Harcourt to invest €5m in expanding Lough Eske’s five-star luxury hotel

Lough Eske Castle Hotel in Co Donegal

Sean Pollock Email

January 15 2023 02:30 AM

Harcourt Developments, one of Ireland’s largest property development and management companies, is to invest €5m in an expansion of its five-star Lough Eske Castle Hotel in Co Donegal.

The company, which was founded by Donegal property developer Pat Doherty and is behind the Titanic Quarter in Belfast, recently submitted a planning application to expand Lough Eske Castle by building a two-storey extension with 24 suites and four bedrooms.

In response to questions from the Sunday Independent, Dónal Cox, general manager of Lough Eske Castle, said the company was delighted to reveal plans to expand the hotel.

"This is due to demand we have seen for a luxury bedroom product which can cater for families and celebratory stays.”

He added the decision to expand reflected Lough Eske Castle’s increased business from international markets.

It is currently forecast to welcome 40pc more international guests this year than seen before the Covid-19 pandemic.

Clement Gaffney, group hotel operations manager for Harcourt Developments, added that the investment would also see Lough Eske Castle recruit extra staff.

“With the investment of €5m into the expansion project, we will welcome more employees to the team, bringing our total employment to 235 staff at the property.

Harcourt founder Pat Doherty

“Lough Eske Castle opened 15 years ago in December. To see the property continue to develop and go from strength to strength is a credit to the team’s hard work and dedication as well as the vision of our chairman Pat Doherty.”

Harcourt Developments opened the property in 2007 after investing €40m in it.

Since then the hotel has received many national and international awards, featuring in Conde Nast’s top 10 of luxury hotels in Ireland for the past five years.

The Harcourt Collection operates seven hospitality properties in Ireland, the UK and the Caribbean under the umbrella of Harcourt Developments. The group provides full-time employment to over 1,500 people across all its holdings.

Harcourt has listed several of its most notable projects, including the Titanic Quarter in Belfast, the construction in Dublin of 1,000 residential units at Citywest, and the building of Park West, one of Ireland’s largest business and technology campuses.