PARK INN TO OPEN TWO NEW HOTELS IN IRELAND
Park Inn Dundalk and Park Inn Mulranny to open in March
February 15th, 2005: Rezidor SAS Hospitality, one of the world’s fastest growing hospitality companies, is to launch the second of its brands to the Irish market. Park Inn, Rezidor SAS’s new and energetic upcoming hotel brand, is to open its first two hotels in Ireland next month with the opening of Park Inn Dundalk and Park Inn Mulranny.
Kurt Ritter, President and CEO, Rezidor SAS Hospitality, comments: “Ireland is an important growth market for Rezidor SAS and following the success of Radisson SAS, the introduction of Park Inn is a logical step forward. With our aim to have 700 hotels by 2012, Park Inn will be Rezidor SAS’s growth brand and we hope to have 150 hotels in operation and under construction by the end of 2006.”
Park Inn Dundalk is set to open its doors in March. The hotel is located outside Dundalk city centre just off the main Dublin to Belfast motorway. Set against a beautiful backdrop of the Cooley Mountains, the hotel’s 84 bedrooms will provide the best sleep in town, as the Park Inn brand places the bed at the top of their list of priorities. The new-build hotel will also offer a restaurant, a pub and Dundalk’s newest nightclub – Sky.
With the ideal location, the property is built with business in mind. The Park Inn Dundalk will have three conference rooms, the largest able to accommodate up to 400 people. Fitness facilities will include a state-of-the-art gymnasium, a swimming pool and an outdoor sporting complex. The Carnbeg Golf Course is located nearby.
Also opening next month, Park Inn Mulranny is located on the west coast of Ireland in County Mayo, with breathtaking views overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. The hotel will boast 80 well-designed and comfortable guest rooms, a welcoming restaurant and lounge, three banquet/meeting rooms and a large leisure facility including an indoor swimming pool, a sauna and a jacuzzi.
Park Inn Mulranny is a sensitive renovation of the luxurious Mulranny Great Southern, which originally opened in 1897 and was described as the ‘jewel in the crown’ of the Great Southern Hotels. The hotel stood on the Westport to Achill railway route and became a famous destination hotel during the lifetime of the railway. Mulranny is 1½ hours by road from both Galway and Sligo and Knock Regional Airport is only 45 minutes away. The hotel is situated on a hill overlooking the spectacular vista of Clew Bay and is a short walk from the blue flag beaches of the area. The area is well known for watersports, particularly sailing, surfing and diving, for excellent fishing and for hill-walking and climbing. There is a good choice of golf courses nearby, as well as horse riding and boat cruises.
Current expansion plans on the island of Ireland also include the construction of two further Park Inn hotels, both planned to open in March 2006. Park Inn Ballinasloe will offer 80 bedrooms, a restaurant and bar and a large function room that can be divided or used as one. In addition, a wellness centre, fitness facilities and a swimming pool. Park Inn Newry in Northern Ireland will be located in the town centre and will offer 75 bedrooms, eight meeting rooms, a restaurant and bar plus a roof terrace. Newry is home to one of the finest shopping centres in Northern Ireland, boasts five golf courses in the immediate vicinity and is well connected by both road and rail to Belfast to its north and Dublin to its south.
The first Park Inn in the UK opened in May last year. Park Inn Heathrow, formerly Le Meridien Heathrow, has just announced a new development to commence in spring 2005, which will include a new state-of-the-art Conference and Event Centre, along with a new restaurant and bar. The hotel currently features 880 rooms and nine suites, a well-equipped conference centre with 24 syndicate rooms, each with natural daylight, and 14 conference and meeting rooms, the largest seating 220 delegates. Facilities also include an indoor pool and fitness centre. Park Inn Heathrow joins other brand flagship hotels in Berlin and Nice and destination airport hotels in Copenhagen, Zurich and Stockholm.
Park Inn performs successfully in a variety of locations from capital cities and regional gateways to high-traffic travel hubs. Currently operating 49 hotels with a further nine in development, the brand has aggressive growth projections and aims to have 150 hotels in operation and under construction by 2006 and plans to become Europe’s number one mid-market hotel brand.
The company will challenge the mid-market hotel segment with its unique offer, contemporary brand concept, ambitious growth plans and efficient hotel conversions. Since 2002, when Rezidor SAS secured the master franchise agreement from US based Carlson Hotels Worldwide to operate Park Inn in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, 40 Park Inn hotels have opened and the company is well on track to have 75 new hotels contracted by year-end.
Park Inn focuses on mastering the essentials of a great hotel experience within its class; having warm and casual service, being spotlessly clean and easy to use. Park Inn hotels are highly efficient and innovative – global in outlook, national in scale and local in operation. The group prides itself ‘on mastering the essentials’ delivering a great affordable hotel experience within its class. Efficient, uncomplicated service results in hassle-free visits. Rooms are functional, comfortable, practical and most importantly clean and well maintained. Park Inn provides ‘the best sleep in town’ and places the bed at the top of its list of product priorities.
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