Damaged hotel will rise like a phoenix, vow owners

A LUXURY hotel which suffered extensive damage in the flood will rise like a phoenix, its owners have vowed.

Tom McCarthy and Tom Kelly, who own the Kingsley Hotel on Cork’s Carrigrohane Road, also intend to retain as many of their 130 staff as possible

“As we wait for the insurers to come up with a final assessment of the damage to the hotel, we have been faced with the task of letting all temporary staff go because the hotel is not operational,” managing director Sandra McCarthy said.

“However, we are negotiating with other hotels in the city to take on as many of our temporary staff as possible especially in the run-up to Christmas and this looks hopeful.”

The owners have vowed to rebuild the hotel and they are anxious to begin the work as soon as possible. It is understood they are hopeful of getting the hotel back in business early in the new year.

The 131-bedroom five-star hotel, voted the best business hotel in Ireland for two years in a row, was hit by a “mini tsunami” in the early hours of Friday morning when the Lee burst its banks forcing the evacuation of 232 guests.

Its ground floor was completed destroyed. Its electrical, gas, fire alarm and lifts system have been ruined.

Floors have buckled, wood panelling needs to be replaced. Its kitchens, fridges and library area will have to be gutted.

Its underground car park was completely submerged.

The pool and sauna area of its leisure centre have also been destroyed.

Assessors and engineers are still examining the damage but destruction to the entire ground floor is total.

The hotel will be closed over the lucrative Christmas period.

Weddings, conferences and bookings have been cancelled, resulting in the loss of millions more in income.