On the heels of a business trip to Chicago, I headed straight out for another one. This time I was headed to Ireland and more specifically, to its charming and rather compact capital city of Dublin. Traveling from O’Hare International Airport, I was booked on Aer Lingus, the nation’s flag carrier, which operates from Terminal 3. Although not an official member of the Oneworld Alliance, Aer Lingus is part of a transatlantic joint venture with American Airlines, British Airways, Finnair and Iberia. After checking in at the Business Class counter, I was invited to visit the American Airlines Flagship Lounge located in Concourse H/K. This lounge has always received positive reviews for its food and drink selections as well as its comfortable atmosphere and friendly staff, so I was anxious to see it for myself.
Upon entering the lounge, I was pleasantly surprised to note that all guests were offered a glass of Piper Heidsieck Champagne. That was a very nice touch! The lounge occupies a long and somewhat open space with a quiet/sleeping room toward the far end. I entered just after 6:00 PM and my flight was scheduled to depart at 9:00, so it became more and more crowded with the approach of the evening hours. Unlike the United Polaris Clubs, no bartenders were on site and drinks were all self service, but the selections were steps up from those found at the Admirals Clubs. Additionally, there were no wait staff taking food orders either. Instead, diners selected their choices from a buffet that included typical soups and salads, but also featured higher-end items like Sushi, Beef Brisket Sliders and Shrimp Fra Diavolo. In any case, I didn’t want to eat too much as I was looking forward to the dinner selections on my overnight flight to Ireland. Overall this was a quiet, clean, pleasant lounge and a nice respite from the crowds in the terminal and, most importantly, all the employees I encountered were both friendly and professional.
The flight boarded on time at 8:20 with Business Class passengers going first. After being greeted warmly, I found my way to seat 2A on the port side of the aircraft. The forward cabin of the carrier’s Airbus A330-300s have seven rows in an unusual layout. The even rows featured a 1 x 2 x 2 configuration while the odd ones were in a 1 x 2 x 1 layout. And Row 1 only had three seats (1 x 2). The downside to this layout meant that only the even rows provided direct aisle access to every occupant and so I was very happy to have claimed a window seat all to myself. The cloth seats had a leather headrest and all 30 measured 21” wide with a 58” pitch and were well designed. The power ports (both plug & USB), headphone jack, entertainment handset, reading light, and seat controls (two of them) were off to one side and very easy to access. In addition, there were multiple storage areas. Among them was a large, conveniently located side storage area as well as a basket below for shoes. There was also an enclosed storage area below the TV screen! A pillow, headphones and bottled water were at my seat on arrival. Menus and a small Voya amenity kit were handed out before take-off. Pre-departure drink choices included water, orange juice or champagne.
The dinner service began about 30 minutes after takeoff. Cocktails and peanuts were served and tray tables set with linen and flatware. The starter featured Chunks of Hot-Smoked Salmon with Fennel Slaw on Herbed Mayo. For dinner, I chose the Irish Beef Fillet with Guinness and Rosemary Potatoes and Mixed Vegetables. A glass of French Bordeaux was the perfect compliment to the main course. A selection of Artisan Irish Cheeses with Fruit Chutney and an Irish cream Profiterole with Chocolate Ganache were presented for dessert. I stretched out for a few hours sleep in the 6’ 5“ long flat bed and skipped the breakfast service before landing. We touched down at the Dublin Airport the following morning at 10:20 AM after a journey of about seven hours and 20 minutes.
Customs and Immigration formalities in Ireland were easy enough and I was on my way to the hotel before 11:00. Although it was a short 7-mile trip downtown, the taxi ride took about a half hour and cost roughly $26 US. I was staying at the former Westin Dublin Hotel, which is now known as the College Green Hotel, part of the Autograph Collection by Marriott. My Lifetime Platinum Elite status came in handy as I snagged an upgrade to a 517-square foot Heritage Deluxe Balcony Room with an outstanding view of the city center. The spacious room was lovely, featuring Donegal linens and custom-woven carpets augmented by complimentary Wi-fi and 24-hour room service. A fully stocked mini bar was also available as well as a Nespresso coffee machine, mineral water, a bathrobe, slippers and Amouage bathroom amenities. Formerly a bank, the hotel has 191 contemporary guest rooms and suites. Of special mention is The Mint Bar on the lower level, which occupies the bank’s former vault.
With business in my rearview, I was anxious to visit the Guinness Storehouse. I’ll admit it’s not easy to be considered iconic, but Guinness has certainly done it! Famous the world over, this traditional Irish stout beer started life in St. Jame’s Gate in the heart of old Dublin. Back in 1759, an enterprising 34-year old brewer by the name of Arthur Guinness took out a 9,000-year lease on a then disused brewery for an annual rent of £45. Several centuries later, the Storehouse was born. Built in the style of the Chicago School of Architecture circa 1904, it was originally used as a fermentation house. Today it’s Ireland’s number one visitor attraction containing a gleaming, multimedia exhibition on everything from retro advertising to the craft of brewing. I topped off my visit with a pint in the 360-degree Gravity Bar while raising a glass to Arthur’s wonderful creation!
Close by to the hotel was Grafton Street, which was originally a laneway in the early 1700s. It was later a fashionable residential street with some commercial spaces. Now Grafton Street is a busy pedestrian-only shopping mecca in the city center. Famous for its live music and street performers, these buskers pay a fee to perform and are limited to one hour in any given location. Grafton Street offered a festive and unique atmosphere amongst its historic buildings, townhouses and street-level stores and is known for its charming brick paving. I noticed that dining options were plentiful here as well, along with any number of coffee shops and of course, the quintessential Irish pubs.
When it was time to head home, I was pleased to discover the Dublin Airport has a US Customs & Border Protection (CBP) Preclearance facility in Terminal 2, from which international flights depart. We were able to complete immigration, customs, and agriculture inspections before departure. This means that passengers are treated as domestic arrivals upon reaching the United States, so they can avoid longer immigration queues and pick up their bags immediately. There are now 15 preclearance locations at airports in six countries. In addition to facilities in Ireland at both Dublin and Shannon, these include nine locations in Canada, as well as those in the United Arab Emirates, Aruba, Bermuda and The Bahamas. The strategic stationing of CBP personnel at designated foreign airports is designed to provide a much-appreciated service to inbound travelers while enforcing US immigration and customs laws at the same time.
Until next time...safe travels.
You were sensible in tasting the Guinness at the time of your visit as it is now being rationed!!! Demand for the brew has grown so much in the youth and female markets that the brewery cannot keep up demand and outside of the Republic and Northern Irish outlets they are restricting supplies. 😱