Hotelink by Dublin Bus

Dublin Bus introduced a new route 61A " Hotelink " on 14th June 1999 operating from Bus Aras to the southside of the city including Merrion Square, Waterloo Road, Christchurch & Dame Street before heading back via Eden Quay to the Central Bus Station, Bus Aras.

The terminus at Bus Aras was shared with the Airlink 747 service, which had just been upgraded with new Volvo Olympian deckers, RV 513 to 516 in glossy new Airlink livery, to increase capacity with the existing single decker Alexander DAF SB220 AD class ( AD 35 - 40 & 69-70 ) which were struggling to cope with demand.

Hotelink was designed to compliment the Airlink 747, hence the shared terminus at Bus Aras, by offering travelers a link to southside locations, including hotels like Jurys. Around this time, private operator Aircoach was operating new express services from Dublin Airport to the City Centre & beyond with stops along the southside including Ballsbridge.

ME 23, a Mercedes Benz 709D with Donegal company Eurocoach bodywork is seen at the terminus at Bus Aras. Eurocoach had successfully tendered to Dublin Bus in 1993 with an order for 20 similar buses, used to launch new route 123 from Marino via the City Centre & St James Hospital to Drimnagh.

ME 23 to 25 from Phibsboro Garage were commissioned in a new Hotelink livery, very similar is appearance to the Airlink 747 service, this was the first & only route to use the Hotelink branding.

Summerhill Garage Volvo Olympian RV 514 parked at Bus Aras a month before the introduction of the Hotelink, which had just been delivered.

This Airlink batch were some of the first Olympians delivered with digital front displays & featured the route is various European languages.

These buses were also fitted with extra luggage racks.

Eurocoach ME 25 is seen on route 61A on Westmoreland Street 14th August 1999 heading back towards Bus Aras.

There was no real logical reason for calling the Hotelink " route 61A " apart from actually allocating the route a number, the running boards attached to the buses were 1-61, 2-61 onwards, but this was more for driver roster reasons.

The Hotelink service was not a success & was quietly withdrawn in October 1999.

It would not be the end of the Hotelink buses, as a new route 321 was launched on the 6th December 1999. While this new 321 route had absolutely nothing to do with the previous 61A, it used ME 23-25 in full Hotelink livery.

Route 321, still operated from Summerhill Garage, ran from Connolly Railway Station via Gardiner Street, Sean McDermott Street, Cumberland Street, Temple Street & terminated at the Mater Hospital on Eccles Street. Route 321 didn't last long either, being withdrawn on Saturday 1st April 2000.

This really was the end, as ME 23 was transferred to Donnybrook, while ME 24 & 25 moved back to Phibsboro Garage. ME 24 & 25 operated Phibsboro City Imp route 120 & 134 still in full Hotelink livery for a few days before they were resprayed into the standard yellow & red imp colours.

A modern day version of Hotelink could be the official " Hotel Shuttle " which can be seen displayed on some of the City Tour fleet. Known as route 705, the hotel shuttle collects North & South Coast tour passengers directly from their hotels, such as The Four Seasons, The Burlington & The Mespil, as well as designated bus stops & connects them with the tour departures on O'Connell Street.

Former Coastal Tour liveries AV 257 of Donnybrook Garage, an ALX400 Volvo B7 is seen displaying route 705 - Hotel Shuttle in 2008.

While route 321 was canceled in 2000, in 2008 a version of the route was introduced in 2008.

While not operated by Dublin Bus, 2 buses, a Mercedes Citaro & Optare Solo began operating a service from the Mater Hospital on behalf of Travelways Ireland. Two routes operated from the Mater to car parks on Marlborough & Parnell Street while the Mater car park on Eccles Street was under construction, to facilitate staff & visitors.