Location, location, location is the oft-heralded mantra for hospitality success and it doesn’t get much better than Belfast’s voco hotel, a short walk from downtown, the City Hall and a host of cafes, restaurants, clubs and shops.
Not to mention it also being tucked away from traffic in the historic Gasworks district beside an attractive water feature, a stretch of the Farset River from which Belfast gains its name (Beal Feirste - Gaeilge for ‘mouth of the Farset’) and open grassy areas where people leisurely walk their dogs.
Standing tall amidst what was once the city’s old gas works, now a renovated network of offices, the hotel, a member of the InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), is in a secluded spot, a few hundred yards from the nearby traffic noise of Cromac Street and Ormeau Avenue leading into the city center. This hotel is the first of the brand in Northern Ireland, one of 87 hotels in 25 different countries since being launched seven years ago.
Two entrance doors, one beside its spacious car park, the other fronting the water feature and grassy lawn, lead into this 120-room hotel.
Beside its ample car park, an expansive lobby welcomes visitors, with an abundance of soft cushioned armchairs and settees along the walls and a central long wooden table suitable for ten or more people to work comfortably on computers, as indeed they were when my companion and I visited.
Decor along the walls comprises a palette of colorful framed paintings, eclectic-modern in style, reminding me of the early works of Pablo Picasso, with potted plants and shapely lamps further enhancing the ambience. I was delighted to see a cosy corner to the right of the entrance doors, caddy corner to the reception desk, with shelves filled with books.
Rory, from Derry, with comprehensive hospitality experience in the UK and Ireland, was on reception duty and like all the staff we encountered over our two days there was welcoming and helpful. Staff friendliness and their diverse nationalities was another attraction of our stay, local Belfast people with their innate, earthy and refreshing sense of Irish humor seamlessly fusing with the more formal attention of immigrant staff from countries as diverse as India, Pakistan and Ghana.
Food, Italian in style, is served in the ground-floor POMO Bar & Restaurant featuring floor-to-ceiling windows facing vintage 19th century brown-brick buildings outside that makes the district such an historic part of Belfast. Arriving late one evening ravenous after a day-long drive from Wexford in Ireland’s south-east coast, with not much time before the restaurant closed, we relied on our server, Marc Lennon, for his insightful food tips.
We were rewarded with crisp Caesar salads as starters and large calamari rings fried in a light crispy batter, as well as tender chicken with parmesan melted over it, accompanied by smooth mashed potatoes.
A wide selection of wines spanned Argentina, Chile, Australia, Spain, France, New Zealand, and of course, Italy.
I also counted 13 cocktails on the menu and four mocktails, as well as ten Irish whiskies, including a 21-year-old Bushmills, the distillery being an hour’s drive north of the city.
One dining challenge may be choosing a dessert, with tartufo and pistachio served with vanilla ice-cream, tiramisu with cherry flavours, Italian cheesecake and chocolate mousse among mouth-watering options.
The restaurant also has an open air terrace for those wishing to dine alfresco.
Our suite, 602, was spacious and offered floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking a copse of trees and an aerial view over the rooftops of central Belfast. It was also well-furnished with armchairs and a small table, a working desk, flat-screen TV and coffee and tea-making facilities. Our bathroom featured both a shower and bath.
With Belfast emerging as a popular European tourist destination, voco hotel offers guests a relaxing experience with friendly staff in a location that is only a ten-minute walk to many downtown highlights.
