The five-star Dromoland Castle Resort has received the green light for an additional 12 “2027 Ryder Cup inspired” guest rooms that will add millions of euro in annual revenues to the resort when operational.
Clare County Council has granted planning permission to a second phase of the hotel’s planned expansion and upgrade at the resort set on a 388-acre estate outside the village of Newmarket on Fergus.
The latest permission involves the construction of an extension of up to four storeys to provide 17 guest rooms. It will entail the loss of five other bedrooms, resulting in a net gain of 12 bedrooms.
The permission also allows for a new restaurant. It follows sanction earlier this month for a separate application to renovate a stables complex to provide 13 new bedrooms.
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The hotel currently has 96 guest rooms which means the two recent approvals will see capacity grow by 26 per cent.
The two-phase planning application also includes a cellar speakeasy bar, lakeside sauna cabins, a new wet spa facility, the creation of a new “palm court” to contain an internal guest bar and dining space - and a new roost for the protected lesser horseshoe bat.
The hotel reported average nightly room revenues of €650 last year. On that basis, the new accommodation has the potential to deliver almost €6 million per annum in potential room revenues when operational.
The 2027 Ryder Cup is being staged at the Adare Manor, almost 50 kilometres from Dromoland the far side of Limerick city. A planning report lodged with the application from Tom Phillips + Associates said “the timing of these works is driven by the Ryder Cup’s return to Ireland in 2027, when Adare Manor Golf Course in neighbouring County Limerick will host one of the world’s most prestigious sporting events”.
“Dromoland Castle’s long-standing reputation in golf tourism and its strategic location near Adare position it perfectly to play a leading role in welcoming these visitors and ensuring that County Clare shares in the international spotlight,” Lizzie Donnelly, associate director at Tom Phillips, wrote.
Resort general manager Mark McSorley on Monday welcomed the planning permission for the second phase.
“This decision represents an important step in ensuring Dromoland Castle continues to uphold its position as one of Ireland’s leading luxury hospitality destinations,” he said.
“As a heritage property of national significance, it is a future we care deeply about. We will now progress the next phase of the project in a strategic manner, and we look forward to delivering a refurbishment that further strengthens Dromoland Castle’s offering to both Irish and International guests,”
