Set sail for a Spring break at Titanic Hotel Belfast

Russell Keers enjoyed a memorable overnight stay at the Titanic Hotel Belfast, sampling award-winning cuisine and hospitality.
Executive Room at the Titanic Hotel, Belfast.Executive Room at the Titanic Hotel, Belfast.
Executive Room at the Titanic Hotel, Belfast.

Set in the heart of Belfast’s iconic Titanic Quarter, the Titanic Hotel tastefully combines the architecture from the 1880s with contemporary chic.

From the moment we checked in (3pm) until checking out, my wife and I were treated to some of the best hospitality the city has to offer.

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Our stay at the hotel commenced on Friday, February 18, and although Storm Eunice was blowing a gale outside and wintry showers were periodically falling, we were enjoying our break in comfort and style.

The hotel's bars are tastefully decorated.The hotel's bars are tastefully decorated.
The hotel's bars are tastefully decorated.

The Queens Road venue has been constructed on the site of the former Harland and Wolff shipbuilding office with the building’s original features still evident and very much at the heart of this Harcourt development.

It is conveniently located in close proximity to the Titanic Belfast visitor attraction, the SSE arena and George Best Belfast City Airport.

The hotel is approximately 15 minutes walk from Belfast city centre and around 20 minutes walk from the Titanic Quarter train halt. The hotel’s receptionists can arrange taxis for guests on request.

History brought to life

The Wolff Grill has been awarded for its fine dining offering.The Wolff Grill has been awarded for its fine dining offering.
The Wolff Grill has been awarded for its fine dining offering.
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After checking in, we were taken on a guided tour of the hotel by concierge William.

This experience rates as one of the best parts of our time at the hotel and we would highly recommend the tour to anyone who is lucky enough to stay.

William took us on a journey, both through the hotel’s main rooms and also through history. He outlined the significance of the main areas including Drawing Office One, now the scene of exuberant weddings and ceremonies, and Drawing Office Two and how over 1,700 ships, including the ill-fated Titanic, had been designed within those very walls.

William also respectfully took us to the offices of William James Pirrie and Thomas Andrews, helping us to gain a deeper insight into the history of the Titanic from when plans were first proposed to its sinking and aftermath.

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Even if you are not a history buff, or you know a lot already about the Titanic and its sister ships, William’s tour will leave you with a richer understanding of life in early 20th Century Belfast.

The tour also provides information about the building’s history from designing some of the finest vessels ever constructed to the hotel today and how after an investment of some £28m, the buildings were restored to their former glory housing one of Belfast’s most recognisable hotels.

Food and drink

We enjoyed fine dining at The Wolff Grill and it was not hard to see why the restaurant has been named Ireland’s Hotel Restaurant of the Year by the Irish Hotel Awards.

Our waitress for the evening was Sophie, who used her knowledge of the meals and locally-sourced ingredients to help us make great choices from the A La Carte menu, with everything being cooked to perfection.

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We were extremely impressed by the portion sizes, the way our meals were presented and the way the chef had crafted the meals with the freshest of local fare was to be admired.

The service provided by Sophie and her colleagues was exceptional, with everyone going above and beyond to ensure our meal in the private ‘Chief Draughtsman’s Office’ dining area was as enjoyable as possible.

After our dinner we moved to the bar at Drawing Office Two, where barman Paul prepared my wife the February cocktail of the month (a grapefruit sour made with egg white, blue curaçao, grapefruit vodka, lemon juice and sugar syrup).

I enjoyed a generous measure of Titanic Whiskey and one of the creamiest pints of Guinness I have had the pleasure of tasting in Northern Ireland.

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The bar, located in the centre of the room, and open to both residents and non-residents, has a very laid back and relaxing ambience.

The attention to detail in the bar’s decor is second to none, with the tiles adorning the edge of bar being the same as those which were used in the Titanic’s swimming pool.

This was the first time my wife and I had been out for dinner and in a bar since Covid-19 restrictions had eased and we both felt safe and secure with the cleanliness of the hotel and the guidance and hand sanitizing measures in place.

Top-class accommodation

Our room, an Executive Suite on the hotel’s fourth floor, provided panoramic views over the city’s skyline stretching from Newtownabbey to beyond the Stormont Estate.

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The spacious suite was very clean and the nautical theme added to the overall Titanic experience.

A pod coffee machine alongside bottled water provided refreshment during our time in BT3.

The bathroom was very well designed and could easily cater for many guests from babies needing bathed through to people with mobility issues.

The high-quality Paul Costelloe shower products and Bunzl Rafferty shampoo helped revitalise us on the morning of our departure.

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William encouraged us to sample some of the programming on the Titanic TV channel in our room, which helped us to learn more about the famous White Star Line ship the east Belfast hotel is named after.

Cooked breakfast in The Wolff Grill on Saturday morning again lived up to the high standards we had come to expect.

Fresh fruit and breads were also available, as well as a selection of fruit juices and hot drinks. The atmosphere was again very relaxed as we enjoyed our last couple of hours at the hotel with check out being at 11am.

The walls of the hotel feature pieces of art connected to the Titanic and the Harland and Wolff shipyard as well as portraits of some of those who sailed on ships connected to the city.

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We would encourage any guests to take the time to go round and read the various inscriptions as well as viewing the scale model of the Titanic in Drawing Office Two before checking out.

Our complimentary car parking was located in the shared site at the neighbouring Titanic Belfast visitor attraction and was very secure.

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Titanic Belfast and are sure you will too.

Factfile:

*The hotel’s Spring Break deal will run from Sunday to Thursday from March until May.

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Guests will be able to enjoy an overnight stay in one of the venue’s nautical themed rooms with a two-course dinner in The Wolff Grill Restaurant, a glass of Prosecco, a ‘Titanic sized’ breakfast and complimentary car parking for 24 hours for one vehicle. Prices start from £149 per room (based on two people sharing).

For more information about the hotel, or to make a reservation, check out www.titanichotelbelfast.com or call 02895082000.

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