Looking for a shopping deal? Our global shopper Sarah Lahey sends Peter her latest postcard from Ireland to share her picks for the countryside outlets malls and Dublin boutiques.
From bargain prices to the recently reduced VAT tax, shoppers can find great value as the country continues on its road to recovery.
Dear Peter,
Irish eyes are smilin’ and it’s probably because there are so many bargains and good times to be found in the homeland. After some rough economic stumbles, Ireland is back in business.
In July, the VAT tax rate was reduced from 13.5 percent to 9 percent.
While this seems like pennies on the dollar, a hotel room that previously went for €100 should now be €96.
Starbucks jumped on board immediately, reducing its prices across the board. And many others joined along.
COUNTRY LIVING
My whirlwind visit began in County Kildare, about an hour’s drive from Dublin.
I grabbed a car at the airport and drove straight to The K Club Hotel and Spa, located on the banks of the River Liffey near the tiny village of Straffan. It could have been jet lag, but I had a misplaced Jane Austen moment when I arrived––Pemberley has nothing on this 200-year-old grand manor house!
County Kildare is horse country and home to Ireland’s finest studs. Queen Elizabeth recently visited The Irish National Stud and I wanted to check it out since stud-watching is one of my favorite pastimes.
You don’t need to be an equestrian or breeder to love this place.
The K Club Hotel & Spa and its grounds - photo courtesy of K Club (www.kclub.ie)
The grounds are pristine and there’s a beautiful Japanese Garden, but the horses are why you come. They’re spectacular, as is the gift shop.
My husband will be the only one at his gym wearing a T-shirt that says The National Stud.
COUNTRY SHOPPING
After a quick lunch of smoked salmon and Guinness bread, I was off to Kildare Village, Ireland’s only luxury outlet shopping destination.
Like its European sisters, Kildare is designed as a pedestrian mall of designer boutiques with unbelievable prices.
These shops aren’t like the crowded outlets in the US. Instead, each airy boutique offers collections in a full range of sizes and is staffed by helpful fashionistas.
Kildare Village Outlet Mall - photo courtesy of Kildare Village
Brands like Juicy Couture, All Saints, Desigual, Polo Ralph Lauren, Kenneth Turner (the London florist and scent king), Aquascutum, Furla, Molten Brown (the London hairdresser and purveyor of great shampoo and skin cream), and Tommy Hilfiger are sold at up to 70 percent off the retail price.
At Anya Hindmarch, there was a handbag currently featured in Irish Tattler with a retail price of €857; the outlet price was €525. For fans of Irish design, Fran & Jane are at the village along with Louise Kennedy and The Style Gallery, a boutique dedicated to local designers Deborah Veale and Quin & Connelly. Duchess Kate’s faves, Reiss, Monsoon and LK Bennett, all stock princess-worthy styles.
Irish Rail operates daily train service from Dublin Heuston station to Kildare village, which is a 10-minute walk to the outlet center. You can also take the daily Kildare Village shopping Express bus from Dublin Airport or Dublin city center (George’s Quay). Dublin Airport is 60 minutes away.
Don’t miss the Shopping section for more fabulous travel experiences.
My next stop was Newbridge Silverware, home to Ireland’s most famous silversmiths. Their products range from cutlery to watches, gift items and jewelry. I fought temptation, and restricted my purchase to an intricate silver bird ornament for my Christmas tree.
The Hepburn Room at the Museum of Style Icons - photo via www.newbridgesilverware.com
Located on the upper level of the complex, the Museum of Style Icons is a free exhibition of memorabilia from Hollywood’s top stars. Clothing and jewelry worn by Michael Jackson, Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kell, Marilyn Monroe and Barbra Streisand is on display, along with the muslin working model for Princess Diana’s wedding gown. I could have spent hours gawking, but it was late and I had a dinner reservation back at the K Club.
CITY DIGS
I had only two days to spend in Dublin, so I arrived early the next day at The Merrion Hotel on Upper Merrion Street. I chose this hotel because it’s within walking distance of all the places I wanted to visit. Unfortunately, I couldn’t check in until 3 p.m. (a hard and fast hotel rule) so I left my bag with the bellman and walked over to Trinity College to take a peek at the Book of Kells, the famous New Testament gospels illustrated by Celtic monks. Next up was a quick stop at the Irish Museum of Modern Art and its artful gift shop.
I grabbed a taxi and headed to the Guinness Storehouse for a tour and cold pint of their famous brew.
The top-floor Gravity Bar at Guinness Storehouse - photo via www.guinness-storehouse.com
I’m not a fan of the “black stuff” as locals call it, but the brewery experience was priceless. The brew house is a popular location for stag parties and there was quite a scene in the top floor Gravity Bar.
CITY SHOPPING
Ireland has an international reputation for knitwear and woolens, so I walked to the main design drag, Nassau Street. I bought a cashmere scarf at Kevin & Howlin, #31 Nassau, the best shop in town for high-end tweeds and traditional clothing. Kilkenny, #6-15, has a wide range of traditional and modern Irish crafts, textiles and jewelry; they also have great sales. For Celtic crafts, there’s Celtic Craft, #40. And Celtic Note, #15, has great music.
Find more great experiences in the Off the Brochure Travel Guide: Dublin, Ireland
In the same neighborhood, Avoca Handweavers, 11-13 Suffolk St., is like Anthropologie-tipsy-on-Guiness, all Irish textiles, clothing, home style and whimsy. The best sweater shopping, maybe even the best shop in Dublin, is Cleo, #18 Kildare St. It’s a small boutique with crazy hours (closed for lunch) and the best hand knits in town.
Sarah's Final Haul From Shopping Dublin
TIME TO GO
DUB now requires foreign visitors clear immigration and customs before leaving Ireland. Had I known this, I would have nixed the picnic and allowed an extra hour at the airport, as the immigration lines were long and I had no time for Duty Free Shopping. The good news: I entered the U.S. as a domestic passenger and hopped right off the plane at Newark airport.
WATCH YOUR MAILBOX
An Irish company just launched a postcard service where travelers can send printed postcards anywhere in the world. Through SMP (sendmypostcards.com), I can design a personal postcard on my computer by uploading photos or using theirs. SMP will then print and mail the card for me. Print and postage is about $3, paid online.
With Irish hugs,
Sarah
By Sarah Lahey for PeterGreenberg.com. Sarah Lahey keeps an active travel schedule as editorial director and co-author of the “Born to Shop” travel guides. When not on an airplane or in a hotel, she lives with her husband Tom and their two dogs in Tiburon, California.
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