Part of the established North Star Hotel, known to Dubliners as the only decent hotel in the area (sorry, other hotels in the area), the newly-refurbished wing of the hotel has been given its own brand, its own reception desk, and a rooftop residents’ lounge of its own too. But is The Address worth the extra attention? We jumped on their bed and raided their minifridge to find out.
The area
Directly opposite Connolly Station, Dublin’s train link to the north of Ireland, its location couldn’t be better for those planning more than a Temple Bar pub crawl. It’s the right side of town for the airport (and a two-minute walk from the 747 Airlink bus stop), a short walk into town, and a quick train ride away from Dublin’s oft-forgotten coast. Amiens Street itself is begetting of euphemisms like ‘gritty’ and ‘real’, but this close to town, it’s perfectly safe.
General room vibe
The newly-updated rooms are impressive. As we enjoy pressing buttons and are easily pleased, we loved the bedside controls the best: these opened and closed the curtains, turned the room lights on and off, and switched on the ‘do not disturb’ sign outside, which is genius as no one remembers to do this before piling into bed. The room is clean and modern with small Irish touches, like an Avoca blanket on the bed and, ahem, ‘shamrock’ flavoured crisps in the minibar. The minibar is free, so we’ll let that slide.
Stealability of toiletries
Not very stealable at all, as they’re full-sized bottles stuck to the wall. Still, it’s Gilchrist & Soames stuff, so lather up good.
Shower amazingness
Very amazing. It’s strong, hot and powerful rain shower, with a bath to soak in too. You won’t want to leave it.
Wi-fi strength
Each room in The Address has its own network connection, so you can hog it all you like. It did waver a couple of times, but quickly restored itself.
Breakfast spread
Breakfast is generally included, and is joint with the North Star Hotel. Expect to find thick Irish bacon, sausages and black pudding, as well as mini-pastries, a wide selection of cereals. The pancake machine, where you press a button and watch the progress of a tiny pancake as it cooks on a conveyor belt, was fun. And delicious.
Nearby dinner options
Dublin is not short of excellent restaurants, and the highest concentration of these can be found either in the IFSC or in the south side of Dublin below Temple Bar, both a ten-minute walk away. Otherwise, the hotel’s restaurant McGettigans Cookhouse & Bar is the best in the immediate area – I know, I worked around the corner for five years. At night, the restaurant comes alive with both locals and residents enjoying the food in its industrial chic surrounds. Served by attentive, friendly staff who’d take a pew if they could, the veggie-friendly menu is comprised of unpretentious, comfort food like fish’n’chips, burgers and pizzas, with finesse that stand it out from the crowd. The beer and wine selections are plentiful too.
Overall
The Address is a very welcome addition to an excellently-located that’s just screaming to be revived. With state-of-the-art rooms, a fabulous restaurant and the train station on your doorstep, it’s a gem of a find.
To find out more, visit The Address‘s website.