7 Landmark Stays for St. Patrick’s Day
Grab your gran’s favourite shamrock jumper and get ready to down a pint or two of green beer! With St. Patrick’s Day nearly upon us, it’s that festive time of year when everyone’s proud of their Irish heritage...no matter how far removed!
Whether you plan to march in a parade or just want to clink a few glasses of Guinness with your mates over that perfect corned beef sandwich at your local pub, it’s time to get your Gaelic on and pay homage to the Emerald Isle.
For some truly epic displays of Celtic pride, Booking.com has put together a list of destinations that commit to St. Patrick’s day in a truly unique and spectacular way. With these incredible stays, you’ll have front row seats to savour stunning views of seven sensational landmarks that quite literally ‘go green’ and take celebrating St. Patrick’s Day to a whole new level...
The Chicago River (Chicago, USA)
For over 40 years, the Chicago Journeymen Plumbers have been turning the Chicago River a miraculous shade of green in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day. As usual, the annual dyeing of the river and parade are taking place on the Saturday before the actual holiday, so make sure you’ve checked into a room at the Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago by the 12th of March. It’s the perfect place to take in the vermillion views as the river snakes through the downtown skyscrapers.
The Sydney Opera House (Sydney, Australia)
As one of the most-photographed pieces of architecture in the Southern Hemisphere, it should be no surprise that the Sydney Opera House also goes green in 2016. Although this feat is accomplished with lights instead of a temporary coat of paint, there’s no better vantage point to relish the emerald glow than from the Park Hyatt Sydney—each room boasts a direct view of the opera house!
The Empire State Building (New York, USA)
As host to the world’s largest St. Patrick’s Day parade—and one of the largest and oldest Irish communities outside of Ireland—the Big Apple is not about to be outdone in terms of the sheer magnitude of its gesture of Celtic pride. To take in the shiny green top of the Empire State Building, nothing beats the towering, unobstructed views from the rooftop bar at The Strand Hotel.
The Coliseum (Rome, Italy)
Although the Coliseum went green for the very first time in 2015, current reports predict that it’s gearing up for another fantastic display of shimmering Gaelic pride in 2016. For a fabulous panorama of these most famous of Roman ruins, look no further than 47Luxury Suites Colosseo. You’ll be feasting on your own private slice of history from this chic Italian dining room with a view.
The London Eye (London, UK)
Towering 135 metres above the banks of the River Thames in London, it’s hard to miss when the London Eye turns a dazzling shade of emerald green. For picture perfect views of the giant Ferris Wheel in all of its St. Patrick’s Day glory, book a room on one of the upper floors at the Park Plaza County Hall London. It’s also the perfect basecamp to enjoy a host of special St. Pattie’s day celebrations in the capital, including the annual parade on Sunday March 13th.
Niagara Falls (Niagara Falls, Canada)
Whether you decide to stay on the American or the Canadian side of the falls, hearing the roar of 168,000 cubic metres of water plummet into the Lower Niagara River is a truly unique way to get your blood pumping on St. Patrick’s Day. After a day of pampering at the Niagara Falls Marriott Fallsview Hotel & Spa, toast your Irish heritage with a shot of whisky while basking in the green glow of the illuminated falls from your room.
Dublin, Ireland
With bridges over the River Liffey and monuments throughout the city going spectacularly green for the annual festivities, any tour of noteworthy St. Patrick’s Day celebrations must begin and end with Dublin. Just steps away from legendary Temple Bar and the Ha’penny Bridge, you’ll experience the city like a rock star at The Clarence, a hip and cosy retreat owned by U2 royalty, Bono and The Edge.