Belfast’s Bohemian Bolt Hole…The Harrison

When Melanie Harrison fell for 45 Malone Road in Belfast little did she know of the tales it would tell.

A set of buildings in the Queens area of the city had been divided into offices.

Melanie Harrison of The Harrison.

However, she recognised that there could be much more than that use for it.

Hence, was born…The Harrison!

Described as a ‘Bohemian Bolt Hole’ or ‘Chambers of Distinction’.

After working with her father to bring the building back to its late Victorian glory once again.  The apartments on offer all tell different stories about the city and its colourful characters that live in or nearby the city.

Denise Austin The Elephant Angel.

Melanie wanted to utilize the local history to help tell those stories to her guests as they experience each of her individual rooms.

The styling and themes of the rooms reflect the period of the building up until to the present day. Here she has used the skills of local designer Grainne Maher to add her own unique contemporary elements to the project.

Designer Grainne Maher who has helped with the project.

With 17 rooms to choose from, each one has also had that Melanie touch too.

The Making Of A Bohemian Bolt Hole

A self-confessed auction fanatic she has the place filled with antique furniture.  Yet, balanced with eclectic and eccentric items to dress the building and help tell those stories that she is so fond of.

As well as the famous like Van Morrison, Ruby Murray, Seamus Heaney, The Brontes and CS Lewis.

The Bohemian bolt hole that is The Harrison in Belfast.

Or the not well known.  Like Denise Austin the ‘Elephant Angel’. The woman who during the Second World War managed to take a rather large baby elephant home.

Fearing it may be killed if the zoo was bombed, she kept it in the garden of her tiny cottage in the north of the city.

The Harrison.

My room’s story was of that of Hans Sloane.  He of Sloane Square, London fame. Born nearby in Killyleagh he was a physician, a collector and helped to established the British Museum which he bequeathed it with 71,000 items!

And all you, chocolate lovers have to thank him too! As the recipe he adapted from locals in the West indies was later adopted by Cadburys.  The rest is history!

Buying Up Brown Furniture ?

Many rooms at the front have huge bay windows as did mine. No, shortage of antique furniture.  In fact, the auction houses of Northern Ireland must be so pleased that people like Melanie are buying up that ‘brown furniture’ that is currently so out of favour.

However, the rooms and their scale does seem to let the ‘brown furniture’ breath within them.

Brown furniture often overlooked works well here.

Add in sumptuous velvet curtains and vast beds, there is much elegance and comfort to be enjoyed.  Again, those were probably bought at auction too.  Plus, add in deep bathtubs in some of the larger rooms.  As well as spacious showers that are in all of the rooms.

Cheeky decor added in places.

The Harrison also offers a hint mischief and tongue-in-cheek humour as you will discover in all sorts of places there.

Things A Little Eccentric At This Bohemian Bolt Hole

Be that of eccentric curios or surprises like discovering in the CS Lewis room that you have a wardrobe complete with coats. But alas and a lack I could find no access to Narnia.

The rooms range from the Aristocrat at £150 per night then in scale smaller Bohemian at £120 and then the more compact Gallivanters at £95.

These may be aimed at the single market.  But if your lover can make it then they do turn a blind eye to those occasions!

Fresh fruit and pastries for breakfast to start your day with.

Currently breakfasts trays are served in the rooms.  But soon to come on stream will be breakfast/brunch room on the ground floor.

Not only the food element being catered for on that level. Health wise, a new well being element too.  A massage and facial treatment room is being planned.

Queens University building Belfast.

Located over the road from the Queens University complex where the fine Gothic building is the heart of the educational complex.

The Harrison Is Close To The City Centre

The botanic gardens with its ornate glass and iron curvilinear palm house built a year or two before the much larger one at Kew Gardens in London. Closed at present because of Covid-19 but still and impressive sight.

The Palm House built before the one at Kew London.

This and the adjacent Ulster Museum are both less than ten minutes, walk away from, The Harrison.

Belfast centre and City Hall can be reached in 20 minutes along Malone Road. Once there you are ready for more culture and galleries. Or shopping or some of those genuine Irish bars you have heard about.

Barney Gibbin on his walking tour in Belfast.

City tours are numerous. I did a walking tour with Barney from ‘If Only Buildings Could Talk’. A, 7,500 step introduction to the city and some of its architecture, culture and personalities.

 Melanie and her ever helpful team can organise more extensive trips around the the Northern Ireland province. With VIP type chauffeured tours to the loughs, coast and towns of the six counties.

Titanic Is Such A Must For Any Belfast Trip

No trip made to Belfast these days can go by without experiencing the majestic Titanic Museum.

Not only is the building exterior unmissable, but its contents too!

Titanic Belfast.

Its nine interactive galleries over several floors tell of the history of the city and how it was linked to Titanic itself. The ship was built right beside the current building. Then the Harland and Wollf shipyard.

Walking on the sea bed at Titanic Belfast.

Many artefacts from the ship and the White Star Line are on display.  And more up to date huge screens project images that take you to the bottom of the Atlantic and the remains of the ship. Very impressive too!

Although the designed residence at number 45 is recently finished. Melanie says it will continue to change and evolve as time goes by.

So, no doubt those auction houses will continue to be raided by her as she plans her next little item for some more mischief?