From café culture to magnificent mountains, there’s plenty to enjoy in Belfast according to The Hotel People

 

 

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James, managing director: “The Europa is our most historic hotel. It’s always been the heartbeat of Belfast, but because it’s where visiting dignitaries stayed – we’ve had President Clinton and Hillary a few times, for instance – it was a great target for the terrorists. Someone counted, and it turned out to be the most bombed hotel in the world. “The Europa was also known as ‘the Hotel Fun’, though, and there’s still definitely a party vibe to the place – even on our ‘Jazz Saturdays’, things can get a bit wild. “We’re also five seconds’ walk from the Crown Bar [an exquisite old Victorian gin palace restored by the National Trust but still a working boozer] and Fibber Magee’s [another craíc soaked old pub, with live traditional music every night]. You could go in your dressing gown.”

 

 

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Rose, head housekeeper: “The Culloden is only 20 minutes from the centre of Belfast, but it’s in the Holywood Hills, so it feels like a country estate. It was originally built as a bishops’ palace and it’s got these beautiful grounds overlooking the Lough. Most guests hardly leave!”

 

Sam, food and beverage manager: “It’s true: Van Morrison used to live here, and still comes in for his breakfast, lunch and dinner most days. We were Northern Ireland’s first five-star, so we’ve always had a lot of celebrity guests. In the past few weeks we’ve had Liam Neeson, Ed Sheeran and Brian May from Queen.” 

 

James, MD: “My favourite was Lionel Richie. He needed space for about 1,000 pairs of shoes, all laid out according to their different shades. He had more accessories than his wife, and he had a hydration tent, too – so he couldn’t really leave even if he’d wanted to!”

 

 

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Caelan, bar manager: “We’re the newest and largest five-star in all of Ireland, and we’re right in the middle of the city. That means we get a slightly younger, more Instagrammy crowd than the Europa – we’ve had Olly Murs and Molly Mae and a few of the Derry Girls stars stay, as well as that hip young couple Charles and Camilla. It also means you can actually just walk out of the hotel and explore Belfast. “My favourite area is the Cathedral Quarter. It’s where everyone goes to drink, because there are all these great bars and eateries, but it’s also brilliant for a coffee on a Sunday morning: Northern Ireland’s coffee culture is really growing. You should get out to the Titanic Quarter, too. The ship was built in Belfast, of course, and its museum is fantastic. The walk up there is lovely, as well.”

 

 

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Hazel, head chef: “Slieve Donard is really different from the others [in fact it’s no longer part of Hastings] because it’s a resort hotel. Newcastle is quite a traditional candy-floss-on-the promenade kind of place, and the Slieve is right on the beach – but it’s a very high-end hotel. And there’s so much more to the area than ice cream and sunny days. We’re right next door to the wonderful Royal County Down Golf Club, and just beyond town we’ve got the Mountains of Mourne, which are amazing for hikers. “The Mournes were CS Lewis’s inspiration for Narnia – and where we get our amazing lamb for the hotel’s restaurants. We’ve also got a ton of Game of Thrones shooting locations very nearby.” 

 

Julie, marketing director, Hastings Hotels: “We’ve had Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones to stay [at both the Culloden Estate and Spa and Slieve Donard], and they are the nicest, nicest people. A-listers usually are; it’s the others who can be a pain. We had the group S Club 7 at the Culloden once, and a couple of young girls came up to one of the group’s singers to ask for an autograph and she turned them away. They were meeting their idol and she wasn’t very kind.” 

 

Hazel: “People are lovely and friendly at Slieve and in Newcastle, though. Maybe it’s a ‘seaside’ thing – there’s a different pace of life here…”

 

ED GRENBY