Doreen Carvajal/The New York Times
The checkerboard facade of the hotel.
From 189 euros for a double, or about $250, at $1.33 to the euro, which includes access to a spa, indoor pool and steam room.
Basics
The 187-room Marker Hotel rises like an upended checkerboard from Dublin's Grand Canal Square. It is part of a vibrant, new commercial district in the city's docklands that has transformed from a neighborhood of coal merchants to the "silicon docks" outpost for Google's gleaming compound of office towers. The six-story geometric design is inspired by Ireland's rugged landscape of bare rocks. But the Marker's facade also unintentionally reflects the nation's checkered past through boom and bust. After six years of construction delays during Ireland's economic downturn, it finally opened in April on a street named Misery Hill — a legacy of when the hangman plied his trade there.
Location
The luxury hotel is steps from the glass diamond-shaped Bord Gais Energy Theater, which is mounting productions like Riverdance. A pedestrian path made of bright red resin and glass leads toward the waterfront along the Liffey River. The hotel is about a 10-minute cab ride to Grafton Street and its bustling promenade of shops, and within walking distance of the National Gallery of Ireland.
The Room
Our room faced a towering brick docklands chimney, a remnant of the industrial era now surrounded by a pocket park. It seemed to blend with the heather gray and mustard of the bedroom and its comfortable king bed draped in stitched quilts. The Wi-Fi connection was speedy, and the desk illuminated with lamps by Philippe Starck.
The Bathroom
It was spacious, with cream-colored walls and a floor of Italian Carrara marble. An enormous Villeroy & Boch sink was set in a marble counter stocked with toiletries from Malin + Goetz, which almost made me hungry with cilantro hair conditioner, peppermint shampoo and rum body wash.
Dining
We skipped room service for the rooftop bar with a 360-degree view to the river and the sea. Its comfortable couches get crowded with happy-hour Google refugees, but hotel guests have priority. The Singapore Slings are about $11, but the sunsets (and memories) are worth the price. Inside the hotel is a brasserie that emphasizes Irish cooking and offers a two-course pretheater menu for about 25 euros. The executive chef, Gareth Mullins, has been making local waves with his cronuts, a hybrid of croissants and doughnuts.
Amenities
The Marker has mastered the homey touches, offering free tart lemonade in the lobby and free use of retro Johnny Loco cruiser bikes for impromptu rides on the square. It has an emerald indoor pool that I found a little too dark for my taste, and a spa offering treatments like a moor mud wrap at about 140 euros.
Bottom Line
This is an urban oasis for travelers with quick access to Dublin's central core and the bonus of a neighboring theater and promenades. The cheerful staff strives to please and mostly succeeds, with some exceptions like a waiter who ignored us until we ordered at the bar ourselves. Overall, the Marker is a tranquil retreat to rest and savor the sea gulls circling the river on a Dublin evening with a pint of pale ale.
The Marker Hotel, Grand Canal Square, Docklands; (353-1) 687-5100; themarkerhoteldublin.com.
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