Ritz Carlton’s first Irish hotel boost for Wicklow

THE luxury Ritz Carlton group is to open a hotel in Ireland for the first time next year.

The hotel, which will be built in Powerscourt, Enniskerry, Co Wicklow, said it will offer an unprecedented level of luxury for guests.

Treasury Holdings, the property company backed by Johnny Ronan and Richard Barrett, are investing €120 million in the hotel, which it said will employ 300 full-time staff.

Treasury said the 300,000 sq ft hotel will be located within the 1,000-acre Powerscourt Estate.

It will have 203-plus rooms, mainly large suites including a presidential suite of almost 3,000 sq ft.

The hotel will have four lounge and restaurant areas and a terraced dining facility overlooking the Sugarloaf Mountain.

It will also feature private dining facilities, a ballroom and meeting rooms catering for up to 1,000 people. The hotel’s spa will have 24 treatment rooms, VIP suites, hot and cold hydrotherapy, a gym and swimming pool.

“We are delighted to bring one of the largest and most prestigious hotel groups in the world to Ireland and especially to the world-renowned Powerscourt Estate.

The development will further boost Wicklow - the garden county and Ireland’s east coast as a premier European tourist destination, bringing great benefits to the Irish economy and tourist industry,” Treasury Holdings said yesterday.

The opening in Ireland is the latest in a series for the Ritz Carlton group, which will operate the hotel.

The development was welcomed yesterday by the Bray & District Chamber of Commerce as a boost for tourism in the area.

It is estimated that the hotel will generate revenues of €60 million for the local economy.

“While North Wicklow is well served with four star hospitality providers, the area has been unable to attract lucrative conference and tourism business due to the lack of five-star accommodation as well as state-of-the-art and five-star conference and banqueting facilities,” a spokesman for the chamber said.