Tourist guidebooks to Ireland rarely comment on the design of the country's hotels, simply because there is rarely anything worth saying on the subject.
However, two Dublin hotels are often singled out for their appearance: the Clarence and its counterpart on the north side of the Liffey, the Morrison. While the latter is newly built, the 19th century Clarence was completely overhauled and reopened to the public five years ago. As so often with good contemporary design, much of its success lies in combining excellent materials with clean lines. There are no fussy patterns or unnecessary detailing.
Instead, the Clarence's architect, Keith Hobbs of United Designers in London, took the simple forms of the early 20th century interior and reinterpreted them in a contemporary vein using materials such as Kilkenny limestone and American white oak. Just as importantly, unlike many Irish hotels where the ground-floor areas are given far more attention than the rest of the building, here the same quality design can be found in the public spaces and guest bedrooms. This is also true of the Morrison, which opened last year on Ormond Quay. Architect Hugh Wallace and designer John Rocha again used natural materials such as wood and stone, and even the decorative details found in the lobby - dyed velvet throws and oriental vases - reappear in the bedrooms.
The result is a satisfying sense of consistency and quality, combined with meticulous attention to detail. Without a floral print or a brass rail on the premises, the Morrison succeeds in conveying the spirit of today's affluent Ireland better than almost any other new hotel in this country.
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