Cork’s River Lee Hotel shows off €500,000 patio upgrade

EVEN years after it was built, Cork’s River Lee Hotel has spent €500,000 on a patio upgrade, adding an indoor-outdoor room which enhances its Leeside setting.

The investment by the Doyle Collection — who previously leased the 182-bed hotel and who bought back the building in 2013 in a €25m transaction, is already paying dividends: there’s a boost to business, and a move up the ranks just last week into No 8 position in the Top 25 Travellers Choice of Irish hotels on Tripadvisor, says River Lee Hotel manager Ruairi O’Connor.

Billed as Terrace on the Weir, the adaptable and all-weather space, with retractable roof and sides, and 16 infra-red heaters for winter and festoon lighting, adds 50-70 extra bar-menu covers to the River Lee’s accommodation.