
We first heard about
this hotel last summer and now it is
finally open for
business. The
Merchant Hotel
in Belfast, Ireland has transformed the former headquarters of the Ulster Bank, on Waring Street into a luxury
boutique hotel of 21 bedrooms and five suites. It took two years to restore the property and the company behind the
project, Beannchor spent more than £400,000 on antiques and artwork. Rooms cost from £220 to £600 for
the grand suite. Rooms have air-conditioning and flat-screen televisions. Each bedroom is named after a different Irish
writer. There is also a commercial gallery in the hotel lobby, showcasing the work of Northern Ireland's best
artists. Guests can also hire the hotel's Bentley Arnage.