Dublin's Morrison Hotel, which was bought last year by billionaire Russian businesswoman Elena Baturina, is to reopen next month under the Hilton’s DoubleTree brand.
The 138-room hotel on Dublin’s Lower Ormond Quay has undergone a €7 million refurbishment since Ms Baturina purchased it from Nama for €22 million last February.
The hotel’s new operator, Martinez Hotels and Resorts, said it had signed a franchise deal with Hilton Worldwide to join its DoubleTree brand.
Spokesman Stephen Mulligan said: “We are delighted to be working with Hilton Worldwide to bring the DoubleTree by Hilton brand to Ireland for the first time.
“When taking the decision to co-operate with Hilton Worldwide, we were careful not to compromise the trademark aspects of The Morrison’s identity and its heritage in Ireland.”
Senior vice president at Hilton Worldwide Patrick Fitzgibbon said he was confident its DoubleTree brand would be a hit in Ireland.
The hotel’s lobby and rooms as well as its bar and restaurants have been redesigned by Dublin architect Nikki O’Donnell. The redesign is understood to feature art and sculptures by a number of prominent Irish designers.
The four-star Morrison was one of several high-profile Dublin hotels which ended up on the market after the property crash. It was part of the late businessman Hugh O’Regan’s bar and hotel chain until Nama appointed a receiver in 2010.
The hotel, which opened its doors in 1999, was originally designed by John Rocha.
