Brooks Hotel in Dublin hosted an intimate evening of champagne and canapés on Wednesday last to promote the Small Luxury Hotels of the World Group, of which it is a proud member. Ireland now has a membership of 8 hotels within the SLH group, with the newest addition being The G in Galway, which was designed in conjunction with Philip Treacy.
Other hotels in the collective are Glenlo Abbey in Galway, Hayfield Manor in Cork, Dunbrody Country House in Waterford, Park Hotel Kenmare, the Dunraven Arms in Adare, La Stampa in Dublin and Tinakilly Country House in Wicklow.
Between them they have collected numerous awards such as Condé Nast Traveller Top 25 Spas in the World (Park Hotel Kenmare), AA Irish Hotel of the Year (Hayfield Manor) and RAI Best Restaurant (Dunbrody House Hotel). Celebrities and well-known people such as President Mary McAleese, Pierse Brosnan, Drew Barrymore and Senator Hilary Clinton are among the guests who have stayed in the hotels.
Last night also served as a special occasion as it was the unveiling of the new screening room / mini cinema in Brooks Hotel. Stephanie Hayes told me it was the first of it's kind for a Dublin hotel, and the guests, who included Fergal Breen, Rebecca O'Neill from TV3 and Joan Scales, were the first to enjoy it.
Question of the week: Which rising star in the art world claims to be possessed by demons? The creative type really believes that bad spirits live inside their body. Bad spirits? More like paint fumes.
