The Fitzwilliam Hotel Belfast

Sister to the Terence Conran–designed Fitzwilliam in Dublin, this Belfast outpost, it’s no shock, is very much in the same vein — a classic yet not exactly show-stopping city-center building whose stately exterior conceals a surprisingly sexy luxury boutique hotel. There’s scarcely a more central location in town than this one, right next to the Grand Opera House, and from here it’s hard to see Belfast as anything less than a proper cosmopolitan capital.

Rooms are dark and masculine, yet set off with accents in bright yellows and greens — a wise choice for adding a bit of lightness, given the gloomy tendencies of the local climate. The sophistication goes deeper than just the visuals; the bedrooms come with high-tech entertainment systems and the bathrooms, with their separate tubs and high-flow rain showers, are nothing short of indulgent.

The restaurant is a slightly less imposing version of the Dublin outpost’s Kevin Thornton eatery, and it strikes a note of simple urbanity, using the best ingredients from across Northern Ireland. All in all it’s the sort of place that’s more than suitable for a business traveler, and absolutely ideal for anyone accustomed to traveling with one eye on luxury and one eye on style.

How to get there:
The Fitzwilliam Hotel is approximately a 30-minute drive from Belfast International Airport. A taxi will cost cost approximately £25-30 each way.