Black-clad receptionists standing behind simple wooden desks at the far end of the vast, marble-floor lobby are the first indication that this place aspires to boutique-hotel chic. Occupying a corner block beside the River Lee, the Clarion is the first arrival of a huge docklands development. It's kitty-corner across the river from City Hall, and a short walk from shopping and dining. Rooms are built around a central, top-lighted atrium, and have views either of the river or the hotel's swanky main staircase. Decor is stark and hard-edged, with stylish pale-wood trim complemented by curtains and flooring in a khaki-olive theme. Kudos bar spills out onto a riverside walkway and serves Asian food from an open wok station until 8 nightly. It's a popular after-work watering hole. The more formal restaurant Sinergie serves a light Mediterranean menu amid minimalist Japanese-inspired decor. Pros: new (2005) and funky; high-luxe rooms. Cons: limited car parking; neighborhood deserted after dark; some rooms overlook internal atrium/staircase.
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