Ireland's most expensive apartments to replace landmark Dalkey hotel

A LANDMARK hotel on the south Dublin coastline, the Dalkey Island Hotel, is to be demolished to make way for 18 apartments, including three penthouses which are expected to sell for around £1 million each. They will be the most expensive flats in Ireland.

The owner of the hotel, Mr Jim Delaney, is to lodge a planning application this week to redevelop the hotel site, which has outstanding views over Dublin Bay.

The apartments are to be offered for sale by tender once planning permission has been granted.

The promoters are confident that the largest penthouse, with a floor area of 2,400 square feet on two levels, will make in excess of £1 million. It will be one of the most luxurious in Dublin, with large viewing galleries over the sea, a double height dining hall and high spec fit out that will include a jacuzzi.

Two other three bedroom penthouses with a slightly smaller floor area are also expected to sell for around £1 million. They will have accommodation on two levels and will include reception rooms overlooking Dalkey Island. A fourth penthouse, which will have just over 2,000 square feet on one level, is likely to fetch in excess of £700,000.

There will also be 12 two bedroom apartments, which are expected to make between £350,000 and £500,000 each, and two one bedroom, units, which should fetch more than £200,000 each.

The Dalkey development is expected to set a new record for apartment prices in Dublin. The previous highest price achieved for a penthouse was £560,000, which was paid for a 2,200 sq ft home now under construction at Thornfield on the Stillorgan Road in Dublin 4.

In Dalkey, an American buyer paid £540,000 last year for two adjoining units of 2,000 square feet at Bartra Rock on Harbour Road. The television presenter Gloria Hunniford also bought an apartment in that scheme for £270,000.

In the city centre, the Gunne agency is currently seeking £520,000 for a 2,000 sq ft penthouse in "shell" condition at the Merrion Hotel, which is under construction opposite Government Buildings at Upper Merrion Street.