The Killiney Court Hotel looks set for a similar fate to a number of Dublin seaside hotels - its owner Rhode (Ireland) Ltd has been granted planning permission to turn it into a luxury apartment complex.
The St Lawrence Hotel in Howth and the Dalkey Island Hotel on Coliemore Road, Dalkey - once thriving hotels - have both given way to apartment schemes.
Rhode (Ireland) Ltd, the owners of the landmark Killiney Court Hotel, have got planning permission to turn it into 48 luxury apartments from Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council.
The site has spectacular views over Killiney Bay to Howth, and is across the road from Killiney DART station, so apartments are likely to be pricey.
The Dalkey Island Hotel was redeveloped as luxury apartments in 1998 by Jim Delaney. At that time, they were the most expensive apartments in south Dublin. The penthouses were sold for over €2 million. Rhode (Ireland) Ltd a company controlled by Bert Allen of Slaney Meats in Wexford bought the hotel from the Buckley family for €7.62 million. He is also involved with a number of Bewleys franchised hotels. Other directors of Rhode (Ireland) Ltd include Maurice Allen and Patrick Asple.
It remains to be seen whether planning permission will be appealed to An Bord Pleanála. Given its stunning setting and its long tradition of debs balls and weddings, there is some local sadness over its impending demise. There have been suggestions that it should be revamped as a five-star hotel and taken over by an international hotel operator.
The planning permission is for partial demolition of the existing 86-bed hotel and change of use and refurbishment of the original Victorian house to residential. The 48 apartments will be in two four-storey blocks totalling 7,388 sq m (79,526 sq ft). The development includes a basement car park with 75 spaces.
