RIU has completed the purchase of the historic Gresham Hotel on O’Connell Street, one of the most famous in Dublin, for €92 million. The hotel occupies a majestic building approaching its 200th anniversary and, thanks to a recent renovation, it offers the best of the Irish capital city’s tradition and history, with modern and up-to-date services.
The Riu Plaza The Gresham Dublin hotel has 323 rooms and suites, 20 function rooms, a restaurant and a bar, as well as an unbeatable location in the centre of the city. Its facilities are a short walk from famous Dublin sights such as the River Liffey crossing the heart of the capital, Croke Park, Dublin Castle, the iconic Temple Bar and the Henry Street shopping area. It is also 20 minutes from the airport and very close to the new Convention Centre of Dublin.
“Dublin is now one of the most interesting cities for investment. Its tourism industry is booming, demand for rooms rising and the city is putting a lot of money into its infrastructure. We are extremely pleased with the purchase of this hotel in one of the most beautiful European capitals. We are sure that it will be the perfect addition to our collection of Riu Plaza hotels and many returning RIU clients will be drawn to discovering this destination with us”, says Luis Riu, CEO of RIU Hotels & Resorts.
As well as being an attractive building, it was also renovated in 2013. As a result, it will need only a few minor adjustments for the facilities to represent the RIU brand and standards.
Ireland has been welcoming record numbers of tourists over recent years. Between January and June this year it was visited by 4.4 million foreign visitors, representing a 13% increase on the same period in 2015. The country is known for its history and beautiful landscapes, while the Irish are renowned for being generous and hospitable. This all makes the country, and its capital, a very attractive tourist destination, in particular for European visitors.
This Irish addition to the collection of Riu Plaza urban hotels will extend RIU’s list of international destinations. The hotel is set to become RIU’s second city hotel in Europe, after the Riu Plaza Berlin opened in September 2015, and the brand’s sixth in all. Together with Riu Plaza Panama, Riu Plaza Guadalajara, Riu Plaza Miami Beach and Riu Plaza New York Times Square, they currently make up the urban hotel line of RIU Hotels & Resorts.
