Designer interiors, old movies and shimmering Christmas trees are just some of the charming details that make any stay at The g Hotel forever memorable. Designed by Irish milliner Philip Treacy (best known for his inventive hat styles) the g is one of a kind when it comes to Irish hotels. This is a very chic five star, with a style that is still contemporary nine years after its opening.
I arrived last Friday on a dull and cold afternoon and entered the reception area; a room designed using black glass with a contrasting white concierge desk in the shape of a scroll. It was softly lit and very glossy. A large Christmas tree stood in the window providing a little extra light; adorned with hot pink baubles. On the other side, you’ll find a row of large fuchsia umbrellas (waiting to shelter guests from inevitable rain) and a long rectangular fish tank, set into the black polished wall. This shade of pink at the g is omnipresent; an everyday yet discernible colour is used so well here that brand association will be forever instilled in your memory.
Reception staff are very friendly, and I was checked in very swiftly. I reserved one night bed and breakfast and dinner at the hotel for a birthday gift for my sister. This was the very last item on a list of weeklong celebrations. We were offered a hand with our bags if we needed it, and WiFi connected immediately with no fuss. Just like home! No messing about with registration, email address verification or the like.
Although reception is completely bizarre, it’s really very elegant…and it’s unlike any reception area I have ever stepped into before.
We headed for the lift to take us to our room on the second floor, and found ourselves at the beginning of what seems to be a never ending lobby. This lobby is magic! Follow the pink carpet and you’ll find it connects to various seating areas, each of which has a different style of design. The first was my favourite…
High ceilings, comfy chairs and glittering tables illuminated overhead by a cluster of silver orbs. Naturally this had to be be our first stop for a cocktail after ditching our bags in the room.
Speaking of our journey to find our room, we only got a sense of the hotel’s size when we got to the second floor. We walked for quite a bit around long corridors, past countless doors displaying digits that were nowhere close to our room number. Each corner we came to had seating…perhaps to take a rest before you set off again to find your room!
When we did find our room, we opened the door with a very fancy security system indeed. The g Hotel don’t even use Do Not Disturb signs, they’re that fancy…inside the door you’ll find a switch you can flick which will turn on a red light outside your room to let staff know not to disturb.
Our room was a dream! Plush grey interiors with lots of pink accents, as anticipated. The room was spotless and was equipped with everything we needed. The g cupcakes, bottles of water and copy of Image were nice touches; the g know how to do details. I loved the little seating area, perfect for having a drink or a cup of coffee in the room while flicking through the magazine in peace. No fear of spilling coffee on the bed either, if you’re accident prone like myself.
The g have a good selection of cocktails, and some are 2 for 1. We ordered two elderflower bellinis (fresh apple juice, elderflower syrup and prosecco) and sat facing the window by a huge Christmas tree, watching the world go by. I booked a table for a relatively early dinner, so we headed back to the room to get ready for the night ahead and popped open some champagne to truly get into the swing of things.
The hotel restaurant is called gigi’s. While decorated boldly, the hues and accents of gigi’s are a little more subdued with compared to the rest of The g. I ordered a carafe of Rioja (which ended up being the perfect amount for the entire dinner) and we made our ‘delight’ menu selections. There are a few different kinds of menus available, at different prices. A great idea depending on taste and budget.
Grilled shrimp bruschetta – The horseradish hollandaise was incredible and the prawns were perfect.
My sister had the caesar salad and really enjoyed it. Very interesting presentation!
We both had to order the braised beef. The meat was wonderfully tender and lay on a bed of mashed potato, pearl onions and the tiniest mushrooms I have ever seen. The mash had tiny slivers of beef throughout. Such a delicious dish!
We were order twins again for dessert, as neither of us can say no to anything involving chocolate. Another beautifully presented dish, the dark chocolate tart was perfect in every way; rich and silky in texture with a crumbly base. The splashed shards of white chocolate were a pretty touch.
The food was fantastic and our waiter couldn’t have been nicer. He asked at the beginning of dinner why we were visiting Galway; which brought me to mention the milestone birthday. At the end of our meal he came out with another dessert for my sister with Happy 18th Birthday written in chocolate, complete with candle. The staff are very caring and make a special effort to make your stay memorable.
Our walk from the restaurant back to the first lounge, passing all the different kinds of rooms.
By this time of the night, the blinds were pulled and we noticed My Fair Lady was projected on the wall. The movie reel, tree and lights created such a warm and inviting atmosphere.
Refreshed and relaxed, we headed into the city for the night. Reception ordered us a taxi, which was there in less than two minutes. The city is a ten minute drive away…a bit far to walk but still close enough that you’re not stranded. Cost wise, the taxi in to town cost us €12 (to Lower Dominick Street) and we hailed one from Eyre Square to return to the hotel later that night which cost €6.
When we got back, we sank our heads into the big squishy pillows in one of the comfiest beds I have ever stayed in. There wasn’t a sound, the room remained the perfect temperature and we didn’t stir once until phone alarms rattled, letting us know it was time for breakfast.
The g put on a great spread. Meats, cheeses, fruits, yoghurt, cereals and pastries covered every surface. The juices available (apple, orange, grapefruit) were all freshly squeezed. Another table was home to several steaming chaffer dishes, that kept sausages, bacon, grilled tomato, mushroom, pudding and scrambled eggs piping hot.
Although there’s a huge buffet, you’ll be given a menu with cooked to order breakfast options. I was giddy when I saw eggs benedict on the menu, so had to order that, and lots of coffee. We had a very small plate from the buffet (we couldn’t go without trying a few things!) and when we came back with our plates, there was a fresh pot of coffee and a full toast rack waiting for us. The coffee was more than I was expecting. Strong, incredibly fresh and almost inky black.
The breakfast service was swift and efficient, and the food was excellent. The variety kept things interesting and we were certainly setup for the day ahead.
The g Hotel scores 5 out of 5 from start to finish. I do regret not staying longer to check out the spa (which looks spectacular) but our time there was very enjoyable. My sister was very impressed but more importantly, happy…and that’s all that mattered at the end of the day!
The g Hotel
Wellpark,
Galway City
www.theghotel.ie
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