Ramada’s €309m hotels plan

GLOBAL hotel group Ramada International plans to have 37 hotels in Ireland by 2007.

Crawford Investments, the investment company of Michael and Hazel Knox Johnston and partners, which has secured the Ramada franchise for Ireland, intend spending over €309 million on making Ramada the fastest growing hotel chain in Ireland.

The company’s aim is to create the largest hotel group in Ireland in less than three years with seven hotels in the North and 30 in the Republic.

Seven confirmed hotels:

Ramada Hotel at Lough Allen, Drumshanbo, Co Leitrim.

Ramada Woodland Court Hotel, Bray Co Wicklow.

Ramada Kilmurry Lodge, Castletroy, Limerick.

Ramada Hotel and Suites Ballykisteen, Limerick Junction, Tipperary, opening spring 2005.

Ramada Plaza at Lough Erne Castle, Hume, Co Fermanagh. Opening spring 2006.

Ramada Encore, Urlingford, Co Kilkenny, opening spring 2005.

Ramada Encore, Mountrath, Co Laois, opening 2005.