Here’s our President and First Lady arriving at Dublin airport. They based themselves at the Merrion Hotel but did not stay the night after the ash cloud forced them to leave early. Ever since London’s Goring Hotel had Pippa Middleton and Alexander McQueen’s fashion house stay at their establishment, business has soared so much that it looks like the same is about to happen to the Merrion. It transpired that Obama eschewed the expected presidential accommodation in Phoenix Park when he arrived in Ireland on Monday and chose to stay privately at this five-star hotel. Unbeknownst to any media in Dublin, the Obamas snuck into the hotel at around noon on Monday, had a light lunch and then departed to the US embassy. They returned later that night before heading to Stansted airport to beat a possible lock down of air space because of the Icelandic volcano.”They were absolutely delightful, the most gracious pleasant people you could meet. They were relaxed and there was a calmness about them,” said. general manager Peter MacCann. www.merrionhotel.com