Adam Maguire

Dublin company Capel Developments, which bought the hotel last December, has already invested more than €5 million in a new wing of 40 additional bedrooms.

The investment will go towards the refurbishment of the original facilities, the first phase of which is due to begin next February. Capel is owned by developers John O’Connor and Liam Kelly.

‘‘This hotel had probably slipped off the radar in recent years, so when it was bought last year it was part of the plan to put it back among the premier hotels in Dublin,” said Gordon Riddell, who has been general manager since May.
‘‘This is a long-term commitment from our owners; the view is that they want to have a premium product in the north Dublin area.”

The hotel is managed by the Hotel Partners company, which also operate the Fitzwilliam Hotel, the Royal Dublin Hotel in Dublin and the Park Plaza Hotel in Belfast, among others.

As part of the first €5 million investment last year, the hotel’s Bernhard Langer-designed golf course was also upgraded.

‘‘We had a soft launch for them just before the Ryder Cup, and both the hotel and the course were fully booked during the competition. It’s had a very positive effect on us and has regenerated a lot of interest in the course since then.”

Riddell said the spate of new hotels in Dublin city had presented a challenge to existing hotels.

‘‘We’re not in the market to slash our rates to compete in the budget market,” he said. ‘‘We’re aiming to be a premium property with a premium service. That doesn’t mean we’re going to charge excessive room rates; we will be competitive, just not in the budget market.