Home & Away with Robert Walshe
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Weekend Hotspot – Imperial Hotel Cork - O Flynn Hotels
Located in the commercial district of South Mall in the centre of Cork the Imperial hotel a Leeside institution has graced the city since 1813 entertaining countless guests and celebrities including writers such as Sir Walter Scott, William Thackeray, Charles Dickens, composer Franz Liszt and political hero Michael Collins on the night before his assassination. The property began life in 1813 as the front portion of today’s hotel in a building commissioned as a meeting place for business dealings, the
reading of foreign newspapers and drinking claret by leading members of the Cork Committee of Merchants. The Imperial Hotel has been run by the Flynn family since 1998, having just completed a major refurbishment bringing new life to the old public areas and while transforming others. The lobby is decked out in old mahogany and marble amid a sweeping staircase and stunning chandeliers. Existing bedrooms are all modernised and well appointed with soft colours and comfortable furnishings while new superior rooms have been added alongside a stunning 2-bedroom penthouse suite with balcony and
■ Award winning Pembroke Restaurant Cork
views across the city. We ate in “Pembroke” restaurant a bright and modern brassiere. In quieter moments this space looks like a funky lounge with dark floors, glass walls, statement lighting and chunky leather chairs but on a busy Friday night expect a lively city centre spot where you can see and be seen. Located on the doorstep to Cork’s finest fish and meat markets, the hotel’s chefs prepare daily menus with fresh local produce in mind ensuring highest quality and taste. Informal dining or afternoon tea is offered in the Parisian styled “Lafayette’s” café where Corkonians meet to gossip while an impressive bar menu is now available at “76 on the Mall “ the new name for South’s Bar which was completely renovated and reborn at the end of last year. Designed for both men and women to indulge in, the Imperial’s “Escape Salon & Spa” is a gem in the heart of the city centre. They have tailored a number of packages for you to experience a total escape. I opted for the “focus facial for him “a 60 minute revitalising pure focus facial
For our best deals call 0044 28 9038 1111 or visit www.mooneyhotelgroup.com
■ Imperial Hotel Cork Lobby treatment combining aromatic steam towels. At Escape Salon & Spa therapists are ■ Escape Spa at highly trained in all the Imperial Ho tel Cork kinds of Aveda spa treatments and be sure to exAdd an perience the vitality suite re- additional night’s stay for lieving all tension and stress as little as €70 per person. through tropical rain and While in Cork soak up the armist showers, aroma and salt tistic magic from this former grottos, and a hydrotherapy European City of Culture inpool. The relaxation suite, cluding a show at the Opera with soft music and muted House or Everyman Theatre lighting will immediately or an exhibition at the Crawrestore your sense of inner ford Art Gallery. The Imperipeace. Enjoy the “ Imperial Ex- al’s location allows you to also perience “over 2 nights from find a range of antique stores €155 pps including daily Irish and high street and designer Breakfast, in room chocolates shops on nearby Oliver Plunon arrival, afternoon tea in La- kett Street suiting all styles & fayette’s Brassiere and dinner tastes. Flynn Hotels a family on an evening of your choice run group also operate a furat Pembroke Restaurant. ther three properties through-
out Ireland including Newpark Hotel Kilkenny, The Old Ground Hotel, Ennis and The Park Hotel, Dungarvan. For best rates on any of these properties www.flynnhotels. com/special-offers Robert Walshe is a travel broadcaster with Citybeat & Q Radio Network in Northern Ireland. He is also Travel Editor for River Media newspaper titles across the island of Ireland. www.robertwalshe. com