Follow in the Footsteps of Woolf & Wilde
The news that the UK & Ireland will soon be easier to reach than they have been in two years has us ready to explore London and Dublin in the style of some literary greats.
Photo courtesy of Bruno Martins on Unsplash
The UK & Ireland have both been home to many literary legends over the centuries. The latter half of the 19th century saw Oscar Wilde born in Dublin and Virginia Woolf born in London, and now that England and Ireland are once again easy to visit, we thought it would be fun to follow in their footsteps and explore their respective home cities.
To bring the spirit of Woolf and Wilde to life, we can think of no better place to stay in London than The Bloomsbury and The Westbury in Dublin, both part of the esteemed Doyle Collection. To top it all off, we have some fabulous extra amenities to elevate your stay at both hotels, taking your literature-filled journey of these capital cities to the next level.
The Bloomsbury, London
How many heroes of literature have hailed from London? Probably too many to count, but Virginia Woolf is surely ranked among the most important. Born in Kensington (where The Doyle Collection has another fabulous hotel, The Kensington), Virginia Woolf eventually helped to establish a group of writers who held regular meetings in her Bloomsbury house. They were aptly named The Bloomsbury Group, and along with Woolf and her sister, Vanessa, the group was comprised of various writers, artists, and activists of the age.
The Bloomsbury Hotel brings the spirit of this early-20th century group of thinkers to life. The stylish hotel is housed in an historic and beautifully restored 1930s neo-Georgian building in Bloomsbury, which is known as London’s literary heartland. It is the perfect base for exploring the city, only moments away from Covent Garden, Soho, Theatreland, and Oxford Street.
Meals on Dalloway Terrace, named for Woolf’s famous novel, are legendary in London. The restaurant is redecorated multiple times a year, with the décor reflecting the best of each British season; it is one of the most Instagrammable spots in all of London. Also not to be missed are The Coral Room, a Brudnizki-designed “Grand Salon Bar,” and the intimate Bloomsbury Club Bar, where live jazz music is played on certain nights. It’s the perfect place to sip a finely crafted cocktail and celebrate the colorful lives of the 1930s Bloomsbury Group.
The hotel’s elegant guest rooms and sophisticated luxury suites feature contemporary décor that is charmingly blended with architectural details from Woolf’s day. Just like its iconic building, The Bloomsbury evokes a true sense of glamour, one that is inspired by its literary past blended seamlessly with its contemporary present.
Poe Perks at The Bloomsbury
Here are the added amenities that all Poe Travel clients will enjoy during any stay at The Bloomsbury:
Complimentary full breakfast daily
A complimentary afternoon tea service for two (for stays 3 nights or longer)
Literary London
There is no shortage of literary-themed activities and experiences to be had in the Big Smoke, but here are a few of our favorites:
A walking tour of Bloomsbury (convenient for your hotel!) with an expert local Blue Badge guide to learn about Virginia Woolf, EM Forster, and more—and make sure to stop for a pint at a tavern where Dylan Thomas and George Orwell were once patrons.
Enjoy a privately guided tour of Shakespeare’s Globe theatre with an expert guide. You can even enjoy a dressing demonstration to learn how the Elizabethans got dressed, and then perhaps enjoy lunch or afternoon tea at The Swan restaurant.
Tour the Charles Dickens Museum with a private guide, and then head out onto the streets of London to see where many of the events that inspired Dickens’ novels unfolded.
Take a day trip to Oxford, where you can tour the city and its famed university with an expert guide and even visit the pub where writers like CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien formed their own writer’s group, The Inklings.
The Westbury, Dublin
Hopping across the Irish Sea by way of a short and convenient flight, you’ll find yourself in the Irish capital city of Dublin. Just like London, Dublin has been home to many a literary great, with Oscar Wilde being a very notable addition to the list. Wilde was born in Dublin in 1854, and his mother, the poet Jane Wilde (also known as Speranza) instilled a great love of poetry in her son from a young age. Today, there is a colorful statue of Wilde by Danny Osborne in Dublin, just across the street from the Wilde family home.
The Westbury Hotel is best suited to place you right in the middle of Dublin’s substantial social and cultural riches, occupying a prime position between Trinity College and St. Stephen’s Green. At its front doorstep lies Grafton Street—renowned for its color and street artists (plus some great shopping spots!)—and just outside of the hotel’s back door, you’ll find the city’s Creative Quarter, a vibrant network of streets filled with lively bars, restaurants, and independent shops. Dublin’s top theaters, museums, and art galleries are also all within short walking distance.
The hotel’s magnificent Gallery, with its captivating art collection and sumptuous afternoon tea service, is a Dublin institution. The Sidecar Bar is the perfect place to feel like you’ve gone back to the Gilded Age as you sip a cocktail, and Balfes Bar & Brasserie is known as one of the best eateries in the city. We can personally tell you that their breakfast is incredible. Best of all, The Westbury’s signature restaurant, WILDE, takes its name from Mr. Wilde himself, celebrating his great contribution to Dublin’s long and storied literary history.
Completing the stylish picture at The Westbury are its luxurious guest rooms and suites, which showcase the very best of Irish design.
Poe Perks at The Westbury
The Westbury is part of our Virtuoso network of hotels, meaning Poe Travel clients will enjoy the following extra amenities:
Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability
Daily full breakfast for two guests per bedroom, served in restaurant
Complimentary lunch or dinner for two people/room, once during stay, excluding alcohol, taxes, and gratuities (minimum 3-courses & value of $100 USD)
Early check-in/late check-out, subject to availability
Complimentary Wi-Fi
Wilde Dublin
Along with Oscar Wilde, Dublin has produced several literary heroes. It’s no surprise, then, that there are plenty of literary hotspots to enjoy while you’re in town. Here are a few of our favorites:
Tour the Dublin Writers Museum with an expert local guide. The museum’s vast collection of some of the greatest works by writers such as Shaw, Wilde, Joyce, and Beckett allows you to learn firsthand through their letters, works, and personal items, with your knowledgeable guide on-hand to offer context and further illumination.
Visit the James Joyce Centre with a local guide and then head out on foot to discover Joyce’s Dublin.
Experience Trinity College and the legendary Book of Kells with an historian guide.
Head out for a literary pub crawl to enjoy the perfect pint in the same spots as all of the great Irish writers of old.
If you would like to Go Away to London and Dublin (or anywhere else in the world), simply contact us. We will chat with you about your interests and hopes for your trip to design a customized itinerary and set you on your way.