From its prime location in the heart of Dublin, the stunning new Ruby Molly Hotel offers guests a unique mix of historic charm and contemporary comfort.
Ruby’s first hotel in Ireland, this John Fleming Architects-designed scheme draws visually upon the character of this Victorian neighbourhood, seeing it pay homage to the site’s past whilst embracing the contemporary spirit of Dublin today. Developed in partnership with ARA Europe, this hotel offers 272 rooms spread across five categories, ranging from simple and cozy options to expansive loft rooms with private terraces.
Punctuated by a striking interior design led by Ruby’s in-house team under the creative direction of Matthew Balon, guests entering the hotel enjoy a welcoming 500 sq ft space incorporating a bar, café, and lounge complete with large feature windows which flood the area with natural light.
Originally part of St. Mary’s Abbey which was established in 846, the site upon which Ruby Molly Hotel stands has deep historical roots. This area was once a prominent centre of Dublin’s early development, and at its height, the Abbey was one of the largest and wealthiest in Ireland, playing a crucial role in shaping the city.
Bringing Ruby Molly to life whilst protecting this rich history involved a comprehensive approach, from the planning stages through to the final details. Prior to construction, the site underwent an extensive archaeological survey to uncover any historical artifacts or structures. This revealed fascinating glimpses into Dublin’s medieval history, uncovering pottery shards, ancient street remnants, and even graves and parts of historic foundations, walls and cobble floors, much of which were preserved in-situ under the hotel connecting the new hotel to the layers of history beneath.
To help breathe a new lease of life into the site, Waterman Moylan’s team in Dublin worked closely with the architect and wider project team from inception, ensuring the project’s smooth progression and adherence to Dublin’s heritage preservation guidelines.
This saw us provide multidisciplinary consultancy services for the scheme, including health and safety, building services, civil and structural design. Our structural design features a reinforced concrete and steel frame, with key elements from the historic Abbey buildings retained. To enhance guest experience at this busy central Dublin location, soundproofing was carefully integrated throughout the design, seeing walls and acoustic barriers strategically placed to minimise noise from the streets outside.
With sustainability high on the agenda, low environmental impact materials were selected throughout the building’s design, and the interior is punctuated by pre-loved furniture, reclaimed wood and recycled metals. To drive down energy consumption in operation, our building services design includes air source heat pumps for space heating and hot water production, smart low energy lighting and occupancy responsive energy-efficient heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems. In addition, the hotel also features efficient water management systems including low-flow fixtures.
