After 37 years at the helm of the Park Hotel Kenmare and its sister hotel, the Lansdowne Kenmare, John and Francis Brennan have decided the time has come to hand the reins of both over to new owners. With the well-known hotelier brothers now looking to pursue other interests and opportunities, their landmark Kerry hotels are being offered to the market by agent CBRE individually or together with a combined guide price of €20.5 million. The sale of the “Project Halo” portfolio is expected to attract significant interest from hotel operators and investors from Ireland and overseas.
Park Hotel Kenmare
The Park Hotel Kenmare, which dates from 1897, has long been regarded as one of Ireland’s foremost five-star hotels. The hotel, a long-standing member of Relais & Châteaux, an international association of luxury hotels and restaurants, and of Ireland’s Blue Book collection, is renowned for its exceptional service, facilities and bespoke accommodation.
The hotel’s 41 guest rooms and suites are complemented by five diningrooms, deluxe spa Samas, a 25-metre lap pool, an infinity pool and a private cinema. The Park Hotel Kenmare has, in recent years, benefited from more than €3 million in capital investment involving the refurbishment of all its bedrooms and corridors along with a complete renovation of its ground floor public areas and kitchen.
In the case of the latter, the works were presided over by Kenmare native and internationally acclaimed designer Bryan O’Sullivan, whose previous projects have included the Berkeley and Claridge’s hotels in London, as well as high-end homes in London, Paris and New York. O’Sullivan designed and oversaw the installation over an eight-month period of a new reception area, a cocktail bar, Champagne bar and outdoor dining terrace.
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[ Selling the Park Hotel Kenmare: ‘It was always for sale, if somebody wrote a cheque’ ]
Speaking at the time of his involvement in the Park Hotel Kenmare’s refurbishment, O’Sullivan said he was “honoured and chuffed” to have been chosen by the Brennans for the project. He said: “Growing up in Kenmare, it was the place our family would go for a special occasion dinner or drink, so my association with the Park was that it was a very special treat. It was a big responsibility and challenge to refurbish the hotel but without losing the essence of what the Park Hotel is.”
That essence, along with the hotel’s location in the Ring of Kerry, has over the years helped to attract a loyal and discerning clientele and numerous celebrity guests including Hollywood heavyweights John Travolta and Nicholas Cage, and members of the Rolling Stones.
The Park Hotel Kenmare occupies a 3-hectare (7.5-acre) site next to the 18-hole Kenmare Golf Club and has direct access to the town’s Main Street. The hotel is trading strongly and is being offered for sale unencumbered of management and franchise agreements. The property also offers the prospective purchaser a number of development opportunities, according to the selling agent.
The Lansdowne Kenmare
The Lansdowne Kenmare is a 28-bedroom boutique hotel in the town itself. It was built in 1790 as a residence for the second Earl of Shelbourne, making it one of the oldest properties in the town.
In 2021 the Lansdowne underwent a complete refurbishment, which helped it to secure four-star hotel accreditation and inclusion as member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World and in Ireland’s Blue Book. The hotel offers a range of food and beverage choices across its five venues including the LK Cafe, LK Cafe outdoor Terrace, Grill Bar, Grill Bar Terrace and the Piano Lounge.
[ Park Hotel Kenmare: ‘Like a beautiful face that has had a little work done’Opens in new window ]
Commenting on their decision to sell the two hotels, the Brennan brothers said: “After 37 years at the helm of the Park Hotel Kenmare we have taken the decision to exit on a high and place the hotel, together with its sister property, the Lansdowne Kenmare, on the market. As you can imagine it was not an easy or quick decision to make.
“The Park has enjoyed a wonderful life, making many people’s stay with us memorable and, while only in its infancy, the Lansdowne Kenmare is following in its footsteps. Nothing is forever and, while we have invested heavily in recent years to ensure both properties are pristine, we feel the time is right to take some time to ourselves, pursue other interests and business opportunities.”
Paul Collins, executive director and head of hotels Ireland at CBRE, says: “We are honoured to be appointed to sell these two hotel gems. The sale offers purchasers the opportunity to acquire the two hotels as a single lot, and benefit from the economies of scale, or they can be purchased individually. The hotels are trading exceptionally well and there is the potential for further development adjacent to both properties, subject to obtaining planning permission”.
