Guests rooms have covetable views of Sheen Falls.
TOWN & COUNTRY A City-to-Countryside Tour of the Emerald Isle Written by Bridget Williams
Leprechaun lore aside, I've always found Ireland to be enchanting, particularly the myriad green hillsides of the rural countryside that stand in contrast to skies that are shrouded in clouds roughly half of the time, and which make the occasional pop of sunshine seem all the more magical. My Irish eyes were smiling during my most recent visit, which began with a whirlwind two nights in Dublin at The Merrion Hotel (merrionhotel.com), followed by another three at Sheen Falls Lodge (sheenfallslodge.ie), situated along the famed Wild Atlantic Way. But honestly, how could I not love a place where, after introducing myself, the locals are quick to remind me that my name is indicative of a strong woman and the name of one of three of the country's national saints? Located in an upscale neighborhood steps from the National Gallery, The National Museum of Ireland, and the "golden mile" around St. Stephen's Green, the five-star The Merrion represents a triumph of thoughtful historic preservation. The hotel comprises four Georgian townhouses, the oldest dating to the era when American Colonists were busy tossing tea into the Boston Harbor. The two-year restoration commenced in the mid-1990s, resulting in interiors that mirror the handsome exterior: elegantly understated and dignified. The present owners claim one of the largest collections of 18th and 19th-century art in Ireland and generously share it with hotel guests in public and private spaces. Art enthusiasts will want to avail themselves of a self-guided audio tour and partake of a whimsical afternoon Art Tea, in which the accomplished pastry chefs create edible works of art inspired by works in the hotel's collection. 54 slmag.net
The wings of the hotel envelope a beautifully landscaped garden with water features and a glass-enclosed walkway leading from the historic structures to the modern wing, which includes a large spa complex with an indoor pool. Accordion doors along one wall of the aptly named Garden Terrace restaurant bring the outdoors in; the elevated environs draw in stylish local "ladies who lunch" like bees to the hives on The Merrion's rooftop. The labyrinth-like cellar bar is housed in the property's original wine cellar, offering plenty of cozy nooks for a candlelight dinner. Waterfall-inspired stained-glass windows, an homage to the cascades dotting the famed Ring of Kerry, are inset among the thick stone walls. In a city with no shortage of pubs, this watering hole is popular with locals who come to imbibe its two bespoke ales, lemon gin, and listen to traditional Irish music on Thursday evenings. When the calendar flips to March, everyone purports to be Irish, a claim that's partially attributable to the fact that some 10 million Irish have left their homeland since the 1800s. It's mind-boggling that today, 70 million people claim Irish heritage, more than ten times the country's total population, which makes ancestry tourism a big deal. Dublin's subterranean Epic Museum (epicchq.com), the world's first fully digital museum, traces 1,500 years of Irish immigration, including the accomplishments of some of its most famous (and infamous) sons and daughters, who I was surprised to learn include Che Guevara, Muhammad Ali, Gene Kelly, Walt Disney, Tom Cruise, Robert DeNiro, and Barack and Michelle Obama, among many others.