Merrion Woods, a new apartment development being launched today beside St Helen's Radisson Hotel at Stillorgan Road, Co Dublin, stands out from the pack of new schemes for a number of reasons.
It is built in a stunning woodland setting that belies its city location. Internally, it is one of the best-finished apartment schemes to come on the Dublin market this year.
Two show apartments are to open today to coincide with the release of the first 24 homes, most of them two and three-bedroom units of great style and comfort. One-bedroom apartments with an average floor area of 490 sq ft are priced from £160,000, according to Helen Moore of selling agents Hamilton Osborne King.
Two-bedroom apartments with between 750 and 850 sq ft will be priced from £195,000 to £230,000 while three-bedroom apartments with 900 to 960 sq ft will go on the market from £235,000 to £250,000.
Bookings are also to be taken for what promise to be three of the most stunning penthouses in the city, with enormous terraces wrapped around them. The smallest of them will have a floor area of 1,200 sq ft and will cost £400,000. The second penthouse will have 1,400 sq ft and will be priced at £450,000 while the largest penthouse will have 2,000 sq ft and a price tag of £555,000.
Merrion Woods is being built by O'Malley Construction, which has been a major player in the west of Ireland for a quarter of a century and have completed a number of notable developments in Dublin over the past eight years. One of these, Ballsbridge Woods, at Shelbourne Road in Ballsbridge, won the overall award for the outstanding residential development in the Homebond competition sponsored by the Construction Industry Federation.
O'Malleys have opted for the same high specification in Merrion Woods, a most pleasant residential enclave hidden in woodlands off the main entrance to the five-star hotel. O'Malleys are building 85 apartments in all, 24 of them in Merrion Woods and the remainder on another part of the grounds of St Helen's known as Seamount. This part of the site is shared with Shannon Homes who pre-sold 50 apartments and another 50 in September.
Merrion Woods is a better site, shielded by mature woodlands which will give the development immediate maturity and privacy. Residents will have the use of old sunken gardens which are being restored at considerable expense.
The location of the new apartments within two minutes' walk of St Helen's Hotel will undoubtedly prove an important selling point. This arrangement will enable residents to make frequent use of the hotel, perhaps for meals but more importantly for entertaining guests.
The two show apartments are a good example of the different layouts available. The three-bedroom apartment has a lovely welcoming hall, with a stained glass doors leading into an elegant livingroom. The square-shaped reception room has an attractive fireplace with gas fire and a large door leading out on to a balcony which is bigger than usual, making it an ideal venue for al fresco dinner parties. There is a door opening into a separate diningroom and kitchen with a wonderful range of Shaker-style kitchen units highlighted by vibrant coloured wall tiles. The layout is geared to make cooking easy and trouble free.
TWO of the three bedrooms are good-sized doubles. The main bedroom comes with an en suite shower room which, like the main bathroom, has top class sanitary ware. The cherrywood wardrobes are also considerably better than in most new apartments. The layout by Brian O'Rourke of architects McCrossan O'Rourke includes a handy cloakroom and store in the hall. The two-bedroom show apartment is also an exercise in spacious luxury - a terrific livingroom with a diningroom and kitchen tucked off it to provide practical and comfortable living.
Once again, the well-finished kitchen with its blue wall tiles is likely to impress viewers. The overall finish of the two show apartments suggests that the developer has not skimped on anything.
The emphasis throughout is on style and roominess allied with good taste and big city glamour.
Although the penthouses are not due to be completed until next February or March, the layouts make it obvious that they will be among the best available penthouse apartments, where you can luxuriate in lofty and dramatic splendour with a panoramic view spread out just beyond your balcony.
O'Malleys are providing a handsome entrance foyer with three large downlighters, oak skirting and architraves, and an attractive tiled floor leading to a carpeted stairs. The foyer also includes a lift to service the three upper floors. Car parking is included in the prices.
