New GM for D4 hotel

The John Malone-owned InterContinental hotel in Dublin's Ballsbridge has a new general manager. Clement Gaffney, who previously worked for the Hanly group as director of their Lough Rynn and Kilronan hotels, takes up the role next month.

The hotel, which was previously the Four Seasons, was bought earlier this year by a consortium led by John Malone, the owner of UPC and famed as the biggest landowner in the US.

It was for sale for about €50 million.

Malone has been buying up Irish hotels at a fierce rate in recent years, mostly in partnership with Galway developer John Lally.

Together, their purchases include the Westin, Hilton and Trinity City hotels in Dublin, as well as the Limerick Strand.

Malone also owns the sprawling Humewood estate in Wicklow, as well as Tony O’Reilly’s former pile at Castlemartin.

The InterContinental’s new owners are currently engaged in a €5 million ravamp of the property. The first batch of refurbished rooms will be ready by the end of August, while Seasons restaurant will be relaunched in September. I wonder if they’ll change the name?

The ballrooms will be reopened in time for the Christmas shenanigans, while the Ice Bar, where D4 types go for champagne when they get thirsty, is also set for a new look.