Gleesons Townhouse, Booterstown, Dublin

The word August, according to the dictionary, means ‘impressive’ or ‘high ranking’.  It is fitting then that one of Dublin’s boutique townhouse hotels, Gleesons Townhouse, on Booterstown Avenue in South Dublin opened its doors in August 2018.  The bedrooms are impressive by any standard, particularly the Suite which has a view all the way down Booterstown Avenue and across Dublin Bay. The rooms have been decorated in contemporary classic style and will stand the test of time very well. The owners of this establishment are two brothers, John and Ciaran Gleeson, who saw a gap for guests who were happy to stay in one of Dublin’s nicest suburbs rather than the more congested city area.   The Townhouse marries well with the main business, which is that of a gastro pub and shop.  It is also my ‘go to’  local for my newspaper, coffee and scone most mornings.

There are three categories of rooms, classic, de luxe and superior and one very elegant Suite.  I was very pleased to see that the softer elements were all of a high standard such as brand toiletries. Not all the rooms have spectacular views but the Gleeson brothers have cleverly managed to ensure maximum light with a glass walled corridor surrounding a roof garden area.  There is also a discreet Residents Bar, so a nice little hideaway for that late night bedtime tipple!  Tourists will find it a great place to stay; being only 5 minutes walk to a Dart station and 4 minutes to the main Rock Road which has a very good bus service into the city centre.  It is also ideal for anybody coming for work because of its proximity to the Blackrock Clinic and UCD and it is only a short bus ride to the Embassy belt of Ballsbridge.

It is fantastic to see this type of owner managed boutique hotel doing so well. Nearly all the major hotels are part of large chains and with a rather boring formulaic feel to them.  The Gleeson family have owned this popular pub for well over 60 years.  It is pretty obvious that they are an integral part of the fabric of this local community.  I know for sure that they get plenty of recommendations from regulars who have visiting relatives and friends.

I am just glad that the status quo remains so I can still saunter over to buy a small ice cream (baby blob!) for my visiting grandchildren as I relax with a coffee.  Online bookings can be made on their website with more information on what’s happening on their Facebook page.

Gleesons of Booterstown,

44 Booterstown Ave, Williamstown, Booterstown, Co. Dublin, A94 P981