Anantara The Marker, Dublin hotel review: ‘The jewel in the crown is its staff’
"Where contemporary five-star hotels can be at risk of a formal stuffiness, the very best of Irish hospitality is on show," writes Attitude's Sophie Porter
Life is all about balance they say, so following our St Patrick’s Day celebrations pub-hopping in Belfast, we jumped onto the Enterprise train bleary-eyed and hazy-headed toward Dublin to indulge in the restorative sanctuary of the Anantara The Marker.
The black and white checkerboard front of the hotel overlooks the picturesque waterfront of Grand Canal Square as part of the regenerated Docklands landscape. The considered design is symbolic of the Cliffs of Moher and its strata, whilst the undulating windows at the bottom represent the Atlantic Ocean lapping at their base. This attention to detail and overall experience is woven throughout, from the menus right through to the décor.
We’re greeted at the front desk by friendly staff with hot ginger tea to “slick our thirst” and warm towels to revive us from our journey, before the hotel’s ‘local insider’, Derek, turns the simple act of walking us to our room into a captivating journey in its own right. Now, I’m a sucker for a good storyteller, my friend will tell you, and the interaction very much set the tone for the remainder of our stay.
As Derek guided us across the Atlantic (aka, the beautifully printed carpets), and through the dramatic, sombrely lit passages (corridors reflective of the likes of Newgrange’s chambers), he led us through the Dolmens (the doorway to our suite), into our very own sanctuary. Inside, the room is decorated in sumptuous earthy tones, in honour of Ireland’s boglands, and furnished with rich, organic fabrics, including handmade woollen blankets from County Mayo.
The floor to ceiling windows of our corner suite overlooked Chimney Park, a historic redbrick 1800s monument from the former Dublin Gasworks, with a view of the Liffey River. The bathroom a black marble masterpiece with a bath big enough for two to soak and gossip whilst enjoying the handmade chocolates, fresh fruits and decadent pastries left for our welcome.
Shortly after getting settled, I headed down to the award-winning spa to sample the Anantara’s signature treatment. I opt for peppermint oil to refresh and reset after a long day prior and am nearly asleep by the time my therapist has concluded my full body treatment with a divine head massage.
I’m led into a recovery room where I’m invited to relax for as long as needed with fruits, nuts and other refreshments. At risk of falling asleep (again), I headed back to my room to get ready for a sumptuous five-course dinner in the Forbes Street by Gareth Mullins restaurant, boasting the very best of contemporary Irish cuisine.
The restaurant is stunning in its design; striking and cinematic, with a mid-century twang in its orange palette. There’s something almost Stanley Kubrick-esque about it. Forbes Street’s sommelier starts us off with the house champagne produced by Bollinger (which, might I say, it was even more enjoyable than Bollinger itself), which we enjoy with the most heavenly homemade breads and butters.
We share starters of asparagus velouté and a burrata and tomato salad, paired with a delicate white wine, before a vegan feta and courgette entremet and champagne sorbet palette cleanser. My friend opts for the fish of the day, served with a lemon and garlic butter sauce which she assures me was divine. My tomato orzo pasta, whilst delicious, felt slightly less inspired than the carnivorous options on the menu. However, the 42% cacao and yuzu mousse dessert was to die for, rounding off the meal perfectly.
We make the most of the hotel’s central location and take a walk to the historic O’Donoghues to sample a trad music session and a whiskey nightcap before retiring to our beds where we wouldn’t rise again until the late morning.
The Anantara’s breakfast menu offered a continental selection of fresh fruits, pastries, meats, cheese and fish, as well as hot savoury options, followed by a choice from a refined a la carte menu. For those wanting to start the day with a little sparkle in their step, the menu also offered champagne, Mimosas or a Bloody Mary to pair with breakfast.
After eating, we make the most of the spa and its facilities which boasts a jacuzzi, eucalyptus infused steam room, as well as a sauna and 24-hr gym, but the highlight was the 23-metre indoor infinity pool. Whether doing lengths or simply just floating around, the navy blue, almost black, tiles in and around the pool paired with a dark, mossy green ceiling, angling upward toward a small skylight, gave the feeling of soaking in a natural swim spot, looking up at the sun from within the refreshing cavern below. It embodies the hotel’s knack for honouring the restorative Irish landscape without ever needing to step foot outside (though we would definitely recommend it!).
Alongside its striking landscape, Dublin is a UNESCO City of Literature, home to wordsmiths like Yeats, Keats and Wilde, a status honoured in the hotel’s evening ritual in which guests are invited to join for a poetry recital selected from the repertoire of one of Ireland’s countryfolk. It’s a heritage embraced even more so by the hotel’s signature Poetry and Places Afternoon Tea which, as a lover of books and travel, appealed very much to my romantic heart.
Beginning with a glass of Bollinger and a delicate champagne and elderflower sorbet to cleanse the palette, we also opt for iced JING teas, peppermint and hibiscus, to compliment both the glorious sunshine of the day and the light finger sandwiches which the kitchen staff kindly amended to suit our vegetarian/pescetarian diets.
The hotel’s pastry chef then personally served us what was quite possibly the most beautiful display of pastries, cakes and bakes we’d ever seen, taking our tastebuds on a trip around Ireland, from the Newgrange inspired apple macaroon and Yeats’ ‘Wild Swans at Coole’ choux pastry to – my personal favourite – the rich, moist Guinness cake in honour of the iconic beer and it’s Dublin Storehouse on the Liffey.
Whilst the amenities and food are second to none, the jewel in the crown of the Anantara The Marker is its staff. Where contemporary five-star hotels can be at risk of a formal stuffiness, the very best of Irish hospitality is on show, with friendly folk willing to stop for a chat and to trade tales. By the end of our stay, we’d met and learnt the names of all the members of staff we’d interacted with, from Barry the concierge and head chef Gareth Mullins, to our afternoon tea servers Erik and Judy, to name but a few.
We conclude our trip with a personal 360-degree, virtual tour on the hotel’s rooftop terrace with a glass of bubbles in hand and a keen ear for Derek’s tales (“All of these stories are true,” he says with a wink, “I made them up myself.”). As we’re taught about the local landscape and the historical figures to inhabit it, Derek leaves us with a lasting and entirely appropriate saying for our stay: “Dublin is a new city, an old town, my home and you’re welcome”.