Wednesday, October 19, 2016

Magic Bullitt: A sneak preview of Ireland's hippest new hotel

Bullitt Belfast
Bullitt Belfast's Baltic Bar. Photo: Kelvin Boyes, Press Eye.
One of Bullitt Belfast's bedrooms. Photo: Rob Durston
Exterior of Bullitt Belfast. Photo: Pól Ó Conghaile
Taylor and Clay Restaurant, Bullitt Belfast. Pictures by Kelvin Boyes, Press Eye.
Baltic bar at Bullitt Belfast. Pictures by Kelvin Boyes, Press Eye.
Belfast, reflected in Bullitt's windows. Pictures by Kelvin Boyes, Press Eye.
Taylor and Clay restaurant, Bullitt Belfast. Pictures by Kelvin Boyes, Press Eye.
Bullitt Belfast's Baltic Bar. Pictures by Kelvin Boyes, Press Eye.
Bullitt Belfast's espresso bar. Pictures by Kelvin Boyes, Press Eye.
Bullitt Belfast's lobby. Pictures by Kelvin Boyes, Press Eye.
Bullitt Belfast. Pictures by Kelvin Boyes, Press Eye.
Bullitt Belfast. Pictures by Kelvin Boyes, Press Eye.
Bullitt Belfast's courtyard. Pictures by Kelvin Boyes, Press Eye.

Bullitt Belfast opens its doors this weekend. Here's a sneak preview of what guests can expect.

Belfast has bitten the Bullitt.

43 slick rooms, Northern Ireland's first ski-themed bar, a 58-seater restaurant and the city's slickest coffee machine are open for business on Church Lane.

Bullitt Belfast, the latest venture from the Beannchor Group – the people behind the five-star Merchant Hotel - is a brash new symbol for a city that has come on in leaps and bounds since the Troubles ended and tourism began in earnest.

One of Bullitt Belfast
One of Bullitt Belfast's bedrooms. Photo: Rob Durston

Titanic Belfast, Game of Thrones, Michelin Stars for OX and EIPIC and a booming casual food scene and Cathedral Quarter are now joined by £7 million (€7.75m) hotel inspired by the timeless cool of Steve McQueen.

Rooms start from £120 (€132), and designers have gone for a fit-out (see galleries) that blurs the lines between work and play, reflecting the way urban travellers increasingly use hotels as hangouts, work spaces and accommodation.

Bullitt Belfast
Bullitt Belfast's lobby. Pictures by Kelvin Boyes, Press Eye.

Features include 'super-fast' Wi-Fi, an open kitchen and bespoke Asador Grill in its restaurant, one of the only Kees van der Westen coffee machines in Ireland, and a centrepiece courtyard sculpture based on Jameson barrells.

All rooms offer king-size beds, smart TVs and a daily breakfast bag filled with OJ, a granola pot and a piece of fruit to kick-start the guest's day.

Taylor and Clay Restaurant, Bullitt Belfast. Pictures by Kelvin Boyes, Press Eye.
Taylor and Clay Restaurant, Bullitt Belfast. Pictures by Kelvin Boyes, Press Eye.

Cocktails, craft beers and smoked specials flow, in an atmosphere that feels like a cross between Dublin's Dean Hotel and Belfast's Dirty Onion.

The hotel opens this weekend, with a small private events space - The Good Room - catering for anything from launch parties to intimate weddings.

A gorgeous @Jameson_NI Black Barrel Old Fashioned to kick off the launch party #bullittbelfast pic.twitter.com/SOZO7WCQZH

— Bullitt Belfast (@BullittBelfast) October 14, 2016

On a hard hat visit recently, I loved the brash, 'can-do' attitude that would have been unthinkable alien to this city not long ago, but wondered how late-arrivals guests might navigate the courtyard and lobby bars in full flow - and, as with all of hotels hanging their hats on bold design - how the concept will age.

Time will tell. For now, Bullitt Belfast aspires to a four-star ranking.

See bullitthotel.com or @BullittBelfast for more.

Read more:

First Look: The Dean Hotel, Dublin

Belfast: 12 Titanic attractions  

Belfast: 10 bars, cafes and restaurants you won't want to miss

Online Editors

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