There will be 3,000 extra hotel bedrooms in Dublin by 2020, according to the Irish construction industry, which said the increase would support demand from tourists and provide an economic boost.
Construction Information Services, which monitors projects in development, said Dublin’s hotel room stock would rise 15 per cent over the next three years as new hotels in the Docklands, near Dublin Airport and in other parts of the city open their doors.
Some 393 bedrooms will be added to the total stock in the capital by one development alone: in April, Irish investment group Tetrarch lodged a planning application for a €65 million commercial scheme that will include an eight-storey budget hotel on a site bounded by Moss Street, Gloucester Street South and Townsend Street.
Ned’s of Townsend Street pub is one of the buildings that will make way for the development if approved.
There are also plans for an €18 million redevelopment of River House on Chancery Street in Dublin 7, with the project proposing 249 new bedrooms, while the Marker Hotel on Grand Canal Square is planning a €6 million extension that will add 30 bedrooms.
Plans have also been approved for a €40 million change-of-use scheme at Loreto Hall in Dublin 2, which will see the creation of 94 bedrooms, while Gannon Homes is planning a €28 million, 209-bedroom hotel in Dublin 13.
Hotel room capacity beside Dublin Airport is also set to significantly increase. A new €38 million hotel adjacent to the airport will add 427 bedrooms, while the existing Clayton Hotel near the airport plans to add 141 new bedrooms in a €14 million extension.
Construction company JJ Rhatigan is working on the latter project, with the firm also progressing a new €18 million Maldron Hotel on Kevin Street that will provide 139 bedrooms.
Site preparation works have also commenced on new €22 million hotel in Dublin 8 that will create 234 bedrooms, while in Dublin 6, work is under way on a €3 million boutique hotel with 41 bedrooms.
Rest of country
Outside Dublin, there are hotels in development in counties Kildare, Louth, Cork and Galway, while in Limerick the €50 million redevelopment of Adare Manor is due for completion this year and will add 31 bedrooms.
Sean Downey, the Construction Industry Federation's director for specialist contracting, predicted the upturn in hotel development would lead to significant demand for specialist fit-out subcontractors.
“We would expect that in the initial stages there will be demand for the groundworks and structural sub-contractors with phased demand for finishing trades as developments move through to completion,” he said.
“Hotels typically demand a high level of specification, so subcontractors with specialist skills and experience in delivery of a quality product will be most in demand.”
Despite a fall-off in visitor numbers to Ireland from Britain – a trend attributed to the Brexit-prompted decline in sterling – Irish hoteliers have reported an increase in business in the first half of 2017.
The Irish Hotels Federation reported earlier this month that seven in 10 hoteliers say business is booming compared with the same period a year earlier, with the outlook for the rest of 2017 also positive.
