Worldwide: Construction and management company Harcourt Developments will invest €20 million in its hotel portfolio, The Harcourt Collection.
The Harcourt Collection includes Titanic Hotel Belfast, Titanic Hotel Liverpool, Lough Eske Castle, Redcastle Hotel & Spa and Carlisle Bay Antigua. Aspect Hotel Park West and Grand Central Bundoran are currently operated by third parties.
Current planned investment activity of more than €20 million will be delivered in phases across the portfolio, due to be completed by late 2026.
The first phase includes a multimillion investment into Lough Eske Castle, set to launch this autumn. New suites and rooms designed to appeal to the American market will showcase local furnishings, artworks and amenities.
This will be followed by works in the group’s hotels in Antigua, Liverpool, Belfast and Redcastle.
John Doherty, group creative director from Harcourt Developments said: “The Harcourt Collection has gone from strength to strength in recent years, with the strongest growth seen in our five-star hotels, Lough Eske Castle and Carlisle Bay, Antigua. We’ve witnessed similar travel trends across our hotel collection which includes guests seeking luxury experiences, possibly with wider family or friendship groups, for slightly longer periods, and thanks to hybrid working, guests are increasingly travelling in shoulder and off-peak seasons.
“Specifically at Lough Eske Castle, we have seen a continued increase in international visitors to the hotel. This has been supported by increased air access to the Island of Ireland, which has been a key factor in the success and growth of the luxury accommodation sector in Republic of Ireland and the Wild Atlantic Way. As Lough Eske Castle is Donegal’s only five-star hotel, we want to ensure the hotel meets this increasing demand, building on its existing award-winning reputation and genuine Donegal hospitality,” he added.
Dónal Cox, general manager at Lough Eske Castle, said: “We have found an increased demand for suites that can host multigenerational stays for domestic and international guests, as well as suites suitable for celebratory stays. While our key objective has been to provide luxurious accommodation which includes four poster beds, roll top baths and cosy fireplaces in each spacious suite, the team and I also wanted to add a bespoke experience for our guests. We are truly passionate about what County Donegal has to offer, and we showcase this through artwork, crafts, tweed, and locally made produce to guests during their time in our new Donegal Suites.”
