First Thoughts
The Malmaison hotel in Belfast, Northern Ireland isn’t one you’ll quickly forget. Originally a seed warehouse, this gorgeous building is now home to 62 rooms, and one very trendy vibe. The lobby is decorated in black, white, and a beautiful red, and the front desk isn’t a desk, but tables and chairs. There’s not only an in-house restaurant, but the Malbar (clever!), where we learned that Happy Hour begins Friday at 5:00pm…
The Room
Our standard room was much better than standard. While their website boasts suites with a snooker table or a fireplace, our room was classy, quiet, and very comfortable. What more could you want for an overnight stay?
We opted to have champagne and truffles on arrival, which were waiting, and much appreciated, when we arrived upstairs!
I did have a bit of trouble getting ready in the morning, though. The lighting in the bedroom isn’t well placed for putting on makeup, despite there being a few mirrors to choose from.
The Details
You never know what you’re going to get, especially at chain hotels. But, I’m a big fan of the toiletries at the Malmaison! Their shower gel smells amazing, and the bottles are 100 ml. Have you ever seen toiletries that size provided in a regular room?
Another big plus for out-of-towners, is that the hotel is located on Victoria Street, which I know now is quite central, and around the corner from a big shopping centre. We were a 10 minute walk from anything we wanted to see in the city.
We were tired in the evening after our long drive, and decided to eat in the hotel restaurant. Called the Brasserie, it has a more rustic decor than the rest of the hotel, and excellent food. I tried their Fritto Misto, which was very good tempura, and Le French Burger, complete with Brie cheese. Hotel restaurants can be hit or miss, and this was a definite winner.
The Verdict
This was my first time staying at a Malmaison hotel, and I wouldn’t have known it was a chain if I hadn’t been told. The hotel and restaurant staff were friendly, the atmosphere was great, and we were around the corner from anything and everything in town. I’d definitely stay here on another visit to Belfast, and hope to be able to visit another Malmaison in the future.
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