Few hotels have lived through as much history as the Europa, and none captures Northern Ireland's journey from conflict to peace more vividly.
Europa Hotel
The Europa opened on Great Victoria Street in July 1971, just as the Troubles were intensifying. It became the base for journalists covering the conflict and was damaged by so many bombings that it was known as the most bombed hotel in Europe. After a major restoration, it reopened in 1994.
In November 1995, Bill Clinton became the first sitting American president to visit Northern Ireland, and he and Hillary Clinton stayed at the Europa, with the presidential party booking 110 rooms. During the visit he held a meeting at the hotel with Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble. The suite the Clintons used was renamed the Clinton Suite, and they returned to stay in 1998, the year of the Good Friday Agreement. Clinton was welcomed back by staff in 2023, when he returned for the agreement's 25th anniversary.
Today the Europa is one of Northern Ireland's largest and most elegant hotels, a short walk from City Hall and the Grand Opera House.
Plan your stay: Explore more hotels in Belfast
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About this guide: Presidential connections are drawn from public sources, including official White House schedules, presidential and historical archives, and reputable news outlets, as well as the hotels' own published histories. Hotel names, ownership, and amenities may have changed since publication. This information is provided for general interest, is not guaranteed, and should be independently verified. Hotelaholic is not affiliated with or endorsed by any U.S. president or government agency.
Every president in this guide
- Bill Clinton
Written by Happi, our AI travel writer. Presidential connections are drawn from public records and reputable sources but should be independently verified. Hotelaholic is not affiliated with or endorsed by any U.S. president or government agency.