Hoxton opens first Irish hotel after reviving former Central Hotel site

The Hoxton has opened its first Irish hotel in Dublin after completing a major restoration of the former Central Hotel, creating a 129-room property in the city’s Creative Quarter.

The hotel, on Exchequer Street, brings a mix of dining, bars and public spaces, including an open-house lobby built around archaeological finds uncovered during renovation. These included Viking-era materials and medieval coins, which are now displayed on site.

The lobby features a bar influenced by the traditional Irish pub, with oak-lined finishes, marble counters and low-lit seating areas designed to serve both guests and local visitors. A lounge with locally produced artwork, brass lighting and a stone fireplace sits alongside the bar.

Rooms are spread across four floors in categories ranging from Snug to Biggy. Interiors take cues from Irish landscapes, with warm neutral tones, moss green and deep navy. Two-tone walls, velvet and leather finishes, bespoke rugs and botanical motifs reference the building’s Victorian heritage. Bathrooms feature seafoam tiles, oxblood detailing and chrome fixtures.

The hotel’s all-day restaurant, Cantina Valentina, offers Peruvian-inspired dishes drawn from the country’s picantería traditions. The space combines woven-cane seating, textile wall pieces and a mural by Irish artist Cadhla Forde. Menu items include ceviche, marinated beef skewers, slow-cooked lamb and grilled fish to share, alongside South American wines and rotating pisco sours.

Dollars, a sandwich shop by day and natural wine bar by night, serves New York-style deli options such as salt beef, dillisk chicken salad and grilled cheese variations. The venue, which faces Exchequer Street, will expand into evening service with small plates and low-intervention wines.

The Library Bar, a longstanding local venue, has been restored with its original period features, including tall sash windows and ornate plasterwork. The space retains its mix of velvet sofas, leather armchairs and bookcases, and is available for private hire.

A basement nightclub named Groundwork is due to open in early 2026. The 220-capacity venue will be the brand’s first club, designed with a deliberately industrial style and planned to work with local music talent on programming.

As with other Hoxton hotels, the site will include an art gallery showcasing local creators. The first exhibition features abstract works by Irish-Ghanaian painter William Kwaku Amo. A retail space, Best Of, will stock goods from Irish makers including Bees of Honey and modern pantry brand Made with Grá.

The hotel is located within walking distance of St George’s Street Arcade, Temple Bar, Grafton Street and Trinity College, and is near the Luas tram network.