Planning a summer soirée or al fresco barbecue bash? This selection of hotels and restaurants offer the perfect summer setting for an outdoor get together this season. You know what they say, make hay…
The Terrace at Luttrellstown Castle
If stunning views over the Dublin Mountains and Liffey Valley are your thing, The Terrace at Luttrellstown Castle could be the ideal place for your get together. Choose the ground floor terrace or the first floor terrace, which was redesigned last year and is home to a stunning olive tree adding to the wow factor. Food wise, there is a choice of sharing plates available, along with a barbeque option which feels like a no brainer in the summer months. Wash it all down with a chilled white or juicy red from the extensive wine list and relish the expansive views a mere stone’s throw from the city. www.luttrellstowncastle.com.
The Gold Bar at Hang Dai
For a touch of the exotic, smack bang in the middle of Dublin, The Gold Bar at Hang Dai is perfect for an intimate get together with your nearest and dearest. The first floor Gold Bar and terrace has a seated capacity of 30 for a sit down meal or closer to 40 for standing with finger food. There is a minimum spend of €3,000 (plus service) and the canapes menu costs €35 per person and includes delicacies such as chilli and salt wagyu skewers, taro duck croquettes with apple puree and sesame prawn toast with black sesame squid ink mayo. For a sit down meal, the set menu starts at €40 per person. www.hangdaichinese.com
Afuera at 777
If you fancy ramping up the fiesta feeling, Afuera at 777 is an excellent choice. For a midweek get together, you need at least 30 people with a minimum spend of €100 per person including the food set menu at €45 per person. If you want to book the full outdoor area on a weekend, the cost will depend on a number of factors including the number of guests and the required weekend minimum of spend per person. The Afuera group menu is designed to be shared family style so think chips, dips, tostadas and taquitos. Afuera has its own dedicated bar so there is no stress about running back and forward to get service and on a sunny afternoon, it’s the perfect venue for an outdoor feast with friends. www.777.ie.
The Rock Star Suite at Hard Rock Hotel
One for the corporate set, the stunning rooftop terrace at The Rock Star Suite at The Hard Rock Hotel is the perfect place for a summer staff get together. This private rooftop terrace which is situated in the heart of the city, affords panoramic views of the city, along with an outdoor lounge area, a built-in BBQ/outdoor kitchen, plus an outdoor seated dining area. The dining area of the terrace seats 12, with room for up to maximum of 35 guests when the adjoining lounge area is included. Bookings are on request and prices vary. Customised menus range in price from €30 – €50 per person, plus a room hire fee and the barbeque experience includes overnight use of the adjacent ‘Rock Star’ suite. www.hardrockhotels.com
With a range of venues around the country, the Press Up group offers outdoor spaces for private hire. On St Stephen’s Green, The Grayson has an outdoor terrace space as well as a covered atrium, both of which can be hired privately www.thegrayson.ie. Sophie’s at The Dean Hotel in both Dublin and Cork have outdoor terraces available for private hire www.sophies.ie. On Dublin’s Southside, Layla’s rooftop terrace overlooks the buzzing streets of Ranelagh and is the perfect destination for outdoor gathering and events. www.laylas.ie. The Riverside Terrace at Ashton’s in Clonskeagh has been completely transformed at this Southside institution and is now available for private hire, barbecues, weddings and events. www.ashtonsdublin.ie.
Other Al Fresco venues to consider;
House Dublin www.housedublin.ie, and The Courtyard Garden at The Morrison Hotel www.morrisonhotel.ie
