The Martello Hotel — Restaurant in The Municipal District of Bray

On the evening in question, an unsettling encounter with racism cast a shadow over our experience as my companions and I were making our way to the hotel's entrance. Despite being dressed in a manner that was both culturally appropriate and tastefully elegant, we found ourselves subjected to unwarranted scrutiny and hostility from the hotel’ bar security and manager.

The distressing episode unfolded as we attempted to enter the establishment, where we were immediately met with disapproval for our attire. It is important to underscore that we, as individuals of Indian descent, had taken great care to present ourselves in a manner that respected both the occasion and the venue's expectations. However, rather than receiving a warm welcome, we were confronted with unwarranted rudeness.

To compound the distressing situation, we observed with dismay that other individuals, dressed similarly to us, were granted entry without hesitation. This stark disparity in treatment only deepened our sense of humiliation and discomfort. Our attempts to address this injustice were met with indifference and apathy, as we repeatedly called the hotel for assistance a staggering 13 times, only to receive no response or assistance whatsoever.

The evening, which had initially held the promise of a pleasant experience, was marred by this deeply disheartening incident. The allegation of being "under-dressed" and, consequently, deemed unsuitable for entry into the hotel’ pub/bar, left us feeling not only embarrassed but also profoundly hurt. We were left to wonder if our ethnicity played a role in this prejudiced treatment, as there was no other explanation for such discriminatory behavior.

In the wake of this ordeal, we remain in possession of ample evidence to substantiate our claims of mistreatment at the entrance of the hotel. These records serve as a testament to the injustice we endured on that fateful night. The emotional toll of this experience weighed heavily on all three of us, and it is with a heavy heart that I recount this distressing narrative.

This incident stands as one of the most regrettable and disheartening experiences I have ever had the misfortune of enduring. The memory of that night continues to serve as a stark reminder of the prevalence of racism and the profound impact it can have on individuals and their sense of belonging in a world that should be defined by inclusivity...

Originally from Ireland and just returned back to the US after a packed 2 week trip. We wanted to finish in Bray so we could not only enjoy the town but also hop on the Dart(train) into Dublin, super easy and a 5 minute walk. When we arrived, they were just finishing up a week long festival in Bray and we started out first night with an amazing firework display over the water. The town was buzzing. Although we had to park a bit away on the first night, the rest of the nights were grand once Bank Holiday was over.

Lets start with the Breakfast, everything we had was so fresh and tasteful, we are a family of 5 and not one time did anyone complain about the food, it really was amazing. There was one lady who appears to be the main waitress, she wears all black, just runs non stop and always had a a great attitude. Not to takeaway anything from all the other staff we experienced, everyone was truly exceptional and I wish I could have taken a video and marketed it to some of the restaurants here in the US of how service should be in a restaurant. Same for the Lunches and Dinners, we had dinner one evening and it really was spectacular.

We stayed in one of the apartments for a family of 5 and it really was perfect, plenty of space for us all to move around and keep the kids separate and their own bed and of course the parents having their own separate room, another great bonus!!

I don't remember her name, I think "Eva"(manager) accommodated me quickly for my sister to come from Kildare to spend the night at a great rate and was super accommodating as was all the reception staff I spoke with during my stay. They also found her laptop after she left and secured it until she was able to return and pick it up. Another name I remember was Dillon, bartender, another great asset to the team who looked after my buddy and I with some great Guinness as I said farewell to my last few pints.

Thanks again to all at The Martello for making the ending to our holiday a very memorable one....

The Martello has a great location on brays seafront, we stayed for 4 nights in October, do the weather wasn't the greatest for promenades along the seafront, but I'm sure it's great in summer. The Dart train station is very close, 5-10 minute walk, with a regular service to Dublin City, very reasonable prices. We took the train to malahide, a lovely little coastal town, and also Dublin, very easy to hop on and off.

It's a very friendly hotel, staff are welcoming and helpful. The rooms are clean,and the beds very comfortable. We didn't have a view from our room, but maybe others do have, but we used the hotel as a base, so we weren't all that bothered.

The bar/restaurant has a cosy feel to it, with lots of little snugs off the main area, the food is exceptional , and it's very often busy in the evening, but we managed to get a table every night. My daughter is gluten free, and every night she was accommodated, most dishes could be adapted for her.

Breakfast is served in the bar/restaurant area, and what a selection you get! the food quality is fantastic.

Above the bar/restaurant there is the piano and cocktails bar, and while we were there, it only opened Wednesday and Thursday, and was booked for private events on Monday and Tuesday, and I was told Friday onwards it turned into a late night nightclub. It's beautifully decorated, and would be a great venue for special occasions. The cocktails at the Martello were fabulous,

Only negative for the stay, is that our room had a couple of flights of stairs to carry our cases, on arrival and departure, but day to day that wasn't a problem. Also a couple of evenings it was very noisy with slamming doors, which seemed to also rattle our room door. But that was probably due to the private events, and difficult to stop.

Overall we had a fabulous stay at the Martello, and we would visit again. Thankyou for your hospitality, we had...