Hotels

15,000 hotel rooms in Dublin pipeline

More than 15,000 new hotel rooms are being planned for Dublin over the next three to five years, almost doubling the city’s current capacity. mayso0220

A comprehensive industry analysis reported by by The Irish Times shows that some 100 new hotels or guest accommodation developments are either already in construction or working their way through the planning process.

They represent 15,000 new rooms on top of the existing 18,000 rooms already in the capital spread across 250 existing hotels.

Some of these will not materialise due to a lack of planning permission or other hurdles during the development process.

Attractive returns on offer to investors have led to several large new establishments being constructed right in the centre of the city.

Green light for Belfast hotel

Belfast City Council has given consent to plans to develop a 276-bed hotel located at Hamilton Dock in the Titanic Quarter, Belfst. hamilton0120

Set to be developed by family-run hospitality group JMK Group, the hotel will be located just off the Queen’s Road in the Titanic Quarter and will seek to provide high quality accommodation and amenities to those visiting one of Belfast’s most popular tourism districts.

The approved hotel will offer a range of amenities including a rooftop bar with panoramic views of the Titanic Quarter, a gym and conference facilities. Designed with family visitors in mind, the hotel will have 100 family rooms, in addition to a mix of standard rooms and suites.

Galway Hotel Plan Stalled

Plans for a major extension of the Jurys Inn hotel in Galway have to be put on hold following objections from a number of parties, including An Taisce. jurysinn

Appeals have been lodged with An Bord Pleanála against the decision of Galway City Council to grant planning permission for an extension to the Jurys Inn on Quay St to accommodate 89 additional rooms as well as a restaurant and bar.

The additional two floors planned by a subsidiary of the Israeli hotel operator Fattal Hotels, which operates the Jurys Inn chain, will bring the accommodation in the facility to 219 bedrooms.

Plans for a new wing facing the Corrib River were already modified, reduced in size and set further back from a riverside walkway to address concerns of council planners.

Balconies were also removed from the original design.

Easy Hotel plans 2021 opening

Budget hotel operator EasyHotel is targeting a 2021 opening date for its first property in the Republic. easyhotel0120

Currently, the company’s only presence in Ireland is its one hotel in Belfast, which is run on a franchise basis.

A long-since planned opening in Dublin is now set for the second half of 2021 and further Irish openings have not been ruled out.

The company acquired a freehold site in the Smithfield area of Dublin City nearly two years ago. Planning permission initially allowed for a 96-bedroom hotel, but the company is now targeting a 160-bedroom property.

The Dublin hotel will be owned and operated by the company, rather than via a franchise partner.

While further Irish openings have not been ruled out, EasyHotel’s immediate expansion focus is on UK cities and mainland Europe, particularly France and Spain.

Water powers Clare hotel

The Falls Hotel of Ennistymon, Co. Clare, has invested in a hydroelectric power plant which has been constructed at the property.

The hotel estimates that, to date, the plant, which uses water from the nearby River Inagh to generate power, has prevented the release of 550 tons of carbon into the environment.

The hotel also plans to create a pumping system that would allow the venue to generate all of its hot water from renewable sources.