The owners of the Metropole Hotel, Cork International Hotel and Cork Airport Hotel have announced plans for a €50 million investment in the Metropole Hotel by Trigon Hotels Limited.
Trigon Hotels Limited will shortly submit a planning application to Cork City Council for the project which will include the refurbishment and expansion of the Metropole hotel, together with the construction of a new, contemporary urban hotel called ‘The M’. This will be built on an adjacent site near Harley Street.
The two hotels will be linked by a glass balustrade bridge across Harley Street with an enclosed bridge at first floor level linking ‘The M’ hotel to the Metropole Hotel providing access for guests to all hotel facilities.
The overall development will deliver more than 400 hotel bedrooms in the heart of the historic Victorian Quarter, in addition to a double basement car park in the Metropole Hotel. Trigon Hotels Limited has a strong track record in Cork, as the successful operator of three significant hotel properties.
The standout feature of the refurbished Metropole hotel will be a uniquely-designed Winter Garden in the heart of the development which takes its inspiration from the original architecture of the late 19th century and is based on the concept of a central double-height glazed glass atrium. The Winter Garden will be flooded with natural light and will feature an interior courtyard-style restaurant.
The Metropole refurbishment will deliver three boutique retail units, a seventh-floor penthouse, an elevated rooftop bar, upgraded spa facilities and function rooms, an additional 140 new bedrooms and 43 bedroom suites and meeting rooms, completing the up-scale offering on the north side of the River Lee.
Once fully occupied, the total number of employees in the hotel and retail units is estimated at 200 people. The construction phase is expected to take approximately three years to complete, during which up to 300 people will be employed.
Commenting on the project, Group General Manager & Director at Trigon Hotels Limited, Aaron Mansworth said, "This is a wonderful opportunity to move forward with exciting renewal plans for MacCurtain Street and the historic Victorian Quarter. The proposed restoration and expansion of the Metropole Hotel, in addition to the development of ‘The M’ hotel, will create significant local employment, bringing additional tourists and visitors to the area which is critical to the future economic prosperity of our city."
Source: www.businessworld.ie