Legendary Dublin hotel The Shelbourne is celebrating its 200th anniversary this year. In honor of this special milestone, the hotel has launched new activities and offerings for guests, including a renovated exclusive bar, new culinary offerings and immersive overnight packages for celebratory stays.
Called “Ireland’s living room,” The Shelbourne has played a significant role in the literary, social, political, culinary and artistic traditions of Irish society. From serving as the host for the drafting of the Irish Constitution in 1922 (a copy remains on display at the hotel today), to reinventing and reinterpreting the use of Irish whiskey in new and innovative ways, to serving as a gathering place for great political, cultural, literary and artistic figures, including Grace Kelly, Clark Gable, The Rolling Stones and Michelle Obama, the hotel has been at the center of some of the most significant moments in history.
To honor its legacy, The Shelbourne is gathering cherished memories and photos from generations of guests around the world to showcase its history. (Guests, visitors, locals and fans can send their memories and stories to stories@theshelbourne.com.)
At the top of the grand staircase, the hotel's newly renovated 1824 Bar is a private cocktail bar reserved exclusively for overnight in-house guests. 1824 serves top-shelf whiskeys, high-end wines and a dedicated cocktail list complete with twists on classic favorites, all presented in crystal glassware. Vibrant murals in two panels by artist Paul Slater flank the bar and evoke a fantasy landscape populated by characters from Irish fiction, film and history, as well as notable guests who have spent time at The Shelbourne—among them Elizabeth Taylor, John Wayne, Maureen O’Hara, the characters from the film "Ryan’s Daughter," Eamon De Valera, Michael Collins and others.
Long famed for its afternoon tea service, the hotel's special 200th Birthday menu has iconic desserts from the past 200 years modified for today’s appetites. Highlights include The Éclair—speculated to have been fashioned in France in 1860 by Marie-Antonie Careme, now served carbon black for tea at The Shelbourne with a rich chocolate glaze, vanilla crème and a feuilltine chocolate ganache crisp; The Peach Melba—originally created in 1893 by Auguste Escoffier at the Savoy London to honor opera singer Nellie Melba, now reinvented with peach compote and a raspberry gel enclosed in a peach mascarpone mousse on a rice crisp base; and more.
The hotel’s food and beverage team has curated new culinary offerings that honor the hotel’s history while highlighting its innovative approach to dining. At No. 27 Bar, guests can toast to the milestone with two special anniversary cocktails. Served in a crystal rocks glass, The Legacy has a complex flavor profile of mixed berry, cinnamon, vanilla, chocolate, cloves and star anise notes. Served in a crystal highball glass and garnished with Irish whiskey cream tea, The Heritage combines whiskey, poitín, wild thyme, rosemary dust, lemon juice, milk, and homemade herbal vermouth foam.
To pay homage to the property’s literary history, The Shelbourne developed a new recipe to honor Bram Stoker, acclaimed Irish author and one of the many literary legends who spent time at the hotel. Robber Steak makes a cameo appearance in Stoker’s gothic novel "Dracula," as the narrator Jonathan Harker records the meal in his journal on his fateful journey to the count’s Transylvanian castle. It is available at No. 27 Bar through the end of the year. The hotel has given a new twist to this iconic dish, combining mushrooms, onion, red pepper and beef in a puff pastry.
The hotel is also hosting a series of four Whiskey Tasting events in the Horseshoe Bar, the first of which was an exclusive masterclass with the esteemed Drew Mayville from Pappy Van Winkle on May 17th from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The tasting includes an exquisite selection of five different whiskeys: three from the hotel’s exclusive Pappy Van Winkle collection and two from the renowned Sazerac range.
The hotel is also offering "A Toast to 200 Years of History" package for guests. It includes a luxurious overnight stay in a deluxe room, gourmet daily breakfast in The Saddle Room, plus two handcrafted celebratory cocktails: The Legacy and The Heritage (as mentioned above). It is available for stays now through November 30, 2024, subject to availability; promo code QZR.
This summer, travelers can also take advantage of the "200 Summers Suite Dreams" package, complete with an overnight stay in a deluxe suite, a bottle of Laurent-Perrier Champagne, two commemorative The Shelbourne 200-year mugs, and complimentary overnight parking. The longer a guest stays the more they save, as this package offers up to 25 percent off for a four- or seven-night stay. Valid for stays May 1 to September 30, 2024, subject to availability; promo code KPK.
For more information and to book, visit theshelbourne.com.
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