The Merchant Hotel

Highly recommend this hotel if you’re staying in Belfast, it was a great location to get around the city and the service was exceptional. Our rooms were spacious, amenities were top notch and the staff was amazing.

Had the most fabulous stay with my friend . Greeted by the friendliest and most processional staff . Room was available early and did not disappoint . Spa facilities were out of this world and the roof top hot tub was incredible

From the beginning the visit to the Merchant was lovely. Staff are so friendly from the concierge to the receptionists and any member of staff you meet are so friendly. We got to our room which was gorgeous. It was so spacious with two double beds a living room and a bathroom with a roll top bath.
We had a 'Sparkling Stay' so a bottle of prosecco awaited us in the living room area of our suite. We didn't want to leave the room! There was a gorgeous dressing room beside the wardrobe with theatre like lights around the mirror. I am a drama teacher and this was so cute. Also there are lights that light up when you place your shoes on the floor of the wardrobe!! Lovely touches that made our stay so special.

Thankfully we went to Bert's Bar. I had the surf and turf it was to die for.The taste of the steak was so rich and cooked to perfection I asked for medium rare. The prawns were like they had just been caught so fresh and the jus was so complimentary. My husband had the mushroom linguine which he said just OK as it was bland in taste. However, the best was yet to come. 'Tru' with a fada (the band) were playing they were fantastic. Original material which was outstanding. Their harmonies are amazing!! Bert's Bar you obviously know your musical knowledge. This group are fabulous.

Breakfast was delicious and we were late for it. We thought it was over at 11 but during the week it is over at 10.

The lady in the restaurant was lovely too.

So just some things I could mention in terms of improvement.
I felt as though the TV in the room was small. It was in the living room area and when you were in bed watching it it was too small as the bed is much further back.
A shelf would be lovely beside the bath to hold toiletries etc.

These are small things that did not affect our stay.
Would I return? Yes in a heartbeat. It is fabulous. A real treat. So professional. so caring in nature and beautiful food. The band playing in the bar completed a lovely day in Belfast. We shopped, we listened to music in the city, I ate a lovely meal in the Merchant and then witnessed an array of musical theatre with original pieces from the band 'Tru'. What a perfect way to end a perfect day! Thank you Merchant for allowing us to experience your hospitality. Regina from reception was particularly lovely and efficient. Looking forward to our return.

As always a great experience from checking in to Bert’s jazz bar to the great cocktails and superb staff. The building is beautiful and surrounded by great bars and restaurants. Always a treat .

It was a special anniversary stay. The hotel went out of their way to make our stay so memorable. The location was ideal for a city break. We would love to stay again.

Central location, period features, well kept and maintained.

I tagged along with my husband while he was in Belfast on business, and I’m so glad we chose The Merchant Hotel! Having visited the city before, we wanted a more central base this time, and you really can’t beat this location. The Cathedral Quarter is wonderfully lively—especially over the weekend—and sits so conveniently close to everything you'd want to tour.
Here are a few highlights from our stay:
Taking the advice of previous reviewers, we requested an Art Deco room, and it was a great decision. Our room was incredibly spacious, plenty of room for me to comfortably work remotely during the day, and quiet.
The bathroom, like the room, was huge! If I were being truly nitpicky, the blue bathroom floor tile/grout could use a modern refresh, but that’s a minor aesthetic detail in an otherwise top-tier room.
The service here is what truly sets The Merchant apart. Every interaction was lovely, from the friendly doormen and welcoming front desk staff to the remarkable housekeeping team. Housekeeping somehow always sensed the exact moment I stepped out; the room was impeccably cleaned and refreshed twice a day without fail. Spotless and incredibly thoughtful!
Overall, it was a fantastic five days. The Merchant delivers top-tier hospitality in the best spot in town—we’d happily stay again!

Good: Nicely appointed hotel in a good location of Belfast, room options of Victorian or Art Deco. (We booked Art Deco room) Dining in the Great Room is like going back in Victorian time, a beautiful setting. Breakfast each morning was very good. (couldn't eat all the food). Staff friendly.
Bad: I wasn't impressed with our Art Deco room based on what we paid for the room. No views from window of room. We looked out at back of Great Room Restaurant alley and an outside wall of hotel building.
Ugly: We stayed 4 nights. On day 2 the bathroom had a foul odor with every toilet flush. By day 3 the odor was so bad we limited our time in the bathroom and housekeeping opened our bedroom windows. No bathroom window. When we did mention it to Evening Manager, she said she would make things right by us with our bill. She never offered us a new room. She offered to have someone from hotel look at our bathroom. We declined as it was our last night and we had to pack to fly home early the next day. The evening manager gave us a credit for the breakfast meals we had at the hotel. However, we never complained about the food!
Good: I emailed a letter to the General Manager/District General Manager, upon return home, of the hotel chain. I got a phone call from the District GM several days later. He was very apologetic and he gave us compensation for our discomfort that I felt was reasonable.
I would stay here again if in Belfast. Maybe try the Victorian rooms.

room very nice, bathroom superb,beautiful comfortable bed. staff very good
breakast was superb ,staff extremely helpful.

Great location breakfast was excellent with waiter service

We had a great stay food drinks staff hotel services all brilliant. Bert’s restaurant young man was very pleasant great personality very good at his job thank you ☺️

My favourite place to eat and drink in Ireland is The Great Room Restaurant at The Merchant Hotel. It is a true five star establishment. I love the setting and the grandeur of the dining room. The service is always friendly and immaculate.

The food is top drawer. I started with the asparagus and Scotch egg, followed by the lamb rump served with a delicious curry purée, a selection of veg and potatoes, and a rich lamb jus. To finish, I had their famous swan shaped profiteroles with a decadent chocolate sauce. All was prepared to a very high standard. Delicious!

After dinner, I enjoyed three cocktails in the hotel's prestige cocktail bar, including a perfect off menu Aviation made by the young red haired bartender, who was very knowledgeable and excellent at his job. Rochelle, the waitress in the cocktail bar, was great fun and could tell I was thoroughly enjoying my drinks!

Overall, The Merchant is my favourite place to dine and enjoy cocktails on the island of Ireland. Well done to the entire team!

This place is trying to look like a 5* hotel, it's just a place with rooms in which nothing works.

I payed for a room I never got, got a lower class one, half of the room was dysfunctional, there was one window with a broken electrical shade so I had no window. Water faucet was not working either. We arrived at 10pm and had to leave at checkout time. We found out all these defect in the morning. They did not care at all when we pointed this out at checkout and asked for a partial refund.

The hotel never responded to these allegations and did not want to provide any courtesy refund. I tried to contact the hotel after the stay too, but they are so arrogant that they don't even respond to email.

Stay away from this hotel.

We recently stayed at The Merchant Hotel for one night as a family of two adults and one child, and from the moment we arrived until the time we left, every aspect exceeded our expectations.

The Welcome at Reception was warm, professional and efficient, making check-in effortless. The concierge greeted us with a hand-shake & friendly smile, before taking our luggage to the room.

Our room (208) was beautiful - exceptionally clean and very comfortable. The room was spacious and provided a peaceful night's sleep. The housekeeping team even provided cookies & milk for our son as a little treat on the turndown, which he was delighted with.

One of the highlights of our stay was dinner in Bert's Jazz Bar. The atmosphere was simply fantastic, with live jazz creating a sophisticated yet relaxed ambience. The food was outstanding, beautifully presented and full of flavour - special mention for the French Onion Soup!! while the service was attentive without ever feeling intrusive. It was a memorable dining experience and one we'd highly recommend.

Breakfast in the Great Room the following morning was excellent with high-quality ingredients and exceptional staff who ensured everything was perfect.

We left feeling relaxed, well looked after and already planning our next visit. Thank you to everyone at The Merchant Hotel for making our family stay so special—we can't wait to return.

My wife and I chose The Merchant Hotel to celebrate our anniversary, and it exceeded all of our expectations. From the moment we arrived, we were welcomed with genuine warmth and outstanding hospitality.

The hotel itself is stunning—elegant, beautifully maintained, and full of character. Our room was immaculate, spacious, and incredibly comfortable, making our stay even more relaxing.

A special thank you to Mal and April from The Great Room, who made our celebration extra special by surprising us with a beautifully presented dessert and a thoughtful “Happy Anniversary” greeting. It was such a kind gesture that made us feel truly valued and created a memory we’ll always cherish.

The food was exceptional, the atmosphere was perfect, and every member of staff we encountered was friendly, professional, and attentive. It was clear that everyone genuinely cared about making our stay unforgettable.

Thank you to the entire team at The Merchant Hotel for making our anniversary so special. We left with wonderful memories and are already looking forward to our next visit. I would highly recommend The Merchant Hotel to anyone looking for a luxurious stay with exceptional service.

This was easily the most interesting and unique hotel we have ever stayed in. We had the good fortune of staying in Room 329, a stunning Art Deco-inspired room that was incredibly spacious, comfortable, and even featured its own dedicated dressing room with a makeup mirror.
The housekeeping staff deserves a special mention—they were exceptionally efficient, yet practically invisible.
For dining, we visited both The Cloth Ear and Berts Jazz Bar. While both were great, Berts was on another level with fantastic live music, brilliant staff, and exceptional food. The Cocktail Bar was equally impressive; a big shout-out to Ed, who was incredibly welcoming and funny!
Breakfast was strictly table service but executed flawlessly. Combined with a perfect central location right where you want to be in Belfast, we found it to be excellent value. If you want a stay that is beautifully different, look no further than The Merchant!