A part of the Dublin scene since 1852, The Clarence Hotel was purchased in 1992 by
two members of the rock group U2, Bono and The Edge. They took on the task of restoring The
Clarence, creating their own vision of the ideal place to stay.
The Hotel reopened in June 1996 after a 20-month restoration and refurbishment programme,
which transformed The Clarence from a traditional two star property to the owners’ personal
idea of how a luxury hotel should be – intimate unstuffy, contemporary, idiosyncratic and
efficient with an emphasis on personal service.
Its design merges the traditional and the contemporary to create an environment with its own
unique and welcoming personality. Arts and craft style frames the basis of the interior with a
subtle palette of the finest natural materials: Portland stone, American white oak, Italian
limestone, leather and velvet.
The Clarence is a member of The Leading Hotels
of the World.
HistoryBuilt in 1852, The Clarence had last been refurbished during the late Thirties in the Arts
and Crafts style. By the Seventies, while still retaining a sense of old world charm and
dignity, it was past its prime. At the same time, the ranks of the original clientele, once
drawn primarily from the clergy, judiciary and visitors from the provinces, were swelled by the
artists, musicians, writers and designers who began to make the Temple Bar area their own. This
easy influence of old and new made the Hotel one of the few places in Dublin where, whatever
you looked like, you could sit down with your pint and engage in the fine Irish art of
conversation.
A part of the Dublin scene since 1852, The Clarence Hotel was purchased in 1992 by
two members of the rock group U2, Bono and The Edge. They took on the task of restoring The
Clarence, creating their own vision of the ideal place to stay.
The Hotel reopened in June 1996 after a 20-month restoration and refurbishment programme,
which transformed The Clarence from a traditional two star property to the owners’ personal
idea of how a luxury hotel should be – intimate unstuffy, contemporary, idiosyncratic and
efficient with an emphasis on personal service.
During the restoration an additional floor was added, which now offers the Penthouse and
several Suites.