We review Anantara The Marker Dublin Hotel, a city landmark overlooking the waterfront of Grand Canal Square

Anantara The Marker Dublin Hotel should really be on Visit Dublin’s top ten list of things to see: it’s one heck of a landmark. The striking cuboid draws on the elemental nature of the Irish landscape, combined with an urban aesthetic glistening against the waterfront where it is positioned. This is right on the Grand Canal, part of the regenerated Docklands that exemplify the city’s cosmopolitan future. Inside, you’ll find 187 guest rooms and suites, a spa and wellness facility, and a modern Irish restaurant with fantastic wines and bubbles at breakfast. But booze aside, what was the rest of the hotel experience like? Here’s our rundown.

While this stay was complimentary, all thoughts and opinions are our own

Anantara The Marker Dublin Hotel review

The location

Originally a Viking settlement and Port, the Grand Canal Docks have developed to become one of the city’s hippest urban areas, home to so many tech and finance giants that some call it ‘Silicon Docks’. Aside from modernist business, the city’s historic and cultural charms lay close by, including the National Museum, the National Gallery, the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, and the Aviva Stadium. College Green Plaza and the Grafton Street shopping hub are also within walking distance of the hotel. 

Rooms and suites

Expect views over Grand Canal Square and the Docklands from most rooms, all of which are nicely bathed in natural light that radiates through the floor-to-ceiling windows. Ours was a Junior Corner Suite (334), with a comfy seating area in front of the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre. This was great for people watching pre- and post-show.

The suite was a contemporary style, and while the business blue carpet colour wasn’t to our taste, the rest of the room’s fixtures and art elevated the overall look and feel in line with Anantara’s elegant Asian styling. Speaking of business, the spacious quarters featured a long window facing desk with plenty of room for two guests to work, plus a Nespresso machine and Tea by Solaris, and excellent connectivity, including fast Wi-Fi and wireless charging for devices (USB ports also available).

Our black marble bathroom (some room options are white) featured a shower and tub, with organic local toiletries by VOYA. The lime and mandarin scent was delicious and reminded us of Jo by Jo Loves in London.

The whole check-in to the room experience was exceptional. We’d say service is among the property’s strongest points, whether that’s thoughtful turn-down service, a unique local Irish welcome amenity, or staff remembering you from the night before. Asian hospitality and Irish warmth make for a winning combination here.

Food and drink

When in Ireland, eat Irish. Forbes Street is the signature restaurant helmed by Gareth Mullins, who passionately sources produce locally and leads with those ingredients in each kitchen creation. At our time of visit, the stars were cuts from John Stone Irish Butchers, and a local cheese selection, and we were impressed with the robust wine list, which featured boutique Champagne houses and a Lebanese Coravin-poured red.

This is the same venue where breakfast is served. Guests can order items a la carte as well as tuck into a nice variety on the buffet comprising hot station, pastries, fruit and cereals. We especially liked that the fruits included plump red strawberries and passion fruit, though these may vary depending on the season of your arrival.

Summer is the best time to enjoy The Rooftop Bar & Terrace, where both indoor and outdoor seating is available. Here you’ll get 360˚ views which extend to the mountains on one side and the Irish Sea on the other. Sights are so stunning, there was a heavy rotation of photo shoots during our drinks session. Very entertaining. The menu featured cocktails and sharing Asian platters, of which some plates are large enough to count as dinner, like the sweet Gochujang chicken.

The gym and spa

With plenty of exploration on foot, we did not take advantage of the fully equipped gym, though we did give the pool a whirl. The 23-metre pool is long enough for laps, yet there’s plenty of space to recline and relax. A Jacuzzi, eucalyptus-infused steam room, sauna, and quiet areas offer more respite. 

You’ll need to pick up slippers and towels upon entry to the facility. The spa slippers were of a disposable soft variety, and we’d love, in future, if the hotel would consider a more eco-friendly option, as it seemed a waste to throw away slippers after such short use.

Spa guests have a variety of treatments to choose from for an additional fee, including a signature 90-minute full-body treatment called The Marker Dream. 

Things to do

We enjoyed being within walking distance of key attractions such as The National Gallery and Trinity College.

For Guinness fans, and even those who aren’t, you can’t really miss the Guinness Storehouse. The attraction at St James’s Gate offers seven floors of Guinness-related discoveries, including exhibits, tastings, a working brewery, a 360-degree Gravity Bar, and a store. We did the self-guided tour with a ‘STOUTIE’ bolt-on, which places your selfies on the foam on top of another pint. It’s like boozy latte art. You can double up on Viator with a Guinness Storehouse AND Jameson Distillery tour that includes tastings at both locations. When in Ireland, right?

We also opted for an Irish Food Walking Tour with a local, as it’s the best way to get off the beaten path but at the same time sample all that’s famed in Dublin, Of course, there’s plenty of tipple involved (so do this on a separate day to the brewery tours!), including Irish Coffee, aka a creamy, whiskey spiked coffee. Other eats we sampled included Irish stew, fresh oysters, and creamy cheeses.

Getting there

Dublin is extremely well connected to the UK, and we took a budget flight from London Stansted for the weekend. The cheapest and easiest way to get there (from East London) was via National Express, which we boarded at Stratford. Tickets start at £10 each way, and the service is frequent (around every 20 minutes), so no stress if you miss one. Passengers are allowed a large 20kg suitcase in the hold plus a soft hand luggage on board. 

Upon reaching Dublin Airport, it’s easy to reach the hotel as you can take the Dublin Express, similar to the National Express,  whose services are frequent, convenient, and come with ample luggage allowance. 

For those who prefer to skip buses, the hotel does offer luxury private transfers with a smartly dressed chauffeur, which take around 25 minutes from the airport. 

Rooms start at 360 euros per night. Find out more about Anantara The Marker Dublin Hotel 

But wait, there’s more…

• If you can’t get enough of the Anantaras in Europe, check out our review of the Anantara Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky Amsterdam
• Our guide to the best boutique hotels in Dublin features more of the city’s top overnight stays
• And make sure you visit Ireland with something from our approved list of the best travel backpacks on the market