http://www.hotelchatter.com/ Hotel Reviews, Hotel Ratings, Hotel Openings en-us Copyright 2008 - SFO Media 2008-09-05T20:55:49Z HotelChatter HotelChatter http://www.hotelchatter.com/images/hcwhite.jpg http://www.hotelchatter.com/ http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2008/8/5/72156/18682 <![CDATA[<img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/3873/Mount_Juliet_Conrad_Hotel.jpg" class="imgborder"><p> <p>Calling all horse lovers: the <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/Conrad+Mount+Juliet/ian/180185"><b>Mount Juliet Conrad Hotel</b></a> in Ireland is doing everything right for you. Not too many hotels have an equestrian center on site, but Mount Juliet does, complete with new stables, two arenas and both of those fence-jumping trails (show jumping and cross country fences, for those in the know).<p>The new equestrian center has just been officially opened and added to the list of reasons to book in to Mount Juliet. Those lucky enough to get to the opening saw all kinds of horsey stuff, including Ukrainian Cossack riding and, as they describe it, some "stylish side-saddle" demonstrations. We're sorry we missed it.<p>Mount Juliet is a pretty huge estate about two hours amandak 2008-08-05T11:00:04-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2008/7/18/115039/669 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/admin/clarence_ext.jpg" class="imgborder"><p>The rock band U2 has been struggling to get the addition/renovation plans for their Dublin Hotel, <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/The+Clarence/local/1114"><b>The Clarence</b></a>, approved for quite some time now. <p>Initially, the city's preservationists called the plans a "bastardisation" but it looks like Bono and Co. will get their way after all. <a href="http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/u2-hotel-revamp-gets-green-light-but-only-if-rooftop-is-open-to-all-13912003.html">The Belfast Telegraph</a> reports:<blockquote><p>The Republic's planning board, An Bord Pleanala, has granted planning permission for a controversial redevelopment of the Clarence Hotel on the Dublin quays, but included an unusual condition that the public must have access to the fabled 'sky bar' which is an intrinsic part of the plans.</blockquote></p><p>True, that might mean the rock stars, celebrities and dignitaries Bono wants to host at his hotel may have to rub juliana 2008-07-18T12:00:18-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2008/5/1/45638/39459 <![CDATA[<p><i>You know the scene. You open the door to your brand new hotel room, run over to the window, open the blinds and bam, you are hit with the anti-view. Maybe you are looking down a dirty alley, witnessing a drug deal, staring at an air shaft in the face, or seeing a brick wall. Whatever you are viewing it is not extremely pleasurable. Help out your fellow hotel mavens by uploading your anti-views to the <a href="http://flickr.com/groups/hotelchatter/">HotelChatter/Flickr photo pool</a>, or by <a href="mailto:tips@hotelchatter.com">sending the photo along to us</a>. Remember to tell us the name of the hotel and the room number with the not-so-easy-on-the-eyes view.</i><p><p> <img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/3873/Anti_View_Camden_Court_Dublin.jpg" class="imgborder"><p> <p>Aptly described by a guest as a "non-view", this is what amandak 2008-05-01T09:07:12-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2008/4/16/16133/6708 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/admin/clarence_ext.jpg" class="imgborder"><p>Last fall, the renovations plans for the U2 Hotel, aka <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/The+Clarence/local/1114"><b>The Clarence</b></a>, in Dublin were slammed by preservationists who called the proposed hotel design a <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2007/10/3/132633/370/hotels/Bono_s_Hotel_Plans_Strike_Pride_In_the_Name_of_Angry_Dubliners">bastardisation</a>. &nbsp;<p>And the fight is getting nastier as a planning board hearing was underway today. Guitarist The Edge stood up for the renovation which would give the hotel a "new building topped with a massive glass dome." He said:<p> <blockquote><p>"We feel that while it's very important to preserve the fabric of the period parts of the city, you've got to weigh up the benefits of what would be an incredible coup for Dublin City, a Norman Foster building," he said. "I feel that that outweighs the sacrifice of parts of what juliana 2008-04-16T16:17:00-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2008/4/9/82751/75939 <![CDATA[<img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/3873/Best_Western_Academy_Plaza_Dublin.jpg" class="imgborder"><p> <p>After finding that the <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2008/4/2/61025/83471/hotels/International_Hotel_WiFi_Hotspot_in_Madrid_s_Best_Western">Best Western Madrid</a> does pretty well in the WiFi stakes, we weren't surprised to discover that the same chain is advertising good access in Dublin, too. The <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/Best+Western+Academy+Hotel/ian/174272"><b>Best Western Academy Plaza Hotel</b></a> in central Dublin boasts free WiFi throughout the hotel; they emphasize that this is throughout the property, including guest bedrooms.</p><p>We've been hunting for feedback, but haven't yet heard from anyone who's used the WiFi service. There is also an internet service in guest rooms if you don't have a laptop, and it seems to operate via the television set--one <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g186605-d212803-r14829394-Best_Western_Academy_Plaza_Hotel-Dublin_County_Dublin.html">recent guest</a> complained that their room didn't have a remote control for the TV and it had to be amandak 2008-04-09T09:38:25-05:00 Search HotelChatter string http://www.hotelchatter.com/search/