Directors move to ease fears over landmark hotel

The directors of a top hotel which has been a landmark in Irish tourism for more than a century and a half, yesterday moved to ease concerns among customers arising from its forthcoming sale.

The Malton, in Killarney, Co Kerry, is being put on the market by Nama along with a number of other hotels. The four-star town centre hotel will be sold as a going concern thus ensuring that all bookings and commitments to existing customers, employees and suppliers will be honoured within the sale process, according to general manager Conor Hennigan.

It is understood a number of potential Irish and international purchasers have expressed an interest in the 172-bedroom property which also includes a conference and leisure centre and sits on six acres.

“The hotel is trading extremely well and is now seen as a market leader in the south-west,” said Mr Hennigan.

“It is now an opportune time to bring the hotel to market and to take advantage of the significant interest in Irish hotel property at this time,” he said.

One of a group of former Great Southern hotels bought by Galway property developer Gerry Barrett, in 2006, it was sold a short time later for a reported €40m to a Killarney consortium.

The consortium included businessman Michael O’Shea and Risteard O Lionaird along with hoteliers Padraig and Janet Treacy.

Since it opened in 1854 the hotel has hosted politicians, statesmen and actors.