Top of class Maryborough to get top glass extension

Thanks to over-building, and over-supply, many Irish hotels continue to be lemons - but it’s orangeries all the way for the winner of the ‘AA Ireland Hotel of the Year’ accolade for 2014-2015.

Cork’s Maryborough Hotel & Spa, built 17 years ago around a period dwelling in suburban Douglas, has just started work on a €500,000 new Orangery, a bright, extensively glazed extension for functions overlooking its 300-year old wooded grounds.

Work started the same week as the Maryborough has just won the country's top AA Hotel award, the first Cork hotel in a decade to get this title.

Commenting on the award, the AA’s judges noted “reinvesting at this level really helps hotels to stay on top of their game. We’re seeing very little investment of this type happening, outside of new owners who have purchased distressed properties.

“The last couple of years have been very tough ones for our hospitality industry. The hotels that have remained on a successful footing have found themselves working very hard to find the right mix to allow them to maintain a first rate guest experience, while having less resources at their disposal. This is something that The Maryborough Hotel & Spa has achieved with great aplomb.”

Maryborough owner and MD Dan O’Sullivan said they’d seen a significant pick-up in bookings in the last number of months,” adding “we pride ourselves on having an innovative and proactive culture. The new Orangery will be the latest and most significant addition to our extensive facilities.”