Hotel opens for business after being closed for over a decade
By Mary Dennehy
THE Tallaght Cross Hotel has opened its doors after being closed for over a decade, bringing with it 50 new jobs and a sense of renewal for the surrounding area.
The 186-bedroom, four-star hotel was opened less than a year when it closed its doors in January 2009, remaining vacant for over a decade.
Members of the Tallaght Cross Hotel team, Damian, Sarah, Thomas, Declan and Reine
However, Tallaght Cross Hotel reopened this month following an investment and refurbishment project by new owners, TMR Hotel Collection.
The Plaza in Tallaght is also part of the TMR portfolio, with the 20-year-old landmark hotel currently undergoing a complete refurbishment – which includes the transformation of Grumpy’s into a modern café bar.
The TMR Hotel Collection is part of a significant investment in the Irish hospitality industry by Austrian investor Thomas Roeggla, with other hotels in the collection including Harveys Point Donegal, Farnham Estate Spa and Golf Resort and Mount Wolseley.
Here in Tallaght, the two hotels in the collection are led by General Manager, Declan Bowe, who, no stranger to the area, was previously part of the management team at both the Green Isle and Louis Fitzgerald Hotel.
Declan also oversaw the management of The Plaza Hotel while it was being restructured last year.
Speaking with The Echo this week, Declan said: “In the past number of months there has been much work undertaken behind the scenes to have [Tallaght Cross Hotel] ready to go ahead with what is sure to be a busy year.
“The hotel had laid dormant for more than a decade, and it’s exciting to finally re-launch and bring to fruition what has been an exciting project for all involved.”
The newly renovated hotel reception area
Some 50 new jobs have been created through the hotel’s opening, with plans in place to grow the number of employees to 75 by peak season.
Alongside generating employment, Declan believes the hotel will bring an economic boost to the area.
“Tallaght Cross Hotel will bring a number of tour group operators to the area throughout the year, bringing a boost to local tourism and businesses in the area – not least of all to its neighbour The Square and adjacent outlets,” Declan said.
Alongside tapping into the business/corporate trade, due to the hotel’s proximity to a number of business parks and industrial estates, Declan believes that Tallaght Cross is also well located for leisure tourism.
Transport links, including the Luas on its doorstep, will allow guests of Tallaght Cross Hotel easy access to the city – while being surrounded by shopping, restaurants and leisure facilities here in Tallaght.
Declan has also encouraged locals to drop into the hotel for a coffee or to try its new bar menu, which has been created by Head Chef Eric Osbourne, formerly of Druid’s Glen.
The hotel’s restaurant, which seats 120 people, is currently undergoing refurbishment and will be open in the coming months.
A number of the bedrooms are open and have had bookings to date, with the hotel’s five meeting rooms also open for business.
Declan stressed that the team is looking forward to meeting local residents and working with neighbouring businesses in the coming months.
“The two properties [Plaza and Tallaght Cross] demonstrate a significant investment by TMR Hotel collection in this area, and are certain to generate significant economic interest in all that Tallaght and its surrounding area has to offer”, he said.
For further details visit the Tallaght Cross Hotel website.
