Finland's Bob W To Make Dublin Debut With Donnybrook Stadium Aparthotel

Property developer Keith Craddock has secured planning permission to demolish a Circle K petrol station opposite Donnybrook Stadium in Dublin and replace it with a seven-storey aparthotel.

The planning approval was granted to a subsidiary of Red Rock Developments for a scheme comprising 143 bedrooms above a ground-floor restaurant and café at the junction of Donnybrook and Brookvale roads, according to The Irish Times.

The decision followed the refusal by An Coimisiún Pleanála for an earlier proposal for a 10-storey student accommodation block on the same site. Planning consultant John Spain Associates, acting for the applicant, described the plot as underused and said the aparthotel would help address a shortage of visitor accommodation in the area.

JSA pointed to the site’s proximity to major sports venues, including the Aviva Stadium and the RDS, as well as its location on a public transport corridor into the city centre.

The aparthotel has been prelet to Bob W, a Finnish-based hospitality group, which operates across a number of European cities. The Donnybrook development will mark the company’s first entry into the Irish market.

Founded by Niko Karstikko and Sebastian Emberger, Bob W is positioned as a tech-enabled hospitality brand offering short-stay accommodation with hotel-style services. Other locations include Amsterdam, Athens, Berlin and London as well as several buildings in Nordic and Baltic countries.

The Dublin scheme forms part of Bob W’s broader expansion strategy, which has focused on leasing new-build and refurbished properties in central urban locations with strong demand from leisure and business travellers.

The aparthotel will be developed by a subsidiary of Red Rock Developments and include a ground-floor restaurant and café. As part of the approval process, it will make a development contribution of over €625,000 to Dublin City Council.