Get the first look into Cork city's newest hotel, The Dean

We got the first exclusive peek into Cork's newest and coolest hotel and rooftop restaurant

The Dean – Cork city’s newest and most stylish hotel.

It was a little bit easier to get out of bed this morning knowing that I’d get to bypass my home desk and instead head to Cork's luxurious new The Dean hotel, even if it was just for a socially-distanced tour.

Seeing as I don’t leave the four walls of my house anymore, I was struck by the sheer size of Cork’s newest boutique hotel as I drove toward the six-story structure. The glossy black building towers over Kent station, overlooking the River Lee on one side and the sunny hills of Cork city on the other.

The hotel is a quick ten-minute walk from Patrick Street, making it the perfect city-break location for locals and tourists alike. Straight away I feel like I’ve been transported, long leaving the stress of the Kinsale Road Roundabout behind.

A sign at the door welcomes me, and the rest of Cork who will be pouring into the lobby from tomorrow, to The Dean’s newest location. The reception area is similar to the original Dublin hotel, with neon signs, marble and leather furniture, and a 1930s style cocktail bar waiting to be enjoyed by modern hipsters, groups, and couples alike.

Workers excitedly run about trying to get the last bits ready, from mood music choices to filing down some of the cement walls. We start by taking the gold lift straight to the fifth floor, walking past the ground floor area which will be home to four of the hotel’s now-famous swings in a few weeks' time.

The mirrored hallways and marble-floored lifts are in theme with the reception area. The whole experience feels like taking a step out of Cork and into a swanky Manhattan venue.

The rooms are bigger than one would think a boutique hotel would offer, with a rain shower area large enough for a single bed to fit in inside the en suite. Eclectic Irish artwork decorates the bedroom walls, with a bright orange Smeg fridge, Nespresso machine, and Marshall amp littering the window area. There’s also a Smart TV offering Netflix and other streaming services perched on the wall.

The view from a bedroom in The Dean at Horgan's Quay in Cork. Picture: Denis Minihane.

There are 114 bedrooms in the hotel, with two luxurious suites and a mysterious gadget-filled penthouse also on offer. It takes everything not to lie down on the comfy looking queen bed in the standard room I’m visiting, which was custom made here in Ireland. Visitors will also get to enjoy a tray of Irish treats when they check into their room.

The team at The Dean have even thought about their environmental footprint, only offering canned water at reception and avoiding putting any single-use plastic items in the bedrooms.

While there isn't much need to leave the spacious bedrooms, a visit to The Dean isn't complete without soaring upstairs to Sophie’s rooftop restaurant and bar.

Sophie's rooftop restaurant in The Dean. Picture: Denis Minihane.

The lift opens up to the skyline entrance to Sophie’s, which will soon be decorated with another two of the hotel’s famous swings. To the left is a stunning heated outdoor dining area overlooking the river. The views continue throughout the large restaurant, which can seat 230 people in total.

The open plan kitchen looks like a chef’s dream, fully equipped with the best tools on offer to serve up the restaurant's American Italian menu. Local suppliers for Sophie’s include Gubbeen Cheese, Glenilen Farm, and Castletownbere fish. Breakfast and dinner will be served seven days a week and lunch is available from Monday to Friday, with a divine sounding brunch of American style dishes taking over at the weekends.

The centrally located bar is the real focal point, however, with a gorgeous granite countertop running around the 360-degree service area. I’m too enamored with the extensive cocktail menu to really appreciate yet another terrace located at the back of the restaurant, again fully covered and heated.

The view from the outdoor terrace off Sophie's rooftop restaurant in The Dean at Horgan's Quay in Cork as the sun rises. Picture: Denis Minihane.

We skip past the hotel’s gym on our way back down, as it won’t be ready until February 2021, but I’m too busy planning my future trip to look at treadmills anyway.

Others seem to be thinking the same, with the hotel fully booked for every weekend this month, all with Cork-based customers. The Dean truly does stand unique in the city and even though the hotel has opened in the middle of a pandemic, it feels like it’s going to be a good year for Cork’s coolest new luxury hotel.

Overnight stays start at €120, book your room or reservation at Sophie’s at www.thedean.ie now.