Long-Delayed Hoxton Opening Comes As Sign Of High Interest In Dublin's Hotel Market

The Hoxton will open its doors at Exchequer Street in Dublin on 20 November, owner Ennismore has confirmed, at the restored Victorian building that was previously the Central Hotel — adding 129 rooms to the city’s expanding luxury hotel offer.

The scheme will include a lobby with a bar and Viking-era ruins, all-day Peruvian-inspired restaurant Cantina Valentina, a day sandwich bar and evening wine bar Dollars, local landmark The Library Bar, and Groundwork, The Hoxton’s first nightlife venue.

The project has been years in the making, its roots stretching back to the early 2010s when the Central Hotel on Exchequer Street was first earmarked for redevelopment. The location, at the heart of Dublin’s Creative Quarter, was seen as a prime site for a new hospitality landmark.

However, after several delays, interest returned, culminating in London-based hospitality group Ennismore, which works in partnership with Accor, announcing its plans for Dublin. 

The hotel market has been a strong performer in Dublin. At Bisnow’s Hotel Outlook event at The College Green Hotel Dublin in May, Marriott and Accor said that they were looking to increase their presence in the city and in some of Ireland’s other markets, while extended-stay specialist Staycity pledged to continue developing schemes in Ireland, backed by a more favourable debt market.

Accor Vice President and Head of Luxury Development for Northern Europe Maria Ashton told delegates that with 49 brands under the Accor umbrella, the group saw The Hoxton as an important addition and Dublin as a “place we want to have more presence, but also in wider Ireland.”

“When we look at capital cities across Europe, most have recovered on occupancy, and the UK and Ireland are exceeding 2019 levels,” she said. “On the investor side, the lower the risk, the more attractive the offer, and we know there is a lot of international interest for buyers.”

Ashton added that Dublin, along with Edinburgh and Madrid, was top of investor wishlists.