The Goring Hotel hasn't looked back since Kate and her sister Pippa Middleton stayed a month ago - it was one of the many businesses, along with fashion house Alexander McQueen and hatmaker Philip Treacy, that saw a soar in trade on the back of the royal wedding. Even if the Royal suite costs £5,000 a night.
Today the Merrion Hotel in Dublin will looking at a similar dividend from one high-profile guest and is expecting to boom back to profitability after it joined the stellar ranks of the Goring with a surprise stay by Barack Obama.
It transpired yesterday that Obama eschewed the expected presidential accommodation in Phoenix Park when he arrived in Ireland on Monday and chose to stay privately at this five-star hotel.
And as far as general manager Peter MacCann is concerned it doesn't matter that the ash cloud meant he had to curtail his stay and his staff didn't even get to turn down the covers.
"We felt a bit deflated when it became apparent he was not going to stay. Cynics might say that he didn't actually stay here, but the fact is the president and the first lady choose to stay here and that will send an important message to the American and to the British market," said MacCann.
[Back to Press Releases Main]