Check out: The Dean and two other Galway hotels worth visiting 

First impressions

Located just a two-minute ramble from Ceannt Station and Eyre Square, The Dean occupies a central Galway city perch along bustling Prospect Hill. Almost in stark contrast to the love-it-or-hate-it landmark architecture of The Dean Cork (I personally love it), the four-storey Galway hotel has a far more understated look with a grey stone façade likely inspired by West of Ireland landscapes. Inside, the character kicks in with the hotel’s signature check-in desk surrounded by an eclectic lobby lush with fig and monstera, pulsing with gentle lounge beats. There’s also a DIME Coffee dock here plus an Elephant & Castle café bistro which I pop over to for a tasty tuna sandwich before checking into my room.

Suite talk

I may have now enjoyed a number of stays at Press Up group properties but there’s still a little anticipation of what will be behind a new bedroom door. I was staying in one of the hotel’s third-floor suites which was adorned with all the retro-chic trappings you come to expect from the brand, from a velvety lounge area to its cloud-like bed set into an alcove flanked by statement Irish art.

There are also fun staples like a stocked mini bar, munchies station, Smeg fridge and a Netflix-kitted TV (though you’ll need to use your own password). The advertised Marshall speaker appears to be MIA, however, while the novelty vinyl player comes with one album: Coldplay? I think Ella Fitzgerald would be more fitting for this moody, boudoir setting than Chris Martin but to each their own!

Bathrooms at The Dean are always a highlight and mine is a dazzling turquoise tiled haven with a bronze standalone tub, marble sink stand and a swit-swoo rain shower with a half-length framed wall.

It’s a really beautiful room, likely to impress its occupants.

In terms of gripes, I do find the room quite dark with only one, quite small, window overlooking the hotel’s courtyard and black and white monochrome wing opposite. Some of the room’s finishings also don’t quite do justice to the premium materials: there are significant gaps in the tiling in the bathroom, and a door handle fixture goes clanging to the ground after I close it. Nothing that a grouting gun and super glue couldn’t fix, however.

Food and drink

Beyond its Elephant Castle Outlet and DIME coffee dock on the ground floor, The Dean Galway is also home to the third branch of Sophie’s Restaurant, located as always on the hotel’s top floor. It’s an impressive, stylish space albeit with more modest urban panoramas than in some of their other properties, being just a few floors aloft. I enjoyed a fine starter of seared scallops with cauliflower purée and oyster mushroom, a main of monkfish and asparagus with a side of Parmesan-laden truffle fries all followed by the most delicious pecan sundae. Even though I felt like a gooseberry sandwiched between three couples dining on date night, it was the best meal I’ve enjoyed at a PressUp property.

For breakfast the next morning, I returned to Sophie’s for a freshly brewed Americano and sautéed mushrooms and spinach on gluten-free bread. It’s important to note breakfast will bump up your room rate by €20 while most menu options cost around €15, so consider booking room only and ordering à la carte if not a big morning eater (oats are just €8).

As with other Dean properties, I also suggest dining at Sophie’s for one meal during your stay and perhaps trying out one of the city’s super restaurant options on another night.

Check out?

It’s clear that The Dean’s additions to Cork and now Galway are bringing new excitement to the cities’ accommodation offerings. Guests will enjoy friendly service, fine, comfortable rooms and plenty of quirks and amenities to make the property a destination hotel as much as a base. The hotel’s thermal suite and pool will open this Monday for guests while the Power Gym is set to follow suit later this month. For now, I guess it’s all eyes on where the next Dean hotel will emerge next?

• Compact Mod Pod room rates start from €149 this summer with suites from €449. Tom was a guest of the hotel for this review. See thedean.ie/galway

Corrib House

Still one of my favourite hotels in Ireland, Corrib House is a historic property overlooking the gushing salmon weir of the city’s main waterway. The property offers just four rooms which give a homely feel; I loved my Salmon Weir seomra stocked with period and vintage furniture, roll-top baths and products from the Irish Soap Company. It also makes a great spot to visit for brunch or afternoon tea with its tea rooms offering delicious locally sourced dishes. They’ve a lovely courtyard terrace or you might get a table overlooking the river.

• August B&B rates featuring their gourmet breakfast banquet start from €225 per night. See corribhouse.com

Glenlo Abbey

If you’re looking for a hotel escape close to Galway while offering a sense of pure, boujee refuge then consider treating yourself to the luxury Glenlo Abbey, just 5km from the city centre. The resort’s 138 acres of private estates offer activities from golf and horse riding to serenity walks and boat tours on the Corrib. Be sure to reserve a first-class dining experience at the Pullman Restaurant — a gourmet dining carriage with Orient Express wow-factor.

• One night B&B and four-course meal in the Pullman Restaurant from €470 per couple. See glenloabbeyhotel.ie