Hotel review: Bedford Hotel has knockout views and stylish design
The Bedford Hotel in Belfast
There may be other hotels in the area, but none offers the knockout views of Belfast’s City Hall from an impressive Scottish Baronial-style building.
Part of Donegall Square’s fabric for over a century, the handsome old bank sits on the corner of Bedford Street, making it a short walk to all of Belfast’s attractions, including, shopping, bars and the train station.
The window seats in the Nineteen Hundred, the smart ground-floor restaurant and bar, offer great people-watching too. It’s the perfect address for a stress-free weekend break.
- 10/10
Architecture fans will swoon at the striking features of this imposing listed building. So much of the original bank has been retained and restored, from the staircase to the ornate tiles and individual fireplaces to stained glass. Corner suites enjoy gorgeous curvaceous sitting rooms in the turrets, and the walls are hung with a captivating selection of contemporary art. Large canvases of historic local figures, like the captain of the Titanic, and the physicist Lord Kelvin feature in traditional portraits with witty details like iPhones, Undertones badges, and tracksuit jackets overlaid with traditional linen patterns.
Located on the edge of the Linen Quarter, the dark green, claret, and brass colour scheme is enhanced with herringbone parquet and carpets and modern prints celebrating the history of Belfast’s origins as linen capital of the world. It’s brilliantly done and feels stylish, relevant, and engaging.
- 10/10
Staff are simply lovely at The Bedford. Attentive, chatty, and excited by the buzz the new property has caused, they seem to have been given a crash course in the building’s history and new design features, which really allows them to engage with guests.
- 8.5/10
The bottle green and claret colour scheme feels appropriate and traditional and is nicely accented by classy burnished brass and dark wood furniture.
The high ceilings, extra large windows, leather headboards, comfy beds, and crisp linen are welcoming, and our room is really well laid out with plenty of seating, lighting, and storage. Bathrooms are especially spacious and ours has a separate tub and great rain shower.
The turret in our room offers a wow place to sit and enjoy a coffee and we have City Hall right outside our window. The linen-themed art works well, injecting a contemporary note, while panelling inset with grainy wallpaper cleverly calls to mind natural linen slubs.
- 9/10
A coffee machine and a kettle accompany a selection of coffee pods, and teabags from SD Bell, a local company blending teas in Northern Ireland since 1887.
Bottles of fresh milk are welcome, but I do wonder whether they need to be stored in the fridge. River Rock water in glass bottles is appreciated. The Acqua di Colonia bathroom toiletries are an unfamiliar brand, and nothing noteworthy.
- 7/10
A beautiful dining room with huge windows, Art Deco vibes, and a statement ceiling light is comfy, spacious and chic, a perfect setting for Noel McMeel’s exceptional cooking. Impeccably-sourced ingredients cooked with care make dinner here a real treat. Superb breads and Irish butter drizzled in Broighter Gold basil oil start things off strongly. Crispy fried chicken dim sum, monkfish scampi, and Armagh apple tart are all delicious, but it’s the pan-fried fillet of Killybegs hake with sprouting broccoli, snow peas, Comber potato, and mustard and chive sauce that is one of the best seafood dishes I’ve had this year.
Breakfast works really well in this room, and there’s a strong selection of fruit salad and baked goods, with a hot menu to order offering the usual suspects including pancakes and avocado toast.
Stand-outs here are the excellent scones and local artisan apple juice.
- 9/10
As with most boutique hotels, there are no extra amenities here as everything you’d need is on your doorstep. The hotel’s bar is certainly a star attraction with strong cocktail list and good atmosphere.
- 6/10
Executive rooms from £200 (€232) per night in low season.
- The Hotel Examiner was a guest of The Bedford Hotel.
Breakfast service is friendly and charming but the plates weren’t cleared in between courses and built up on the table, despite staff stopping by to ask if we needed anything else. Pillows are a very personal thing, and I dislike firm ones. I prefer a choice of two kinds on a hotel bed, as something lower and slightly softer would have enhanced my sleep.
Yes, across the whole property.
Children are welcome but the hotel feels more suited to adults.
Just service dogs.
Secure parking is available at a discounted rate at Value Car Parks on Grosvenor Road, with EV chargers available.
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