One lucky Guinness fan!

Winning Guinness fan James Morrissey from New York checked in recently for a once-in-a-lifetime overnight reservation in the iconic Gravity Bar at the Guinness Storehouse as part of Ireland’s first-ever Airbnb ‘Night At’ offering.

James emerged the overall winner of the unique competition which ran in March and which saw the seven-story visitor attraction listed as a residence on Airbnb’s website, offering one lucky beer fan and a friend the opportunity to be the first people to spend a night at the Home of Guinness.

To be in with a chance to win, would-be residents were invited to answer the question ‘What makes you the world’s biggest Guinness fan?’. The response was overwhelming, with over 40,000 entries from across the globe, but Guinness are not saying yet what the winning entry was. 

However, for 24 hours, the Gravity Bar was completely transformed for James and his wife Kaitlin, where they enjoyed a VIP experience complete with a Guinness tasting bar and private butler, ‘perfect pint’-shaped bed, pool table, life-sized Jenga and giant telescope for a night under the stars.

The couple were welcomed by Mark Sandys, Global Head of Beer, Baileys & Smirnoff, before being handed the keys to the Guinness Storehouse. During their stay, they experienced life behind the gates with rare access into the heart of the legendary St James’s Gate Brewery, the production site that’s been home to the Guinness Brewery since 1759.

The prize included flights to Dublin but the aforementioned butler also kept an eye on ‘closing time’ since the bar remains subject to Irish licensing legislation!

Starting at No 1 Thomas Street, family home to Arthur, Guinness Archivist Eibhlin Colgan took them on a historical journey of the brewery along 19^th Century railway tracks and through hidden tunnels, telling the story of the Guinness family heritage topped-off by a six-course dining experience designed with Irish ingredients and Guinness pairings by Guinness Storehouse Executive Chef Justin O’Connor – all served in the surroundings of the Gravity Bar.

‘The morning after’ saw the pair treated to an Irish breakfast before meeting with Guinness Brewer Peter Simpson who taught them how to create their very own Guinness brew.

The Gravity Bar is the symbolic ‘Head of the Pint’, Dublin’s highest bar and it features unparalleled panoramic 360 degree views of the city through the floor-to-ceiling glass windows.

The transformation of the space into a luxury penthouse featured a balance of contemporary Irish craft furniture alongside original Guinness artifacts from the Guinness Archives including notable works such as the Guinness Toucan.