Spend the Night at Dublin's Guinness Storehouse with Airbnb
By Lale Arikoglu. Photos: Courtesy Airbnb.
If you don’t succeed in drinking your weight in Guinness this St. Patrick’s Day, there’s now another (slightly less sloshed) opportunity to indulge in the classic stout this spring: Spend a night at the 258-year-old Dublin brewery itself. The catch? To prove you’re worthy of sleeping among Ireland’s most precious taps, you’ll have to first explain why you’re the world’s biggest Guinness fan.
The one-night-only sleepover, on April 24, is part of Airbnb’s “Night At” series, a string of competitions that has gifted winners overnights at London's Abbey Road Studios, within the Paris catacombs, even in ‘Hamlet’s castle’ in Denmark (moat included). For this occasion, the famous Gravity Bar at the Guinness Storehouse will be transformed into a fully equipped loft, complete with a “perfect pint”-shaped bed, a butler (presumably on hand to pour you actual pints), life-sized Jenga, a Guinness tasting bar, and panoramic views of Dublin—to be admired through a handily provided telescope. The decor is also a touch toucan themed, an ode to one of the brand’s many motifs. “Even locals don’t get this kind of access,” claims the listing, which goes on to describe the digs as “Ireland’s most exclusive bedroom.” To enter, beer-obsessives need to explain in 50 to 200 words why they are the beer's greatest fan via the Airbnb website.
The experience goes way beyond a boozy night’s sleep. Upon arrival, the winner and a guest will be taken on a private tour of the brewery’s production site, starting at Thomas Street—once home to founder Arthur Guinness—before walking along 19th-century railway tracks and through winding underground tunnels, concluding with a six-course meal. Oysters will be served three ways, along with grilled scallops, beef fillet with Guinness jus, and Guinness chocolate mousse (all locally sourced, of course). Meanwhile the winners can help themselves to the taps throughout the evening, although they go off come closing time to abide by licensing laws, according to the Associated Press. In the morning, the guests will tuck into an Irish breakfast—arguably the best and greasiest hangover remedy—followed by a one-on-one brewing lesson with brewer Peter Simpson. There are some house rules to abide by: No dancing on the bar, no pets, and only responsible drinking.
To enter, you just need an Airbnb account and to be 21 years or older, and answers (which can be written in English, French, German, Chinese, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, or Korean) must be submitted before the March 22 deadline. There is also one unwritten rule for the winner: After 24 hours spent one of the most iconic breweries in the world, it’s only fair that you learn to pour the perfect pint.
This story originally appeared on Conde Nast Traveler.
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