Dromoland Castle Hotel eyeing record revenues this year

The five-star Dromoland Castle Hotel is on course for a record year, with revenues set to top €20m.

Newly-filed accounts for Dromoland Castle Holdings Ltd — the operating company for the Co Clare hotel and the adjacent Inn at Dromoland — show a four-fold increase in pre-tax profits for 2015 to €1.29m.

Revenues increased 13% to €19.55m.

The company paid a dividend of €250,000 to its shareholders in 2015.

Last year marked Dromoland’s 52nd year in business, over which time it has hosted former US presidents George Bush and Bill Clinton; Muhammad Ali, Nelson Mandela, and The Beatles.

Dromoland’s general manager Mark Nolan said he is upbeat regarding the prospects for revenues to top €20m this year.

“We are holding our breath to see if we can do it, but we are busier than last year. I didn’t think we would beat last year which was a really strong but this year is beginning to look stronger,” Mr Nolan said.

“Overall, we are very happy with the results from last year,” he said.

However, Mr Nolan warned: “The caveat is what will Brexit do, and will people get nervous about travelling? But we are hopeful. We are positive and the product is looking great.”

He also confirmed that the main hotel has just completed the first part of a four- phase €12m developmental plan. Explaining the consistent increase in business, Mr Nolan said: “Ireland has a very sound reputation for very high standards in the five-year market.”

“We are now a destination of choice and perceived as being a very safe country and we are very hospitable,” he said,

Dromoland’s client base is primarily American.

The Inn at Dromoland, which the company bought for €2.1m in 2012, performed “very well” last year according to Mr Nolan, and has “turned a corner”.

“We are managing to get the rate up and the investment is working out very well for us,” he said.

Mr Nolan said that the hotel was now taking a fresh look at various plans that were put on hold because of the recession.

“We have dusted down the plans but we won’t be doing anything in a hurry.

“We will be cautious and won’t be jumping in without doing proper research,” he said.