Company operates hotels under the Maldron and Clayton brands

Dalata, Ireland’s largest hotel group, plans to increase the number of hotel rooms in its portfolio to 21,000, from the current 12,000, by the year 2030. The company’s hotels trade under the Maldron and Clayton brands.

The group has also announced that it is embarking on a €25m share buyback as it sells two hotels in Ireland which it considered non-core. The hotels are the Clayton White’s Hotel in Wexford, and its Maldron hotel in the town. Dalata recently completed a €30m share buyback.

At an investor day in London, the group said that as part of its 2030 targets it anticipates having additional rooms either open for business or in development by then.

“Additionally, we are aiming to become the largest hotel operator in the four-star segment of all major cities in Ireland and regional UK by 2030, with a growing presence in London and continental Europe,” it added.

Dalata has been steadily expanding its footprint in continental Europe. “Our recent UK growth has been compelling, with 11 hotels added in target cities since 2021, almost doubling our UK footprint,” said chief executive Dermot Crowley. “Continental Europe represents an exciting pathway to expand the group’s footprint.”

Dalata opened its first mainland Europe hotel in 2022 when it bought the Hotel Niko in Dusseldorf. Last year it bough the Hard Rock Hotel Amsterdam.

During the summer, it appointed Kathrin Jung-Reinhard as its head of development strategy for northern Europe as it seeks to expand further.

This year Dalata opened its first hotels in Liverpool and Brighton, and its second Maldron hotel in Manchester. It has also just opened its second Maldon hotel in London. It now has 23 hotels in the UK.

The group said that its like-for-like revenue per available room (RevPAR) was 1pc higher in July and August compared to the same two months last year.

“Positive momentum has continued through the year and the group expects to achieve RevPAR growth of 2pc on 2023 levels for September and October,” it said. For the same two-month period, RevPAR for its Dublin hotel portfolio is expected to be 1pc higher than 2023 levels, with regional Ireland up 4pc.

“The UK portfolio is expected to be 1pc ahead of 2023 on a like-for-like basis, helped by the inclusion of the two London hotels added to the portfolio last summer, both of which are showing strong growth versus last year,” it told investors.

During the summer, it appointed Kathrin Jung-Reinhard as its head of development strategy for northern Europe as it seeks to expand further.

This year Dalata opened its first hotels in Liverpool and Brighton, and its second Maldron hotel in Manchester. It has also just opened its second Maldon hotel in London. It now has 23 hotels in the UK.

The group said that its like-for-like revenue per available room (RevPAR) was 1pc higher in July and August compared to the same two months last year.

“Positive momentum has continued through the year and the group expects to achieve RevPAR growth of 2pc on 2023 levels for September and October,” it said. For the same two-month period, RevPAR for its Dublin hotel portfolio is expected to be 1pc higher than 2023 levels, with regional Ireland up 4pc.

“The UK portfolio is expected to be 1pc ahead of 2023 on a like-for-like basis, helped by the inclusion of the two London hotels added to the portfolio last summer, both of which are showing strong growth versus last year,” it told investors.

Reporting on:independent.ie