT Burlington" for legal reasons). Several people who knew the Burlington and saw the new lobby and bar were impressed with the changes. The lobby looks similar in design to the DT Westend in London. The bar is extremely spacious and currently has 20 screens for watching football.

Executive lounge. Exists and I had access, but I didn't have the time to check. EL is on the ground floor, next to the check-in desk.

Gym. Quite big and next to the elevator.

Breakfast. I got breakfast vouchers as HHD, one per day. Breakfast was OK: fried eggs had to be ordered and were not on the buffet (this is the standard in continental Europe, but not in the UK).

I stayed there from the 22nd to 25th as part of a convention. There were also some tour groups. As Diamond I was given lounge access but told we could take breakfast in the restaurant. The lounge was nice. Other than they were inconsistent about vegetarian friendly hors d'oeuvres. One day they had none; the next day they all were. However, the restaurant for breakfast was overwhelmed by the people. Management should have put more staff on. As a previous poster noted, you had to order fried eggs. My companion had to ask a couple of times one morning and it took a really long time.

I'm gonna bump this back up and cross-reference to another thread, hopefully not violating any FT rules in the process...

As of November 2014 this property is still up to its DCC games. See here.

So keep a close eye on your Euros vs. dollars at this property. A shame that Hilton has turned a blind eye to this behavior, and a shame that this is still happening at what I otherwise found to be a perfectly nice property - especially given that management knows full well what is going on (see my post in this thread updated 1/5/2014).