Housed in an old bank, the Merchant Hotel has a good location in the trendy bishops quarter area of Belfast and it’s just a two minute walk to the Victoria shopping mall.
We arrived just around lunch time, our room was ready, so we were able to check in which was handy. Our room is in the “Art Deco” part of the hotel and the room is kitted out in the art deco style, which is pretty cool. The room is a really good size, it has a separate bath and shower, double sinks, a vanity room, which I’ve never seen before and a decent size living area.
As it was lunch, we wasted no time and hit the streets, no messing around here, straight to the always reliable Avoca restaurant, which is less than a 5 minute walk from our hotel.
After lunch we did a little window shopping before returning to the hotel. The Merchant prides itself on it’s cocktail menu and there’s a fantastic choice on offer. I went for the Bramble and C went with the classic Margrita – both tasted fantastic. The bar is a great place to relax, it’s a tad small but comfortable. The staff were friendly and welcoming, however, the outfits were very dated, for a hotel of this calibre, the staff should be better presented.
As evening rolled around, we had booked Berts Jazz Bar for dinner. I’d one gripe about making the booking, there’s a charge of 10 pound per person, just for the privilege of dining – I gathered it’s to cover the cost of the entertainment.
When we got to the bar, it was hopping, so the atmosphere was pretty good. It also looks like a lounge bar straight out of a 1920’s movie, small tables with old style lamps and everything in red. We were only about 10 feet away from the stage so when the band started up, we had a good view. They were surprisingly good, both of us would not be the biggest fans of Jazz, but it was enjoyable. I was however, still trying to figure out that additional charge, after all, everyone at the bar not having dinner, could hear and see the band as well as everyone sitting down eating.
Anyhow, moving on, the food over all was ok, but really nothing special. I had a duck confit to start, C opted for soup. For the mains I went with steak and C the catch of the day, which I believe was cod. For drinks we had a kir royal, some wine and a beer for me. As the food was not the most exciting, we were not bothered with dessert.
There’s also a service charge on the bill, I’ve no problem with this, as the service was pretty decent, but overall between the extra change and the ok food, we won’t be dining in the Berts Jazz Bar again anytime soon.
The following morning, breakfast is served in what’s known as the Great Room, which it is. Breakfast is table service and it was pretty good. Pastries and scones arrive first, then you order from the menu, which has the usual suspects on it, pancakes, Ulster fry, omelette etc. The food was decent and the coffee was pretty good, the freshly squeezed orange juice was a nice touch.
Overall the Merchant is a decent place to stay, it’s got a great location, friendly staff, nice rooms and great bar. Although as stated above, we’d give the Jazz Bar a miss next time and perhaps opt for the fine dining option in the Great Room.
After checking out of the hotel, we headed towards what is now known as the Titanic Quarter, to visit the Titanic museum. As well as booking the date you wish to visit, you also have to pick a time, we’d booked for 12:00 midday, but we arrived about 20 minutes early and there was no trouble getting in. This attraction has worked wonders for Belfast with visitors visiting from all over the globe, is it worth it, yes, we think so. It gives the full history in great detail, from concept to the sinking, not just focusing on the ship, but the people envolved, builders, engineers and passengers. It also goes beyond that, with information regarding follow up stories of passengers who were rescued and of course, finally finding where the Titanic sank and the salvage operation.
You’ll also find a gift shop and two dining options in the museum, one more of a coffee shop the other offering more substantial fair, we opted for the coffee shop, nothing special, so top tip, bring your own lunch. However the Titanic hotel is just outside and looked a much better option for dining, although there was a half hour wait when we inquired about a table, so book in advance if you fancy this option.
The one down side to the museum, some sections of the exhibition are a tad cramped, so if it’s busy, it can be difficult to read some of the descriptions, without someone getting in your way, this along with “hands on” things for kids (and adults) can get a little frustrating. Overall though, it’s well worth a visit and perhaps we’ll visit again at a later date as according to a staff member, it’s ever evolving.
C&J
cjfoodandtravel 