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Dalata Hotel Group Plc noted that it is trading strongly in 2023, ahead of its AGM, which took place on Thursday 27 April at 11.30am at the Gibson Hotel, Point Square, North Dock, Dublin.

 

Statement By Chair

A statement published on DalataHotelGroup.com ahead of the AGM noted that its chair, John Hennessy, would say at the meeting, “A year ago, I wrote of the challenges of 2021 and of the tentative feeling of optimism that we were experiencing then, as the worst effects of Covid-19 began to recede. At that time of global geopolitical and economic uncertainty, the future was unclear, but we believed that the return of activity in our key markets would allow us to plot a gradual course back to the levels of success we had enjoyed before the pandemic.

“As it transpired, our performance in 2022 exceeded even the most optimistic of expectations. The priorities that we adopted during the pandemic – to protect our people, our culture, our business, and our cash – [have] paid dividends. We reached several milestones during the year, including opening our 50th hotel and surpassing €500 million in hotel revenue. Our focus on our people and our customers is reflected in very positive feedback obtained through regular surveys. An increased emphasis on innovation is helping us mitigate the challenges of inflation and meet changing customer needs.

“In 2023, Dalata has continued to trade strongly. We disclosed in February that group like-for-like RevPAR was 25% ahead of 2019 levels for the January/February period. I am delighted to report that RevPAR is expected to be 28% ahead of 2019 for the January-to-April period. Q1 2022 performance continued to be impacted by Covid-19-related restrictions, however, the lifting of restrictions by Q2 2022 will allow for year-on-year comparisons to resume, going forward. As we look ahead, we are optimistic for the summer months, buoyed by the rebound in international travel, conferences, and sustained domestic tourism.

“Our recent hotel additions continue to perform well, and we remain focused on our growth strategy. We look forward to the opening of Maldron Hotel Finsbury Park, London, in the summer of this year. Development works on our pipeline hotels are progressing, with the construction of our second Maldron Hotel in London – Maldron Hotel Shoreditch – on track for completion in Q1 2024. This will further enhance our portfolio of sustainable, modern four-star hotels, as we continue to deliver on our strategic growth plan. Construction of our new Maldron-leased hotels in Brighton, Liverpool and Manchester continues, with all scheduled to be completed in Q2 2024. Maldron Hotel Croke Park, Dublin, is scheduled for completion in H1 2026.”

 

‘Resumed The Growth And Success That Have Characterised The Business Since Its Inception’

According to the statement published on DalataHotelGroup.com ahead of the AGM, Hennessy would also say at the meeting, “Dalata has emerged from two difficult years and has resumed the growth and success that have characterised the business since its inception. We will continue this growth in our target markets in the coming years. We are committed to upholding our responsibilities to the environment, to the communities in which we operate, to our customers, employees, shareholders, and to all other stakeholders. Although there are many challenges ahead, we see a very bright future for our business.”

Original article by Dave Simpson on hospitalityireland.com

FACE2FACE with…GARY ROGERS, Executive Chef at Carton House.

This article was originally published in the Autumn 2021 issue of Hospitality Ireland Magazine, in October of 2021.

 

Tell us about your new role.

I joined Carton House – Ireland’s first Fairmont-managed hotel – in May. I oversee all food operations, including our fine-dining restaurant, the Morrison Room, Mediterranean-style restaurant Kathleen’s Kitchen, afternoon tea in the original drawing rooms of the house, the Carriage House gastropub, and all conferences and events. Currently, we’re employing 25 chefs and ten kitchen porters, but we are recruiting at the moment, to meet an increase in business.

 

How has the last year been for you?

It’s been very good, all things considered. I worked pretty much all the way through Covid. I also had extra time at home with my family, which was fantastic.

 

Tell us about your career so far.

At the start, I worked in a couple of gastropubs, then in a couple of hotels, before moving to Australia, where I was head chef in a five-star casino resort, SkyCity, before being promoted to banquet head chef, then executive sous-chef, and then I spent my last year and a half there as executive chef. My family and I returned to Ireland, where I worked as executive chef in Lyrath Estate for two years before moving to the Conrad Dublin as executive chef for two years, before joining Carton House in May of this year.

 

What was your best professional decision?

Without a doubt, moving to Australia – both professionally and personally. My family thrived over there and loved the experience, and I gained fantastic experience at a very high level, which opened up so many doors for me when I returned to Ireland.

 

What was your most challenging moment?

Opening the first Fairmont-managed hotel in Ireland: Carton House. I joined on 23 May and had a huge amount of work to do in all areas to be ready to open on 2 June, but – having said that – it was a fantastic experience, and I loved the challenge.

 

What was your most embarrassing moment?

Meeting [Irish rugby union player] Robbie Henshaw in a restaurant one night and asking, “Where do I know you from?” and asking his partner was she a food blogger.

 

What three attributes do you wish you had?

More patience; speaking more languages; a better sleeper. What is your favourite restaurant? Potager, in Skerries, although I haven’t been there in a while now.

 

Favourite holiday destination?

Sri Lanka.

 

What was your worst job?

Picking gooseberries when I was a kid.

 

What was so bad about it?

My arms were ripped off me by thorns, and I used to get around £2 or £3 a day.

 

If you could do any other job – apart from the job you are doing now – what would it be, and why?

Professional golfer. It looks like a very nice life!

 

Do you have any pet hates?

People being bad timekeepers; people not being team players; negative individuals.

 

What is your business motto?

You get out what you put in.

 

What is the best advice that you ever received?

Always aim high and trust your ability.

 

With which fictional character do you most identify?

Rocky – because I got knocked back a few times earlier in my career but kept on trying, and I always try my best.

 

Name one thing that you always have in your refrigerator.

Mrs Ball’s Chutney.

 

What is your recipe for a successful hotel restaurant?

Use local suppliers, have very professional staff – both at front and back of house – and have interesting menu choices and great wine.

 

What do Irish hotels and restaurants do best?

Without a doubt, it is the welcome and world-class hospitality we deliver, and we have the best ingredients in the world on our doorstep.

 

What could they do better?

Probably more variety on menus. I notice, in certain touristy destinations in Ireland, a lot of the menus you encounter are very similar.

 

Are Irish people good customers?

Yes, I think so. We are quite knowledgeable when it comes to food and wine, and we are fair. We will always give hotels and restaurants a good crack at getting things right.

 

Your death row meal …?

Black sole bonne femme.

 

What is the most enjoyable part of your career?

I love the variety in my job – no two days are ever the same. I love the sense of achievement when a day goes well and guests are happy.

 

What has been your biggest disappointment to date?

Totò Schillaci scoring against Ireland and knocking them out of Italia ’90.

 

Complete this sentence: ‘Nothing is more important than …?’

Family. That goes without saying.

Original article by Emily Hourican on hospitalityireland.com

The Old Punch Bowl of 116 Rock Road, 1 Booterstown Avenue, Booterstown, Co. Dublin, has hit the market.

 

Details
As listed on Daft.ie, the property is being sold via John P. Younge.

 

Additional Information
All of the aforementioned information comes from the property’s listing on Daft.ie.

 

 

Original article by Dave Simpson on hospitalityireland.com

According to the Retail Sales Index January 2023 (Provisional) and December 2022 (Final) report from the Central Statistics Office (CSO), the volume of sales in bars increased, year on year, in January 2023.

 

Details
The report, which was published on CSO.ie, states that there was a 20.2% annual increase in the volume of sales in bars in January 2023, but a 20.4% monthly decrease, while the volume of bar sales was 29.9% lower than the volume of sales recorded for pre-pandemic February 2020.

 

Food, Beverage And Tobacco (Specialised Store) Sales
Meanwhile, there was an 8.4% annual decrease in the volume of food, beverage and tobacco (specialised store) sales in January 2023, and also a 0.6% monthly increase in the volume of food, beverage and tobacco (specialised store) sales in the first month of this year, while the volume of food, beverage and tobacco (specialised store) sales was 56.5% higher than the volume of sales recorded for pre-pandemic February 2020, according to the CSO’s data.

 

Statement By Statistician
The report published on CSO.com quoted a statistician in the business statistics division, Stephanie Kelleher, as saying, “Retail sales rose by 0.1% in January 2023, when compared with December 2022, on a seasonally adjusted basis. On an annual basis, retail volumes were 3.0% higher than in January 2022.

“The highest monthly volume decreases were in bars – -20.4% – department stores – -5.0% – non-specialised stores, including supermarkets – -3.4% – and pharmaceuticals, medical & cosmetic articles – -2.8%. […] The largest annual volume increase was in bars – 20.2% – however, caution should be exercised with this level of growth, as it is compared with a low base from the previous year. Despite this large recovery, bar sales remained 29.9% lower than their pre-Covid-19 level in February 2020.”

 

Original article by Dave Simpson on hospitalityireland.com

Chez Max, Dublin’s answer to a traditional French bistrot, and Chez Max Café became Ireland’s first restaurant to be awarded the “World’s French Restaurant” label. The label will be awarded on Tuesday 28th February 2023, to owner Max de Laloubie at the French Ambassador to Ireland’s Residence, in the presence of the AFMR and representatives of the French Embassy, in recognition of the Dublin establishments best known for serving homemade French dishes with a Parisian flair.

 

The “World’s French Restaurant” is a new accolade inaugurated in 2021 for French-speaking and Francophile restaurants that promotes French gastronomy, created by the AFMR (Association Française des Maîtres Restaurateurs). The aim is to promote sustainable catering, home-made, and fresh products. Chez Max is the 5th restaurant outside of France to receive the award.

“It’s a really honour to receive this label in recognition of our contribution to promote French gastronomy, and I’m proud to continue to share delicious, homemade French dishes with the people of Dublin,” said Max de Laloubie.

 

An Apt Occasion To Celebrate
The award ceremony will cap off the 2023 edition of French Food Days, a one-day trade event dedicated to bringing the taste of France to Ireland, which will see 15 producers come to Dublin who are hoping to increase their presence in Ireland.

“We created the World French Restaurant label to share and promote the excellence and diversity of French cuisine throughout the world,” said AFMR President Alain Fontaine. “We’re thrilled to be able to give this accolade to Chez Max, and have a ‘World French Restaurant’ in Ireland, a country that is internationally known for appreciating high-quality food. And what better occasion than French Food Days to do so!”

 

What Is A “World’s French Restaurant”?
A restaurant awarded the “WFR”, or “World’s French Restaurant” label is one that has passed an rigorous independent audit, proving that it fulfils certain criteria:

• Cooking on-site
• The use of fresh products
• A menu including French dishes
• A French-language version of the menu
• A “French touch” to the décor
• Compliance with local food waste legislation

 

The “WFR” label is open to any restaurant, from the smallest, cosiest all-day diner to the most prestigious fine-dining restaurant. Restaurants with the “WFR” label enjoy being part of an international community with access to a network of like-minded professionals, exciting training opportunities, events and more. “WFR” restaurants also enjoy the world-renowned reputation of French gastronomy.

 

Original article by Dave Simpson on hospitalityireland.com

Following the launch of The Dean hotels on Dublin’s Harcourt Street and in Cork and Galway, a new extension of The Dean on Dublin’s Harcourt Street opens this month.

 

Details
The Dean Townhouse takes up residence at number 36 Harcourt Street, just next to the original Dean location. This Georgian building has been completely transformed, with the addition of a newly built mews extension, which will add a further 49 bedrooms, bringing The Dean Dublin’s bedroom count to a total of 100.

Alongside the new bedrooms, The Dean Townhouse opens with a new cocktail bar and lounge known as The Townhouse Bar, an outdoor courtyard and The Marshall Room, which is a dedicated event space catering for up to 150 guests seated, or 280 standing.

 

Cocktails
The Townhouse Bar will offer a selection of cocktails overseen by Marcin Bilewicz, The Dean’s executive bars manager. The Townhouse Bar opens out onto the open, heated terrace.

 

Events
On the lower-ground floor, The Marshall Room will welcome up to 150 guests for seated events and 280 for mingle-style gatherings.

 

Original article by Dave Simpson on hospitalityireland.com

The number of people who passed through Dublin Airport increased by 3% in February 2023 compared to pre-COVID-19 pandemic February 2019, to 2.06 million, and by 55% compared to February of last year, according to a statement published on Dublin Airport’s website.

 

DAA Airports
Overall, the total number of passengers that passed through the DAA’s two Irish airports – Dublin and Cork – last month increased from 2.16 million in February 2019 and from 1.42 million in February of last year to 2.22 million, according to the statement published on Dublin Airport’s website, which also noted that a record number of passengers passed through Dublin Airport last month.

 

Statement By DAA CEO
The statement published on DublinAirport.com quoted DAA CEO Kenny Jacobs as saying, “The addition of an extra bank holiday weekend in February, combined with Valentine’s Day and the mid-term school break, meant February was another very busy month at Dublin Airport. Passenger numbers were boosted by the Six Nations rugby, which saw thousands of French fans travelling to watch their match against Ireland, while many thousands of Irish fans headed to the games in Wales and Italy.

“The busiest day at Dublin Airport was Sunday, February 12, with 96,000 passengers. The most popular destination from Dublin was London Heathrow and a total of 80% of flights were on time leaving Dublin Airport.

“March is set to be another busy month and we’re expecting passenger numbers to once again be close to 2019 levels, with two more rugby internationals set to take place, either side of what will be a busy St Patrick’s Day period. I want to say a big thank you to our team at Dublin for their commitment and effort.”

 

Original article by Dave Simpson on hospitalityireland.com

Dalata Hotel Group plc has announced that it has acquired a 192-bedroom hotel at 240 Seven Sisters Road, Finsbury Park, in London.

 

Details
Dalata has acquired the entire issued share capital of Tide Developments Limited from Furadino Holdings Limited for a total consideration of €49.7 million, according to a statement published on DalataHotelGroup.com, which also noted that Dalata will invest over £2 million to enhance the property before opening it under the group’s Maldron brand this summer.

 

Statements
The statement published on DalataHotelGroup.com quoted its CEO, Dermot Crowley, as saying, “London is a key strategic growth market for Dalata. We are very excited to be opening our first Maldron hotel in the city in advance of our Maldron in Shoreditch, which is currently under construction. This acquisition represents an outstanding opportunity to operate a new, sustainably built hotel in a vibrant and developing area, as we continue our ambitious UK expansion plan. The strength of our balance sheet has been a crucial element in enabling us to make this investment, as we continue to create value for all of our stakeholders.”

The statement published on DalataHotelGroup.com quoted its corporate development director, Shane Casserly, as saying, “Acquiring a new hotel asset in London, in challenging funding markets, that will be operational in the summer of 2023 is a fantastic achievement by the group. This transaction highlights our appetite for growth, as well as the flexibility of our business model, which enables us to grow through acquisition, development and leasing. We are excited by the excellent sustainability credentials of the property, as we continue to make progress on our ambitious targets.”

 

Original article by Dave Simpson on hospitalityireland.com

The Morrison Room at Carton House, A Fairmont Managed Hotel, is delighted to be one of four Irish Restaurants added to the UK and Ireland edition of The Michelin Guide, which is published digitally with updates each month, the most recent of which was published on Wednesday 22nd February. The monthly additions are described as “the Michelin inspectors’ favourite new restaurants”.

Of The Morrison Room, The Michelin Guide says: “We all need a little glamour in our lives, and this restaurant within the vast, luxurious Carton House resort provides it in spades. The room is gloriously showy and boldly ornate; this is certainly dressing up time. The menu is an eclectic mix of French classicism, Asian influences and, of course, prime Irish ingredients – be sure to try the delicious Irish cheeses with honey from the Estate.”

Carton House, A Fairmont Managed Hotel, reopened in June 2021 after a two-year, multimillion-euro renovation and reimagining of the original house, surrounding hotel and stunning grounds and parkland. The refurbishment put the spectacular Palladian-style mansion, The Manor House, at the heart of the guest experience, with the particularly special addition of The Morrison Room, a spectacular room which has been transformed into the resort’s fine dining restaurant and morning breakfast room.

General Manager Martin Mangan expressed his pride in his team at being listed in The Michelin Guide, “I’m delighted for Head Chef Charles Degrendele, our Director of Food and Beverage Thomas Lagrue, our Restaurant Manager Marie Soudan and all their team in The Morrison Room who have received this fantastic recognition. We want The Morrison Room to be a really special part of our guest experience, a meal that they’ll remember long after they’ve experienced it, so for this to be noted by the esteemed Michelin inspectors is really wonderful.”

 

Original article by Hotel and Catering Team D on hotelandcateringreview.ie

Trigon Hotels is celebrating after being named the Best Large Company at the Cork Business Association’s ‘‘Cork Business of the Year Awards’. The judges praised the group’s forward-looking, family-friendly employee policies and said their inclusion and diversity agenda is fast becoming a model to which other businesses can aspire.

Trigon Hotels, which includes the Metropole Hotel in Cork City’s VQ and the Cork International Hotel puts people and community at the heart of everything that they do. Trigon Hotels had a really successful year as they continued their stellar community work while also enriching its team member policies.

The Cork International Hotel is one of the leading family-friendly hotels in Cork and has a ‘Family Concierge Team’ to help parents and children make the most of their stay. The Cork International Hotel is ASD aware, it provides training to its team members and has introduced sensory boxes as part of its efforts to create a safe environment for families and children with autism. Trigon Hotels also became the first hotel group in the Republic of Ireland to become Just A Minute (JAM) Card friendly, making interactions a little easier for customers with hidden disabilities.

The Metropole Hotel is one of Ireland’s most historic hotels and celebrated 125 years at the heart of Cork life during 2022. It’s responsible for the Cork Jazz Festival and has welcomed Oscar winning actors, producers and directors, Nobel laureate writers and grammy award winning singers since the doors first opened in 1897.

Both hotels are passionate about sustainability, setting ambitious goals to reduce energy consumption and waste while lowering their carbon footprint. At the Cork International Hotel, a rainwater harvesting system provides water for its rooftop vegetable and herb garden. Other initiatives include building a Bee Hotel and signing up to the Irish Pollinator Plan.

Managing director of Trigon Hotels, Aaron Mansworth said: “We are so proud to win this award and we are a company that is made up of our people and our people are what makes us exceptional. We are committed to providing the best by our guests and also by our team members. We want to continue promoting Irish tourism and hospitality this year and ensure that Cork is top of people’s agenda when they are looking for holiday destinations. I am extremely proud of Trigon Hotels for being leaders in the hospitality industry. Our team is our key strength.”

Trigon Hotels recently launched a new policy to support team members undergoing fertility treatment and the programme includes options around flexible working hours and paid leave days. A key priority for the company is Corporate Social Responsibility and each team member was allocated one ‘charity’ day for 2022 – an extra paid day on which each team member was entitled to spend on a charitable or CSR activity of their choice.

In 2021, Cork International Hotel created the “Community Spirit Awards”. These awards recognise and highlight the amazing contributions of both individuals and groups within the Cork community.

Trigon Hotels has established a successful relationship with Cope Foundation / Ability at Work. The charity partnership is continuing for a third year and its lasting legacy includes “The Hands of Hope” mural on Harley Street, created to recognise the challenges that people collectively faced as a community during Covid 19. Volunteers from both organisations also transformed a patch of unused ground next to Beech Hill Garden Centre, Montenotte, into a Sensory Garden and meet each week to work together in the garden.

Group Director of Operations, Carmel Lonergan added, “There have been a lot of difficulties in the hospitality sector over the last few years and our team members have risen to the challenges and we are thrilled to have been awarded the Best Large Company by the people representing the local business community in Cork. We have introduced a number of policies and initiatives over the last number of years to show our team members that they are a valued part of the overall operation and that they’re recognised for their hard work and commitment throughout the year. We are delighted with this award which is an acknowledgement of that hard work and we accept it on behalf of all our team members.”

 

Original article by Hotel and Catering Team D on hotelandcateringreview.ie