The Clarence Hotel first opened in 1852 in the original premises consisting of a number of adjoining quayside houses which were replaced by the present building in the 1930s.

[3] After an 18-month renovation costing US$8 million,[4] enabled in part, due to a tax-exemption scheme which aimed to revive the Temple Bar district the hotel re-opened in 1996.

[1] The hotel's main restaurant, Cleaver East, replaced The Tea Rooms in July 2013.

In 2004, plans were announced for an expansion of the hotel, which would include adjoining properties 9 Essex Street and 9, 10 and 11 Wellington Quay.

[13] In September 2000, a month before the release of the U2 album All That You Can't Leave Behind, a live version of the song "Beautiful Day" was filmed on the rooftop of The Clarence Hotel for the BBC programme Top of the Pops.