The Bar/Lounge at The Merrion Hotel

"Elegant hotel boasting opulent lounges, a stylish, intimate cocktail bar and a characterful barrel-ceilinged bar in the 18C wine vaults"

"Dining options include Patrick Guilbaud's two-Michelin-starred restaurant (the best in town), and kids are well catered for, from the room-service Pooh Bear and Barbie crockery to minirobes for the pool"

"The impressive restaurant offering includes Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud, the only restaurant in Ireland to receive two Michelin stars, as well as the casual and atmospheric Cellar Bar, housed in the original 18th century wine vaults"

"The period details in the Main House's rooms and suites—from the crown molding and damask upholstery to the color scheme of cream, slate blue, dusty red, and sage green—have been chosen to reflect historical accuracy; the formal tearoom (where wood fires flicker in the hearths) and the vaulted, subterranean cellar bar whisk you back to the 1700s"

"If it’s raining, retreat to the green-walled Bar No"

"Downstairs the lobby and lounges have formal furniture and fires glowing in hearths -- the kinds of places where proper afternoon tea seems called for"

"Roaring fires burn in the cozy lounges, and there’s a serene infinity pool, too"

"The Cellar Bar in the original 18th-century wine vault—a warm, almost rustic nook with bare brick walls, vaulted ceilings and plank floors—spotlights traditional Irish musicians"

"Gastropub grub is on the menu at Cellar Bar, and contemporary Irish fare is served at Cellar Restaurant"

"The wine program also sings and should not be passed over, even if you plan to head to the Cellar Bar after"