Located in Ballsbridge, Dublin, this unique four-star hotel treats guests like family members.

With a long history dating back two centuries, the Schoolhouse Hotel is so named because of its origins, having started out as a school in 1859.

Today, the hotel is renowned for its trendy restaurant and bar as well as for its old-world charm.

Hidden away in Dublin's Georgian Quarter, the hotel continues to leave its mark on the social scene for locals and tourists alike.

Built in 1859, the hotel started life as St Stephens Parochial School, which opened its doors to students in 1861. The school reached peak attendance levels in 1892, with over 300 registered students. The principal lived in the master's residence with his wife, while the assistant teachers lived in the small rooms above the classrooms. The current hotel kitchen was used back then as the girls' domestic science room.

During the school's centenary, the principal authorized extensive repairs and renovations, including lowering the ceilings to conserve heat, rebuilding the chimneys, installing new toilets, and buying new equipment. The cost was much higher than could be covered by the 42 students registered at the school that year, leading to the school's inevitable closure in 1969.

During its 108 years, it saw many historical events, including the battle of Mount Street Bridge, where many of the desks had been used as barricades and still contained bullet marks and shrapnel. From 1969 to 1997, the building was left idle. The Sweeney Hotel Group had purchased it and was slowly restoring it.

In 1998, the building, now a hotel, opened its doors for business, retaining many of its original features. The original two classrooms now hold the hotel's restaurant and bar.

The Ballsbridge area of Dublin, once part of the township of Pembroke, features glorious posh properties and extraordinary landscapes. The embassies of Israel, the United Kingdom, the United States, Spain, and the Netherlands and several diplomatic residences are located here. This highly developed area that has held onto its natural greenery is named for River Dodder's stone bridge, built by Mr. Ball, who lived in the 18th century. The bridge is in fact the center of this suburb, which covers a very large area. On the border with Donnybrook, one can find the 32-acre Herbert Park. One can also find the RDS grounds in this suburb.

This scenic area is home to a number of hotels including the InterContinental Dublin, which offers spectacular views from its windows. The Schoolhouse Hotel is another reputable hotel. It is located much closer to the city center, a short distance from Merrion Square, so tourist spots are much nearer than for most other hotels in Ballsbridge. B&Bs Roxford Lodge Hotel and Waterloo House are terrific accommodation options in this otherwise expensive fancy area for those traveling on a small budget.

The neighborhood is passed by a DART train service, which stops at Lansdowne Road and Sandymount. Several bus routes serve the area as well.

The hotel has only one dining venue and a bar, but these are among the most popular in the neighborhood.

The Schoolhouse Bar & Restaurant is typically frequented by theatre-goers, locals, and romantics.

As the hotel maintains a flexible policy, guests can be seated for lunch until 2:30 pm every day. The restaurant and bar stay open until 10 pm.

Special events, such as Christmas parties, are arranged by the Bar and Restaurant, and both can be booked for private parties.

The restaurant offers a highly popular low-priced theater menu between 5 pm and 5:30 pm every day, except during peak season or festivals.

Lunch times run from noon to 2:30 pm from Monday to Friday. Dinner is served between 5 pm and 10 pm daily.

The restaurant is also available for private bookings, on request.

The decor is warm and charming, with prominent use of wood and an old fireplace adding to the ambiance.

Here, on Sidewalk Safari, one can find photos of some of the dishes served in the hotel's restaurant.

The Schoolhouse Bar opens its doors at 9 am to serve breakfast of freshly ground coffee and fresh-baked scones. This extends into the popular all-day brunch on weekends, served with Bloody Marys on the side.

It is a very popular venue for casual lunches, attracting an eclectic crowd of sports lovers (due to the nearby Aviva stadium) and vacationers.

It also offers a beautiful beer garden that is always buzzing with activity in the evenings.

The Bar has an extensive menu to suit all tastes, including a summer BBQ option, canapés, casual bites, and finger food in addition to menus for regular meals.

In 2008, O'Hara's Irish Stout beer, served from a barrel at the Schoolhouse Bar, was voted No. 1 at the Milan Beer Festival. Later that year, it also won the bronze medal at the Stockholm Beer Festival. In January 2009, the same stout won the silver medal at the BTI World Beer Championships, which were held in Chicago. The beer brewery Carlow Brewing Company has received many good reviews from international and local critics, including famous beer critics such as Michael Jackson and Ireland's John McKenna (from the Bridgestone Guide).

The pub closes at 10 pm every day.

This is a good location for businesspeople who would like comfortable, but unique accommodations that is within reach of the city's most important attractions.

The hotel's Bar is the ideal venue for casual lunchtime business meetings.

Additionally, there are many quiet corners throughout the hotel, which has free WiFi available in all public spaces.

The meeting room on the second floor features skylights and a high ceiling to create a sense of space and permit the entry of natural light. The room can accommodate up to 25 people.

The staff caters to all requirements made known in advance. Lunch is served in the room, and refreshments include tea, coffee, scones, sandwiches, and soup.

Weddings at the hotel are always a special affair because they are customized to suit the preferences of the couple. As a small hotel, offering only 31 rooms, it takes pride in providing a more intimate venue for the couple's special day.

Located only a short distance from the city's registry office, the hotel is authorized to host ceremonies for up to 35 people. Up to 80 guests can be accommodated for a late lunch or dinner for the event. Only one wedding is hosted at the hotel per day, so guests are assured of the staff's full attention.

The menu can be customized to suit any theme, dietary preference, and budget. Experts are at hand to offer advice on flowers, the cake, and the music. The split-level restaurant can accommodate 60 guests on the main floor and an extra 15 guests on the mezzanine. This upper space is ideal for a children's seating area, musicians who will play throughout the meal, or as a venue for photographs.

Wedding guests have exclusive use of the restaurant between 3 pm and 6 pm. The private dining room is available for smaller weddings, accommodating up to 20 people in more intimate surroundings.

The bridal couple can select a welcome drink on arrival for guests and a range of canapes for pre-dinner receptions. Under the Sapphire Package, they can get a 3-course dinner with tea and coffee as well as a children's menu, a personalized menu and table plan, a cake table and gift table, special room rates for the wedding guests, and the services of a wedding planner. The same is offered under the Ruby Package, though the menu is a bit different.

Provisional bookings can be made up to 2 weeks in advance. The couple will need to pay 200 euros as a deposit to confirm the booking. They need to appear in person to make any bookings for a wedding or civil partnership ceremony. All dues must be paid in full on the day of the event. Menu and wine selections must be confirmed at least 10 days before the wedding. The final guest count must be provided to the hotel within 48 hours of the event.

The Grand Canal sidewalk outside the hotel is very popular among morning joggers. There are also yoga centers nearby that offer drop-in classes (Oscailt, Susita).

Energie fitness Ballsbridge offers resistance and cardiac equipment, varied selection of studio classes as well as relaxation aids.

The Trinity College Sports Center has three floors worth of activities. On the ground floor, one can find a 450 square meter fitness centre, which overlooks a large swimming pool. It offers the latest cardiovascular machines, resistance machines, free weights and other equipment. The area has been designed for universal access. Fitness instructors and programme planning advice is offered for a nominal fee to members of the centre. Also on the ground floor is the Keiser Resistance Training Room, offering 7 keiser air resistance machines and several cardio stations. On the first floor, one can find changing rooms, a climbing wall, and an ancillary hall for martial arts training or various racquet and ball sports. The administrative offices and a meeting room are on the second floor, along with three treatment rooms for massage therapy, covering treatments for relaxation and sports injuries. The main sports hall is located on the third floor, where games such as basketball, volleyball, and badminton can be played. Also on the third floor is a dedicated studio cycling area.

Based on the banks of the Grand Canal in Dublin for about two centuries, The Schoolhouse Hotel carries an old-world charm that is reflected in the decor of its rooms and public spaces. The hotel is mentioned in Irish Echo, an Irish American newspaper, which calls it one of Dublin's prominent "designer" hotels. Margaret M. Johnson, meanwhile, praised the way the historic property was transformed into a hotel.

Neil Hegarty from The Telegraph Travel gives high rating to the hotel. Many of the original features of the building have been preserved, the location is convenient, food and drink are excellent.

Francesca Long from easyvoyage.co.uk gives the hotel perhaps less flattering 6,5 out of 10. She notes that the hotel doesn't charge for use of its car parking, but baby cots cost £8.50 per night. Amenities in the rooms are quite basic, you will not find a safe or a minibar and the hotel itself lacks relaxation facilities.

Fodor's Travel ranked Schoolhouse Hotel among 11 other stylish hotels that were once used as schoolhouses.

Reviews on booking.com for this hotel are very good. It is typically described as a comfortable hotel with friendly staff. The location is said to be quiet since it is located some distance away from the city centre. Many past guests also offer high praise for the beds, which offer a restful night's sleep after a day of touring Dublin's attractions. More than one review has spoken highly of the powerful showers in the rooms, which is a relief given the problems some hotels seem to have with showers. The hotel's bar and restaurant are very popular with the locals, so it stands to reason that the reviews of their food and drinks tend to be very flattering. Among the negatives, the facility is not brand new, so guests will likely find worn-out furniture or decor scattered among the dining area and the rooms. While reviews of other hotels sometimes complain about poorly cooked dishes or incompetent staff, depending on the experience of the individual guest, this hotel appears to be an exception in this regard.

Interesting reviews can also be found on Yelp. For instance, Cristin L. noted that he had a pleasant wedding experience at the Schoolhouse Dublin, adding that he enjoyed all the food and appreciated the rooms. Arthur N. needed to switch rooms during his visit, but his second room was perfect. Eamonn O. from the Yelp Foodie Club thought the hotel was a good place to eat because of the high-quality food.

HuffPost has listed the Schoolhouse Hotel as one of Dublin's best boutique hotels.

Georgina Campbell, a leading Irish hospitality guide, noted that although the hotel shows signs of wear and tear, it is still a busy place that is not lacking guests. She declared it was, overall, a nice place to stay.

Nancy Bartlett, who writes an interesting blog on the sea and sailing, posted a mini review of the hotel, noting that she thought the hotel was charming and unique.