ARE INTERNATIONAL HOTEL BRANDS RETREATING?

While driving on the M4 a few weeks ago, I noticed some posters for a wedding fair at 'Johnstown House Hotel'. Hmm.......I had thought the property was called 'Marriott Johnstown House Hotel'. It was, but not anymore. The hotel's association with the Marriott brand had ended. This got me thinking about the position of international brands in the Irish hotel sector. The first of these arrived just over 20 years ago when the Conrad Dublin opened its doors in 1989. Twenty five other brands have since followed (Hilton, Four Seasons, Ritz-Carlton, Marriott, Courtyard by Marriott, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Westin, Sheraton, Radisson, Park Inn, Clarion, Quality, Comfort Inn, Days Inn, Days Hotel, Capella, Solis, Park Plaza, Ramada, Ibis, Travelodge, Tulip Inn and Premier Inn). However, following a period of rapid expansion, international brands are now scaling back. And others are exiting altogether. Some examples are as follows:

• Hilton operated the Mount Wolseley Resort in Carlow and Hilton Limerick (now Limerick Strand Hotel) for less than two years before ending its association with both. Last year, it also withdrew its Conrad brand from Mount Juliet in Co. Kilkenny
• In 2006, Starwood introduced the Sheraton brand at Fota, Co. Cork. This followed the launch of its Westin brand in Dublin in 2001. A second Sheraton property opened in Athlone in 2008. However, the association with the Cork property ended last year (now Fota Island Hotel & Spa) while plans to introduce its 'Luxury Collection' brand at Killeen Castle, Co. Meath were abandoned
• Golden Tulip introduced its Tulip Inn brand to Dublin in October 2005. Two years later, it withdrew from the Irish market. Today, the property operates under the Premier Inn brand, part of the Whitbread group
• Rezidor launched its Park Inn brand in 2005 following the introduction of the Radisson brand in 1998 (Stillorgan). Park Inns opened in Mulranny, Co. Mayo, Dundalk, Dublin and Shannon Airport. Today, only the Shannon property operates under the Park Inn brand
• In 2007, Choice Hotels Ireland sold its four Comfort Inn properties (Citywest, Smithfield, Parnell Square and Portlaoise) and seven of its Quality branded hotels to TVC Holdings Ltd (These eleven properties now trade as Maldron Hotels)
• West Paces introduced the Capella brand at Castlemartyr Co. Cork to much acclaim in June 2007. Eighteen months later, the association ended and the property closed. It re-opened last year under a management team from Dromoland Castle and is now known as Castlemartyr Resort

I think that we are likely to see a continuing reduction in the number of international branded properties in 2010 and 2011 with management of hotels reverting to indigenous, professional Irish operators. Good news for those who wish to see a return to a more authentic Irish hospitality experience.