Why Dublin
Dublin talks. Looking for an escort in Dublin? Then look for someone who can keep up with it. It is the one capital I know where a taxi ride can turn into a debate about Beckett and a stranger at the bar will have views on your coat by the second drink. As a dinner companion I fit in rather well here: give me a good table and I will keep up.
My name is Sophie Hoffmann. I am German, I live in Mayfair, and I have spent years collecting cities. You might want a travel companion for a city break in Dublin, one long evening out, a few unhurried days by the bay, or someone beside you at a client dinner during a business trip to Dublin. I am well educated, I am building a career as an actress, and I write and reply in English. I cross the Irish Sea only after your request has been accepted.
A short hop over the water
Direct flights leave Heathrow, London City, Gatwick and Stansted and land about an hour and twenty minutes later, which means I can leave London after lunch and still be dressed for dinner.
There is still no train from Dublin Airport, so the coaches carry the load. Dublin Express and Aircoach reach the centre in about half an hour, sometimes a little more when the traffic is in a mood, and a taxi is the easy answer with luggage. Between the Georgian squares, Grafton Street and the Liffey, everything central can be done on foot, and the rest is a short cab.
Around the Green and the squares
The grand hotels of Dublin cluster around St Stephen's Green and Merrion Square, old friends of the city. The Merrion is four restored Georgian townhouses joined into one. The Shelbourne remains the grande dame on the Green, although its rooms are being renovated until May 2027 and its spa and pool closed in June, so ask for a quiet floor.
The Westbury, a moment from Grafton Street, suits anyone who likes to step straight into the shops. The Fitzwilliam, recently refurbished, looks out over the Green itself. I mention them only so you can picture the neighbourhood. You book whatever pleases you, and none of them has any connection with me.
Where the evening goes well
When you wish to be properly spoiled, Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud, with two Michelin stars and its home inside The Merrion, is still the room Dubliners save for occasions that matter. Chapter One by Mickael Viljanen also holds two stars, and it is where I would go with someone who enjoys talking about food as much as eating it. Reserve well ahead for both.
For a first drink, Bar 1661 built its name on poitín and joined the extended World's 50 Best Bars list this year. The menu needs explaining, which is a gift on a date. Peruke & Periwig, a period-themed bar on Dawson Street, is where evenings tend to end later than planned.
Choosing your month
Spring begins loudly, with Six Nations crowds at the Aviva in February and March and the St Patrick's Festival taking over the streets in the middle of March. June is my choice: Bloomsday and Taste of Dublin both arrive around mid-month, and the daylight goes on for ever.
August brings the Dublin Horse Show to the RDS, with hats and strong opinions. From late September into October, the Dublin Theatre Festival gives me every excuse to be insufferable about acting, and November has the Dublin Book Festival for quieter company.
Two handshakes from everyone
Everyone in Dublin is two handshakes from everyone else. The person at the next table went to school with your cousin, and nobody here is shy about saying so. We plan with that in mind: a corner table instead of the window, a cab instead of a Saturday walk down Grafton Street.
If you are in town for work, I can simply be a friend over from London. Your name, your company and your plans stay between the two of us.
Before you ask
What about the fee?
Nothing is published here, on purpose. When I have accepted your request, you and I settle the fee and the travel costs personally, based on what the trip involves.
What happens after I send a request?
I read it myself and reply if it feels right. Before anything is confirmed we have a brief video call, which lets both of us check that the other person is real. My photographs are unedited, so the woman you see on the call is the woman you meet.
Could you come over for a single dinner?
Happily, if the evening is worth the flight. Dublin is close enough for one good night out, and tell me in your request whether you have a particular evening in mind. I do not keep a base in Ireland, so every visit is arranged around you.
Request a trip to Dublin
Send me your idea of a good night in Dublin.
No prices here: the fee and travel costs are agreed personally once your request is accepted.