| Shelbourne hotel reopens
THE famous Shelbourne Hotel in Dublin finally re-opened last week after
a number of delays and an ¤83million revamp.
Aimed at keeping its classical elegance and sense of history alive the
renovation also introduced new five-star flourishes.
The hotel now has 265 luxurious bedrooms and 19 suites which are named
after famous guests, including the legendary Irish actor Peter O’Toole.
The ‘grand old lady of the Green’ has been closed for two
years and missed a number of planned re-openings including for the Ryder
Cup and New Year’s Eve as the restoration took much longer than
expected.
Among the most noticeable changes is the removal of the old lift from
the main lobby, creating a much larger entrance.
The historic elevator was installed in 1906 and was one of the first of
its kind in the country.
The Horseshoe Bar where Brendan Behan spent his earnings from Borstal
Boy and where the idea to form The Chieftains was first aired —
has been faithfully restored to its former glory. It was designed by the
late Sam Stephenson in 1957 and once voted one of the world’s top
100 bars by Esquire magazine.
The Lord Mayor’s Lounge and the Constitution Room have also been
painstakingly restored and a new bar called Number 27 and a new restaurant
have been added.
Guests have been promised five-star luxury at every turn including Egyptian
cotton bedsheets and luxury gifts in the heritage lounge.
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