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BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND –
The Europa was Belfast’s first cosmopolitan hotel.
At 12 stories, it was the tallest edifice in the downtown core. It offered fine dining, ensuite bathrooms, and a posh nightclub accessorized with sexy waitresses dubbed “Penthouse Poppets.”
Everything was dynamite – in the “cool” sense of the word.
Then, within one month of opening, there was a real explosion. The Europa Hotel was bombed.
It was 1971, and “The Troubles” were in their infancy. Little did the hotel know then, the civil unrest was to rage on for another 27 years, taking The Europa along for the ride.
At one point, it even held the dubious honour of being “the most bombed hotel in the world.”
“The hotel opened in the eye of the storm,” says head concierge Martin Mulholland.
Tourism ground to a standstill almost immediately, but then-manager Harper Brown was determined to keep the Europa in business.
Shattered glass? No problem, a standing order with a window supplier was always in place.
Kitchen destroyed? The chefs lit a fire in the loading area and made soup and stew there.
No ceiling? Brown served drinks even when the guests were sitting under umbrellas in the bar.
“The Europa became a symbol of defiance and determination to survive the ravages of a war torn city,” wrote journalist Martin Dillon.
Since tourists were nowhere to be found, the hotel became a press club of sorts, hosting international journalists on the Northern Ireland beat.
The London Times, The Guardian and The Irish Times had permanent offices within the hotel, and well-respected scribes such as Sir Trevor McDonald, Chris Ryder and Sir Max Hastings cut their teeth while staying at The Europa.
“It was a headquarters, a training school, and only marginally a hotel,” recalls Simon Hoggart, The Guardian’s Belfast reporter from 1971 to 1973.
Within the hotel, journalists could be seen chatting with politicians, paramilitary leaders and even known killers.
“In a perverse way, that’s why The Europa became such a target - because the world’s press were staying here. They realized it was instant publicity to attack the hotel,” says Mulholland, who has been on staff since 1983.
Once a terrorist brazenly strode right into the lobby and left a device near the lift shafts with the name “IRA” scrawled on it.
That sort of event was par for the course at The Europa. Luckily, nobody was ever killed as a result of those attacks.
“We got a call for a bomb scare once a week,” Mulholland recalls. “It was a normal thing to see soldiers with guns and armoured carriers driving around the street.”
By 1981, the hotel’s repair bill had exceeded its original construction cost (£2 million).
All told, the hotel was bombed 33 times. The last two incidents unfolded in the early nineties.
“There was a car left by the side of the hotel. We were given a 25 minute warning. We evacuated the building and everything was clear, but the damage was pretty bad,” recalls Mulholland.
After one of the explosions tore through a wall, Mulholland says “you could stand at reception and see the Opera House stage” next door.
The Europa might have been rattled, but it was never shaken. And today it stands, a proud survivor of troubled times, in the middle of a tourism renaissance.
Overnight tourism numbers in Belfast have quadrupled since 1999, and hotel rooms have tripled. At the same time, the pound has dipped to an affordable level for North Americans.
“It’s a buzz,” says Mulholland. “It’s nice to see people coming to your city and your hotel.”
To keep up with the new luxury hotels sprouting up around Belfast, The Europa recently underwent a major renovation, including new fixtures and furnishings in each room (the journalists may look upon the The Europa of the 1970s with fondness, but nobody wants to look upon that décor).
Mulholland is especially proud of the five purpose-built disabled rooms.
“We actually talked with a disability group and they gave us some great advice on that,” he says.
Instead of being issued evacuation orders, today’s guests are serenaded with live music during afternoon tea in the Piano Bar. They can sip next to a magnificent window overlooking Great Victoria Street, one of Belfast’s main thoroughfares.
The hotel also serves “good Irish traditional fare” according to Mulholland.
“I’m a real carnivore, so I think the beef, lamb and meat dishes are fabulous,” he laughs.
While the food may comfort your belly, the sincere “Irish welcome” is possibly the warmest part of a trip Northern Ireland.
After so many years of having few guests, Belfast is ready to entertain.
“I am genuinely delighted to see someone who has made the effort to come to Belfast for the first time,” says Mulholland.
IF YOU GO
The Europa Hotel is located on Great Victoria Street, within walking distance to all major downtown attractions.
Rooms cost between £90 and £400 per night, including breakfast.
For more information, visit www.hastingshotels.com/europa or call +44 (0) 28 9027 1066.