Residence Is No Longer Members-Only – So We Took A Look Inside

You've probably passed this beautiful ivy-covered townhouse on Stephen's Green countless times.

But have you ever gotten the chance to venture inside?

The townhouse originally began as the historical home of Mrs Ruth Croker back in 1745 but is now a restaurant, bar and venue across four floors overlooking one of the most famous parks in Ireland.

Up until December, Residence was private – strictly for members only, excluding patrons of their Restaurant FortyOne. An annual membership to the exclusive and mysterious spot could set you back hundreds of euro.

But luckily for us, it is now open to the public.

Upon announcing the de-privitisation in December, the management at Residence were met with mixed reactions from both their existing and former members.

Some thought it was a great idea, making it more accessible and inclusive.

While others were not fans of the idea. At all.

One thing Residence have noticed since December, however, is the return of some familiar faces – old regulars who cancelled their memberships due to a variety of reasons and hadn't been inside in years.

Sure, didn't the Celtic Tiger hit us all?

Like me, you may be wandering what brought on the change from private to public.

Which was why I headed down earlier today to ask them that very question.

According to management they felt it was time to adapt to changing markets in Dublin, and opening their doors felt like the perfect way to do just that.

So memberships no longer exist.

It will remain an upmarket and selective venue – ideal for celebrating occasions and whatnot but bouncers will still call the shots on who does and doesn't get in.

So be aware that if you arrive to the door absolutely f*cked, your chances of actually getting in are pretty slim.

They are strict on messiness and aim to avoid it at all costs to ensure everyone has a good time without wreckin' the gaff.

It's also over 25s fyi.

I took a cheeky stroll through Residence while I was there and had a wee creep through the upper floors, where you can find the award-winning Restaurant FortyOne – which even served Hillary Clinton once upon a time!

And sure if it's good enough for her, it's good enough for us.

Restaurant FortyOne pride themselves on providing excellent, fine-dining experiences. And their chef even grows his own greens in an organic garden on Kenah Hill, Killiney.

And the moment we've all be waiting for.

How much?

You might think that a place like this'll set you back an arm and a leg but that ain't really the case. Bottles of wine range from €30 to €1,000 – so there's something for everyone.

There are various rooms throughout the townhouse from the Behan Lodge to the Garden Terrace which are provided for meetings, functions, occasions – you name it they can probably cater to it.

Will you be paying Residence a visit?