The Westbury, Dublin: The Taylor Swift-approved hotel has had a stunning makeover
Taylor Swift. Audrey Hepburn. Marlon Brando. Pavarotti. Pele. David Bowie. Bob Dylan. What do these icons all have in common? Not much. Except that they have all, at some point or another, stayed at The Westbury Hotel in Dublin.
Situated in prime position for shopping and sightseeing — yet tucked away from the main tourist street — The Westbury has a grandeur to it that makes it feel much older than it actually is. With a relatively short life of just 40 years, The Westbury opened in 1984, marking Pascal Vincent Doyle’s second hotel opening in Dublin. You may recognise the hotelier’s name from The Doyle Collection’s London outposts: The Marylebone, The Bloomsbury and The Kensington.
A 1980s baby it may be, but there’s nothing retro about The Westbury. Its elegance aligns it more closely with the storied 1800s hotels that occupy space in Mayfair and Regent Street. But there’s one thing that makes it even better: it’s Irish.
There aren’t many places where you can walk around five Guinnesses deep and still feel like royalty, but The Westbury is one of them. And with Taylor Swift booking out an entire floor for her and her entourage during the European leg of the Eras tour in 2024, there couldn’t be a better endorsement.
Where is it?
Like all great hotels in a capital city, The Westbury is smack bang in the middle of things, while being simultaneously nestled on a quiet side street, almost as if a protective arm is tucking it slightly away from the thoroughfare. It’s located on Balfe Street, which adjoins the key shopping area of Grafton Street and also handily straddles the space between Trinity College and St Stephen’s Green — some of Dublin’s most obligatory sightseeing spots.
Dublin is relatively small, but here everything is walkable, with the option of a quick 10-minute stroll down to the “buzzy” (touristy) area of Temple Bar, should you wish to get the obligatory red pub with fairy lights Insta post. Otherwise, in the words of my Irish friend: “Avoid.”
Style
The Westbury may look a little different to when the likes of Dylan and Hepburn stayed in it. It recently underwent a €8m refurbishment, leaving it even more stunning than when it was first founded. This place is all about the classical, luxury hotel experience: marble bathrooms, gold fixtures, four poster beds, duck down duvets, big fluffy towels and crisp white sheets.
Its restaurants and lobby are equally gilded, with soft light emanating from its ornate light fixtures and bouncing onto blush-coloured lounge chairs. And, most importantly, there are Byredo toiletries. Bliss.
Which room?
The Westbury’s recent renovation was largely focused around the hotel’s fifth and sixth floors, which now contain 12 new Signature Suites. This new collection of suites now includes The PV Doyle Suite, named for the hotel’s founder, which features 15 outstanding artworks by Ireland’s most renowned artists, as well as Louis Le Brocquy’s Sol Y Sombra tapestry and Angelo Mangiarotti’s sculptural marble table.
The two newly renovated floors are also flooded with natural light (though well equipped with blackout curtains) and provide an excellent view across Dublin. The city is remarkably flat compared to London due to its building regulations, which ensures uninterrupted views.
Food and drink
If you want some of the best cold water seafood of your life, eat at WILDE, the hotel’s main restaurant. Eyes will widen at the taste of impeccable smoked salmon on Guinness bread; jaws will drop over Kilkeel scallops with pork belly; and of course, there’s the oysters. All paired perfectly with sommelier-selected wines. We had the Gavi, and the Gavi was giving.
The hotel also offers an extensive cocktail menu (plus the opportunity to go fully off-menu) at The Sidecar and more brasserie-style bites at Balfes, as well as the traditional afternoon tea at WILDE. Plus, the breakfast is a must. I take my Full English (or, in this case, Irish) Breakfasts very seriously. It is my Off Menu and death row meal. So believe me when I tell you this one is a banger.
Extracurricular
Pubs! And not Temple Bar. I take my pubs as seriously as my Full Englishes, so hear me when I say that Toner’s is one of the best pubs I’ve visited on a global scale. Plus, it’s a total Tardis. Enter via the front on Baggot Street and be prepared to be surprised. Also good are: O’Donoghues (which has an occasional live band) and Searsons.
Otherwise, get the main sightseeing spots out of the way (Trinity, St Stephen’s Green and Guinness Experience are all worth it) and spend a beach day in Howth, which is just an hour away on the DART and has a gorgeous coastal walk, come rain or shine.
Best for
A truly plush base for your busy, boozy city stay — and excellent seafood. I still miss that salmon and Guinness bread.
Rates from €370 per night on a B&B basis, doylecollection.com
