Brandon to invest £6m in four star hotel renovations

July 1995

TRALEE is to get its first fourstar hotel as a result of a £6m investment in the Brandon hotel and conference centre The Kerryman learned this week.

A spokesman for the company said that while it is no secret that they have ambitious plans for the hotel he said that it is too early to comment on the project.

However. The Kerryman understands that three houses on Princes Street adjacent to the hotel are to be acquired by the hotel, one is owned by O’Sullivan Campbell Architects.

It is believed that the external Georgian character of these houses will be retained and that they will be converted into a four-star hotel sharing ground floor facilities with the Brandon Hotel.

In all about 100 new hotel bedrooms will be added as part of the overall development which will also result in extra bedrooms being added to the Brandon Hotel itself.

“The concept will be like the Towers hotel attached to Jury’s in Dublin. It will provide fourstar hotel accommodation in Tralee which is urgently required,” a professional close to the project said. The Kerryman also understands that a number of new floors will be added to the conference centre which will enhance its attractiveness as a conference centre providing a wide range of new facilities.

The Brandon Hotel Limited raised £2.2m through a BES scheme to upgrade the hotel and this scheme is nearing the end of its lifespan. It is not known how the hotel which is trading very well will finance the proposed £6m development.

Government funding is available for the development of conference centres and it is expected that the Brandon Hotel will seek funding from this source to extend the hotel’s conference facili ties.

The Brandon Hotel also operates the Brandon Court Hotel on the corner of Basin View/ James Street adjacent to the Brandon complex.

This week the conference centre is playing host to 600 delegates attending the Irish Congress of Trade Unions Biennial Conference.

This conference will result on a £300,000 spend in Tralee by the delegates and those associated with the conference.

Horse trekking at the Great Southern in Parknasilla.