Belfast Newsletter - Well well well. There is a whole different side to Belfast that I suggest many people have been totally unaware of - to their loss. So you are familiar with city centre shopping, Belfast City Hall, The Cathedral Quarter, the Ulster Museum and Botanic Gardens, the Golden Mile, the Victoria Square and environs, Lisburn Road and the Troubles Tours in the west of the city?
But what about the Titanic Quarter as a weekend leisure designation?
Never thought of it? Me Neither.
But that all changed with a stay in the delightful Titanic Hotel.
One of Ireland’s largest privately held companies, Harcourt Developments, has unveiled the results of the first phase of a €20 million investment in its hotel portfolio - The Harcourt Collection, at County Donegal’s five-star Lough Eske Castle.
The new additions are named “The Donegal Suites” and showcase furnishings, artworks and amenities sourced and created by local craftspeople and businesses. Overseen by Harcourt Developments Creative Director, John Doherty, interior features include working with world famous local tweed weavers Magee 1866.
A short film about the amazing artist Angela Conner FRBS who created a series of large kinetic sculptures for Park West Business Park in Dublin including the 40m (129ft) high, 20-tonne 'Wave' - the tallest kinetic sculpture in Europe, which is powered only by the wind. Our chairman Pat Doherty was delighted to be interviewed by the filmmakers Laura Warner and Dreweatts 1759.
Hollywood, Los Angeles - the team at Titanic Belfast were delighted to accept a THEA Award for Outstanding Achievement – Visitor Experience Re-envisioned at the ‘Oscars’ of visitor attractions.
The THEA Awards, organised by the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA), recognise achievement, talent and personal excellence from those who bring incredible experiences to life for people around the world. This is the first time an attraction has won twice in its 30-year history.
Belfast City Council - He sums up its work as bringing “step changes” to Northern Ireland, such as the emergence of a new film and TV industry in the 2000s after Harland & Wolff’s old Paint Hall was transformed into Titanic Studios.
It's among the milestones for Titanic Quarter witnessed by James Eyre since he joined Titanic Quarter Ltd, the company behind the massive seafront development, as a surveyor in 2006.
James, who studied estate management at UIster University, was last week named its new chief executive – the first at the company since a restructuring in 2015.
Irish Independent - 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.
Hospitality Ireland - Pat Doherty is something of a legend. The founder of Harcourt Developments, he left school at 14, left home in Donegal for London at the age of 19, and started working in construction. From there, he has built an empire. Along the way, he became friends with Andrew Parker Bowles and was painted by Lucian Freud. Here, he talks to Emily Hourican.
Donegal Daily - The team at Lough Eske Castle celebrated its 15th anniversary last night with a memorable event which included special guest Packie Bonner.
With over 100 guests attending including Donegal Mayor Pauric Kennedy and Directors of Harcourt Developments, who opened the property in 2007 after €40 million investment. Prior to the event commencing, Donegal man Pat Doherty OBE planted 15 Irish Oak Trees on the estate to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the hotel first opening.
Sunday Independent - ‘Do bears really love marmalade sandwiches?” Judging by her smile, this isn’t the first time our guide, Fiona, has heard this question.
Today it’s asked by my 10-year-old son as we stand in a forest in Donegal watching two enormous brown bears wrestle in the grass beyond. It’s a hot day so the exertions don’t last long. Rionach, the smaller bear, climbs a log to sunbathe while her brother Donnacha takes to the lake to retrieve some floating fruit treats.
Derry Journal - The Redcastle Oceanfront Golf & Spa Hotel, Inishowen is set to unveil the results of a complete refurbishment of 90 of their bedrooms in June 2022 representing a renewal of the entire bedroom stock.
With over half a million euro already spent and further investment due later in the year this represents a major project for the hotel. It is also a very bold and positive step forward for a hospitality business following the last two years that the industry has endured.
The Times - Ireland is as renowned for the warmth of its hospitality as for the beauty of its landscapes, and its five-star hotels deliver magnificently on both counts. Many are privately owned, and run by loyal staff who are as fiercely proud of their hotel’s history and setting as they are delighted to share their knowledge with guests — preferably over a whiskey by a roaring fire. And well they might be proud, for the houses of Ireland are fabulous, and their settings world-class, especially along the Wild Atlantic Way
Lough Eske Castle, outside Donegal Town, has been recognized as No. 2 in the Top Hotels in Ireland category of the Condé Nast Traveller annual Readers’ Choice Awards.
The awards are the longest-running and most prestigious recognition of excellence in the travel industry and are commonly known as “the best of the best of travel.”
Dónal Cox, General Manager of Lough Eske Castle commented: “It’s a great honour to be recognised as one of the top ten hotels in Ireland by the readers of Conde Nast Traveler Magazine for the fourth year running.”
Sunday Life - IN these Covid-19 restricted times, plans are impossible to make. The R number currently denies society's movement under the second serious lockdown of this pandemic, but there will come a time again when relaxation, recreation and a romantic retreat are the relevant R words of choice.
Condé Nast Traveler - Harcourt’s 5-star Donegal hotel has been named the second best hotel in Ireland in the Condé Nast Traveler, Readers’ Choice Awards.
The Condé Nast Traveler, Readers’ Choice Awards, which were announced after the votes of more than 700,000 people around the world took part in the magazine’s annual survey were counted, ranked Lough Eske castle in County Donegal in the North West of Ireland as the second best hotel in Ireland.
Irish News - For Derry man Mickey McLaughlin, it was a long drought.
As he downed his first pint of draught Guinness at The Harbour Bar in Buncrana yesterday, it was everything he had been dreaming of for three months.
“The days couldn’t go in quick enough. It tastes even better than I remember,” the Creggan man said.
London based developer Pat Doherty was honoured in his hometown of Buncrana in Co. Donegal on Friday night last when he was awarded the Tip O’Neill Irish Diaspora Award for his consistent dedication to the successful development of business and the creation of employment.
“Pat’s success in business has been well documented” said Cllr. Nicholas Crossan of Donegal County Council “but what is remarkable about Pat is his desire to ensure that his success is Donegal’s success.
“In the last 10 years alone Pat has invested in some of the country’s most iconic businesses including the Donegal Lough Eske Castle and the Titanic Quarter in Belfast and currently employs over 500 people in Donegal alone, generating more than €100 million in the local economy”.
Harcourt Developments, the proprietors of Lough Eske Castle Hotel in Donegal has announced the appointment of Donal Cox as the venue’s new general manager. Cox has returned to Lough Eske Castle from sister hotel Redcastle Hotel & Spa in north Donegal, after having previously served as the former hotel’s operations manager seven years ago.
Irish Independent - The five-star Lough Eske Castle hotel in Co Donegal last year recorded profits of €1.54m.
The luxury hotel, which is part of Pat Doherty's Harcourt Developments, enjoyed the profits after revenues increased to €8.56m for the year.
Harcourt Developments finance director Nick Doherty said: "2016 was a strong year for Lough Eske where overall revenues grew by 6pc. "Overall, in terms of geographical market share, we witnessed strong growth both from the Irish and US markets, which more than offset a slight decline in the UK market."
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