Mixing business with pleasure: Dylan, Dublin
Posted by Juliet on September 16th, 2008In the past, I’ve definitely deemed a hotel too ‘businessy’ to join our carefull
y selected collection of seductive stays, and have swiftly dismissed corporate-tinged places simply because its clientele just didn’t look like the kind of fun-loving folk our discerning members would want to while away their precious leisure time with. But when it comes to what makes a great boutique hotel tick, I’m always open to being convinced otherwise, and my recent spell at the Dylan in Dublin proved to me that somewhere stylish can be an excellent corporate option and still stay sexy.
There’s the
seamless check-in, the easy-to-use, no-strings wifi, laptop/mobile phone hire and the you want/you get cosseting service. But the pièce de resistance for anyone who’s staying at the Dylan while in town for work? The ‘business butlers’ – think of them as your very own personal assistants during your stay at the hotel – at no extra cost. Whether you need typing done, or just some documents printing, Madison or Marcin are at your disposal. I never tried them out, but I’m sure they’d give Miss Moneypenny a run for her USB flash drive.
The Dylan is not just a pretty space; this is a 44-roomed boutique that packs a five-star punch with intuitive personalised service – little wonder that during the week most of the clients are there on business. But don’t let that put any romantic breakers off. (Especially when among those propping up the bar during my visit – please excuse the indiscretion – were Colin Farrell and Albert Finney, which let’s be honest always adds a frisson to any hotel stay whether you’re a dedicated celeb-stalker or not.) The Dylan is clearly a place dedicated to helping the good times roll. There’s the chic all-white destination restaurant, Still; in the minibar you can find a cheeky ‘pleasure kit’ (let your imagination run wild); plus the communal areas are comprised of lots of intimate daringly toned crushed-velvet, gilt-edged pockets such as the Library, perfect for hosting a low-key meeting over a latté without
busting the vibe of someone who’s there on holiday. Perhaps part of what helps counter any danger of businessmen overload is the fact that this is a hotel run by a glamorous female GM. (As well as being the brains behind this slick operation, you can thank Siobhan Delaney for making sure unexpected added amenities include hair straighteners and salon-standard hairdryers on loan.)
General Manager Siobhan Delaney says: ‘Dylan offers a business experience with a difference. This is the death of the business centre as we know it and its re-emergence as we need it. As well as providing comprehensive services and facilities for today’s business guest, who is more interested in finding an individual experience and enjoying the personal touches that only a small boutique hotel can provide, we are also doing our best to make sure that business travellers have the time and means to relax and rejuvenate themselves whilst they are away.’
The thought of a hotel bar packed full of suits usually brings me out in the kind of hives usually reserved for the lobby of an Alan Partridge-style chain motel… but at the Dylan, if anything, when we rocked up for a cocktail, the group of chaps in their smart threads (looking more Norman Foster/Damien Hirst than travelling salesmen) actually lent a formality which complemented the look and special-occasion feeling of fashion-forward dylanbar. Although I still stand by the fact the work and play aren’t always the best bedfellows…
A few months ago I popped to Stoke Place in Buckinghamshire as Kitchen Communications lured me to the launch of new restaurant, the Vyse Room (I was also curious to see the couple of newly decorated rooms at the hotel designed by Ilse Crawford). On paper, Stoke Place was screaming Smith potential; then I walked around the corner slap, bang into a very dreary looking conference area. So unsexy, so unSmith. Similarly, I just stayed at the James in Chicago – rather incredibly it was the only possible hotel for consideration in this mighty midAmerican city – but one of the dealbreakers was I just couldn’t imagine having a drink in a lobby bar that seemed like it was eternally full of guys in shiny grey suits talking shop (apart from a brief appearance from a fully-kitted-out Arsenal football squad).
Of course lots of Smith hotels strike the right balance and are utterly hip, completely relaxed but totally equipped to host the most demanding of corporate players. Just a few of the Smith hotels which are best to book when you have a briefcase in hand…
Anna Hotel in Munich
The Levante Parliament in Vienna
Naumi and the New Majestic Hotel in Singapore
The Metropolitan, the Haymarket Hotel or the Baglioni in London
The Metropolitan, the Sukhothai in Bangkok
Jia in Hong Kong
Hotel Omm in Barcelona
Hospes in Madrid
The Hazelton and The Drake in Toronto
and of course most of our hotels in New York and Los Angeles…
Sure, I was at the Dylan for work – but who says there’s any harm in actually enjoying the look and feel of the place you’re staying at even if the only significant other sharing your room is your laptop?
Leave a comment