MICHAEL PARSONSstays at the Ballsbridge Court, in Dublin
SPIVS, CHARLATANS, shysters, racketeers, rugger-buggers, property developers, senior politicians, good-time Bolly girls and other, more reputable fans of the former Berkeley Court Hotel, in Ballsbridge in Dublin, will be pleased that their old stomping ground has been reprieved, at least temporarily, from the demolition men.
The hotel, which was reborn as the Ballsbridge Court as part of the D4 Hotels complex, next door to the Ballsbridge Inn and Ballsbridge Towers (formerly Jurys), is owned by Seán Dunne, whose plan to raze the buildings and construct Dublin’s version of a high-rise Knightsbridge was sent back to the drawing board by An Bord Pleanála.
In the meantime needs must, and for the past 16 months all three hotels are offering “affordable prices” in the capital’s poshest area. Dunne is believed to have paid €119 million for the Berkeley Court site alone, so, at less than a hectare, this is some of the world’s most expensive real estate – not normally the kind of place you’d associate with budget accommodation. The US embassy is a stone’s throw away.
D4 Hotels had a spot of bother after Christmas when it offered rooms at €20.09 per night for January and February. The company said it sold more than 1,000 rooms at that price, but they sold out so fast that many prospective customers could find only higher rates when they visited the company’s website.
There are still some good deals, however. Although rooms can cost €149 on busy nights, at quieter times they start at €54. Overnight parking was a reasonable €7.50.
My sixth-floor room had views of the soon-to-be- completed Lansdowne Road stadium and a swathe of fancy red-brick homes.
It was perfectly comfortable and seemed largely unchanged since the Berkeley Court days. (Some of the old signage is still in situ.) But at this price, unsurprisingly, there’s no mini bar, fluffy bathrobe, turn-down service or chocolate mint on the pillow. And while the teacups are Stoke-on-Trent china, the spoons have been replaced by wooden stirrers. Instead of Do Not Disturb, the door handle was hung with a sign reading Walk On By.
The hotel’s public areas are still opulent, if fraying, and the look is bland international, with deep-pile carpets, squishy sofas and wall lamps that feature plastic candles with dripping “wax”. The building is chronically ugly and surely won’t be missed. The look is Texas circa 1978 – the year it was built. You wouldn’t be surprised to meet JR and Sue Ellen Ewing propping up the bar.
The clientele was a mix of suits; “plain people of Ireland” taking advantage of the deal, who looked like bewildered Romanians who had wandered into Ceausescu’s palace after the revolution; and those nerdy, atrociously dressed, laptop-jabbing males who these days pass for commercial travellers.
To think this was once one of Dublin’s most expensive, luxurious and discreet five-star hotels, used by visiting dignitaries and celebrities. Famous guests included Frank Sinatra and CJ Haughey. For younger readers, one was a controversial crooner, the other a controversial taoiseach. Albert Reynolds famously moved into the hotel for a while in 1992 after being elected taoiseach because his home was being “bombarded” by journalists. Needless to say, some of the events and conversations that took place at the old Berkeley Court have since cropped up at the planning tribunals.
Breakfast was not included in the room rate. The continental buffet – not something Irish hotels do well – cost €10.95 but looked unappealing. The full Irish, at €15.95, was cooked to order and served by pleasant and friendly staff. Coffee was very good but the bacon so salty it could have been cured in Dublin Bay. There was a free newspaper. Alas, it wasn’t The Irish Times. Standards are slipping in Dublin 4.
WhereBallsbridge Court Hotel, Dublin 4, 01-6684468, www.d4hotels.com.
WhatFormer five-star hotel operating as a budget option at the heart of Dublin's diplomatic belt, close to the US embassy and the new stadium at Lansdowne Road.
Rooms188, including junior suites.
Best ratesRooms start at €54 per night.
Food and drinkThe food service has been franchised out to O'Connells Restaurant, which has taken up residence in the former Berkeley Court dining room. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served seven days a week. Tea and coffee are also available in the Ballsbridge cocktail and lounge bar.
AccessibilityWheelchair accessible rooms are available on request.
Child-friendlinessParents with children might prefer the family rooms at the neighbouring Ballsbridge Inn, which is also part of the D4 Hotels complex. They currently start at €39 a night.
AmenitiesConference and banqueting rooms available for meetings and functions for groups "from 6 to 600 people". Rates are from €250 per day. There's a small business centre. All guest rooms are wired for broadband, and there's Wi-Fi access in the hotel's public areas.