Last Updated on February 25, 2022
Charm and Decadence in Belfast at The Harrison
When you meet someone like Mel Harrison you know immediately what is meant by Irish charm. Buying the house next door, restoring it carefully with the help of her dad and then opening during the Covid Pandemic might seem like a little madness to most of us, but Mel seems to have relished the challenge. She describes vividly how the plumbers wouldn’t do anything other than install the bathrooms – so she had to take every bath, toilet and sink upstairs herself. It’s that very personal input though which makes The Harrison, Chambers of Distinction in Belfast so special. Ask her about any item in any room and she’ll tell you a story about where it’s from and why it is there. You can’t help but be charmed.
I’ve stayed twice now – each time on a little adventure to see Opera Northern Ireland performing. For my first visit, I stayed in one of the only two rooms that are not named after famous people connected with Belfast. The Grand Booboir is so named because of the wallpaper.
What looks from a distance like arty pink flamingos turns out to be a handmade, unique wallpaper. Created by local milliner and designer Grainne Maher, I suspect Mel herself was the inspiration behind this fun, cheeky style. Like all the suites, it has a huge bed, a freestanding bath in the corner and a separate shower room with rainforest shower. The vintage table looks out over the church opposite and there’s a chaise longue at the foot of the bed for relaxing. It makes it easy to get into the spirit of the place.
My second stay was in the C. S Lewis rooms – this is a suite that would work brilliantly for a group of friends as there’s a main room with king-sized double bed and then a small room with a single bed. Both are charming in their own way – the splendid main bedroom has a desk complete with vintage typewriter looking out over the church opposite, a stuffed badger and a bookcase packed with books that you might actually want to read.
The smaller room is set up with a cast-iron bedstead, the kind of place where you can dream of being one of the children in The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe – winter, but never Christmas, as it says on their website. In the entrance lobby there’s a massive wardrobe complete with old fur coats…so if you fancy checking out Narnia you might just find your way there!
Apart from the aforementioned Grand Booboir, you can learn a lot about Belfast just by exploring The Harrison. There are beautifully themed rooms named after famous personalities from the city.
From Hans Sloane (who lends his name to Sloane Square, but who originated in Killyleagh to Seamus Heaney, from Van Morrison to Ruby Murray, a well known Belfast singer who lived a short stroll away. Ask Mel what inspired her and she’ll tell you it’s a celebration of what makes Belfast special.
‘I’ve travelled the world and am so very proud of Belfast. I wanted to create the sort of place my friends and I would really enjoy staying in. Harrison’s is a showcase of Belfast talent past and present’.
It’s very much her vision that makes The Harrison so special. From mahogany floorboards salvaged from the Royal Victoria Hospital through to detail like the bespoke wallpaper in the Booboir, visitors find themselves exploring every little detail.
The heritage of the building has clearly been a major influence on the renovation and refurbishment. One of the buildings that now makes up The Harrison was the home of John and Mary Cleaver, of Robinson and Cleaver fame. A luxury department store set up in the late 1870s it was Belfast’s answer to Selfridges and was opened at the height of the city’s wealth. It was apparently, famous for an elaborate marble staircase and stunning interiors, a store for the wealthy people of Belfast when the city was famous for the production of high quality linens, rope making, ship building and tobacco manufacture.
Mel tels us that she was suprised by
‘All the things I found out. The history of the Cleaver family and that they were linked to the village where I grew up. The stories behind everything from the floorboards to the railings. I’m proud of the little collection of stories that I ve built up. I even created a little map from the stories behind each door’
And the decor – what was the inspiration?
‘I don’t know – it comes from the heart. When I stand in a room I think of the person and it’s all just a bit of a feeling. I try to get the essence of their personality. I also like to be a wee bit naughty and cheeky and make people laugh a bit. That comes into too. People like to have fun when they travel ‘
It works of course, I have an inkling that people will come back to the Harrison again and again. Mel’s latest project is to create a little bistro downstairs, with delicious food for very casual dining. There’s a posh restaurant next door called ‘Blank’ where you can enjoy a five course tasting menu. Perfect for a special occasion, but Harrison’s is the kind of place where a lot of the travellers are friendly. When I was there last time there were visitors from Berlin on a return trip and the Bassoon player from Scottish Ballet – all super friendly and happy to chat over a glass of wine in the evening or breakfast in the morning.
Of course if you want privacy, then you can have breakfast in your room and even the smaller ‘Bohemian’ rooms which are perfect for single travellers are bigger than most London doubles. And, every bit as stylish as the suites with the same classic waterfall showers. They are all at the back of the building too, so perfect if you want a really quiet stay. My own favourites are the Seamus Heaney and Anthony Trollope rooms both of which have wonderful fabrics and jewel colour schemes.
There’s even a Petit Booboir and, since the hotel claims they’ll turn a blind eye if you want to sneak a lover into your single occupancy Bohemian room, I can’t think of a better place to snuggle up.
Mel tells us that what she loves most about Belfast is
‘The people. So genuinely kind and friendly. Talented beyond belief but yet so grounded. People really help other people here. I love that. I ve seen people make great connections and go off to do some fabulous collaborations just from meeting in my lounge area.’
It’s true that when you stay, you’ll find all kinds of people popping for a chat and a cup of tea or glass of wine. It’s that kind of place. I suspect that Mel’s dream guest, Stephen Fry, would be right at home. As she says
‘He could regale tales of when he lived at The Groucho Club in London and give some tips on how to replicate it. I would put him in the Hans Sloane Room as it is very London themed. He would have a huge table on which to write and I think he would love the decadence of the Emperor bed, the wall mural of allegory of love and the bath in the bedroom.’
Now, I’m just hoping that next time I visit The Harrison Chambers of Distinction I bump into Stephen. It’s already somewhere that is becoming popular with visiting personalities, actors and musicians. And it’s obvious why. I suspect that Mel already knows that most people will rate the hotel as she hopes. It’s a quirky place and not for everyone – if you like your hotel rooms predictable and modern, the Harrison won’t be for you. But, a bit like marmite, there will be plenty of people who feel right at home.
‘I want people to love the decor and feel comfortable obviously but more than that to go away feeling a little thrill of having discovered something different and finding out something they didn’t know before. I have to say the biggest joy for me is to see guests connect with each other. That is just the best feeling. I love bringing people together.
Says Mel.
I’m sure she’ll get there!
Situated in the University Quarter, The Harrison is a great place to stay, with plenty of local bars and restaurants but within walking distance of the City Centre. You can reach the hotel from Belfast City Airport by train to Botanic, Belfast or by cab in about 10 minutes.
For more about the city check our feature about what to do when you are visiting Belfast
To book a stay at The Harrison Chambers of Distinction check out their website
The Harrison Chambers of Distinction
45 Malone Rd,
Belfast BT9 6RX
phone number 028 9460 0123
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