Choice Hotels Ireland, whose flagship Clarion Hotel in the Dublin International Financial Services Centre was officially opened yesterday, has announced that it will open two further hotels here, creating around 200 new jobs.
Mr Frankie Whelehan, managing director of Choice Hotels Ireland, said the new hotels would be located in Limerick and in the Liffey Valley development in west Co Dublin.
The total investment would be £44 million (€55.87 million).
Choice Hotels Ireland currently has 24 hotels in Ireland, operating under three brand names - Clarion, Quality and Comfort - 18 of which are directly managed by the group.
The Clarion Hotel Limerick will have 93 bedrooms and will be built in a 16-storey landmark building on Steamboat Quay in the city.
It will cost £20 million and is due to be completed in May of next year.
The Clarion Hotel at Liffey Valley will cost £24 million, will have 140 rooms and is due to open in December 2002.
The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, performed the official opening of the £30 million Dublin Clarion which is a four-star hotel with 147 bedrooms and 17 suites. It was developed by Northwall Quay Partnership.
This is a consortium of investors, which includes property developer Mr Patrick Kelly, Mr Brendan Curtis, who manages the hotel, Alanis Ltd and Pierse Contracting.
