20 Years of Merchant Memories

Back when I was a cub reporter for GO Belfast magazine, one of my earliest assignments was a hard hat tour of what would soon become The Merchant Hotel.

I’d only moved to Belfast a few months before, and the buzz around this opening was palpable. There was a real sense that this would be a red-letter day for the city.

I’ll never forget walking through the back corridors and stepping into what would become the iconic Great Room Restaurant for the very first time. I was slightly dubious that they would finish it in time for the impending opening date (it remains a marvel how any hospitality project ever meets a deadline, but somehow they always do) but that wasn’t the prevailing feeling.

I was awestruck. I don’t use that word lightly, and it’s a feeling that has stayed with me through countless visits and experiences over the last 20 years.

There’s just nowhere quite like The Merchant.

The facade of The Merchant Hotel, Belfast.

Some of my fondest memories and most seminal life moments centre around this place, many of which I’ve found myself reflecting on lately.

After five years writing about Belfast’s hospitality and entertainment scene - in which The Merchant played a central role - a chance meeting with Paul McErlean, MD of MCE Public Relations at a friend’s leaving do (in The Merchant), followed by a coffee in the Cocktail Bar, became my pathway from journalism into PR.

It wasn’t a move that was in my game plan, but that fateful conversation back in 2011 changed my life. It’s a moment I had a chance to pause and reflect on recently when Paul brought the some of gang - old and new - back together to mark 20 years since he established MCE (now Cavendish). They really were the best of times.

The Merchant often played a role - both for work, and play. It’s been a huge part of my professional life for the best part of two decades, whether writing about it, or working on the PR side of the house.

Pitching and winning the PR contract was one of my first big ‘wins’ for the agency and you never forget those. Countless nights out, Christmas parties, cocktails, black tie events, gala dinners, and everything in between are also fondly remembered.

Working with the hotel again since 2023 here at SD Create, has been like reuniting with a dear old friend. Over the last few months, preparing for this anniversary, we’ve been reflecting with the team on Merchant stories of yore - many of which you may read about in this week's (and future) press coverage. There are stories that hit headlines around the world: the world's most expensive cocktail, the MTV EMA After Parties, the water menu. Countless others stand out, including last year’s Cocktail Menu launch. It’s a place that continues to push boundaries.

But it’s so much more than that.

The Merchant has become a cornerstone of Belfast’s social and cultural life, and the place where memories are made.

It intertwines with so much of my own story, and I’d wager that’s true of many that will take the time to read this.

My mum met my husband's parents for the first time over Afternoon Tea in The Great Room.

We stayed there for three nights around our wedding, and the incredibly talented pastry chefs made our wedding cake (and donuts).

Getting ready for my wedding day at The Merchant.

Our wedding cake and donuts created by The Merchant’s pastry chefs.

There have been birthdays, anniversaries, festive celebrations, and countless random ‘Merchant Monday’ date nights since. It’s the benchmark we hold every other hotel to, and few ever come close.

In preparation for its 20th anniversary, I’ve had the pleasure of spending time with members of the team, listening to them recount their own Merchant memories.

Owner Bill Wolsey is known - and loved - for his candour. He talks with a knowing smile about how, 20 years ago, people told him they were mad; that Belfast wasn’t ready for a luxury five-star hotel, or luxury five-star prices.

People balked at the idea of a hotel room costing £200 a night back then.

It’s easy now to laugh at how wrong those doubters were. But Belfast was not the city it is today. And that’s the point.

In the empty shell of a dilapidated building, Bill Wolsey saw what no one else could: a hotel that would become a catalyst for change.

The vision for The Merchant was ambitious from the outset. At a time when Belfast was a fledgling tourism destination, Bill Wolsey set out to create a five-star experience that could rival leading cities around the world.

Back then, there was no ‘Cathedral Quarter’. There were a couple of bars and one decent restaurant (Nick’s Warehouse), surrounded by largely deserted streets.

Bill Wolsey, owner of The Merchant Hotel in Belfast. Picture by Darren Kidd, Press Eye.

Since opening in spring 2006, The Merchant has played a defining role in shaping the city’s premium hospitality offering, transforming the historic former Ulster Bank headquarters into one of the UK and Ireland’s most acclaimed hotels.

“We were told it wouldn’t work… that Belfast wasn’t ready,” Bill Wolsey recalls. “But we believed that if you deliver exceptional service in exceptional surroundings, people will respond.”

That belief has been borne out over the past two decades, with The Merchant earning international recognition, including the prestigious AA Five Red Star award, a burgeoning awards cabinet, and building a reputation for excellence across every aspect of the guest experience.

“We studied the best hotels in London, Paris, and New York to understand what makes them successful,” explains Bill. “We trained our staff to those standards, while encouraging people to show their personalities. Initially, we sent staff abroad to learn - now those same hotels send their staff to us.” 

Today, a highly skilled and dedicated team, many of whom have been part of The Merchant’s journey for a long time, are at the heart of its success. That continuity of service has helped create a culture of consistency, warmth and attention to detail that defines the unrivalled guest experience.

“It makes me feel proud,” adds Bill, reflecting on the hotel’s 20th milestone. “Proud of the hotel and proud of our team. Many employees have been here for 10, 15, even 20 years, and across the company up to 35 years. That consistency creates pride and ensures great service. Beyond the décor, food and drink and getting that right, it’s the people and the service that define us.”

Bill was steadfast in his vision. He believed Belfast deserved more, and wanted to create a place that the city could be proud of.

Build it and they will come.

We’re all the better for that vision. And we are immensely proud.

Because Belfast does deserve nice things.

The Merchant taught us that, and it continues to set the standard.