contd. from page 8

According to Mr Doyle, this means that, at its heart, each of these hotels is an independent hotel. “When you walk into an independent hotel, you don’t see a lot of branding. It has to be very subtle,” he adds.

“We’re very residential. We want to make sure the Shelbourne has a residential feel. The aim is to create a fine home, to make guests feel good in subtle ways.”

There are now 246 bedrooms, with 19 luxury suites, and some 1,000 square metres of space for meetings and events in twelve banqueting suites. Guests, who pay from €310 per night for a queen sized room and up to €2,500 for the premium two bedroom Princess Grace suite, can now avail of individual climate control in their rooms - quite an achievement within the fabric of such an old building.

There are eight floors and space includes a new block built to the rear but fitted out in the same style as the ‘heritage’ bedrooms in the rest of the hotel, where silk wall coverings add to the luxury feel. The renovation work is complete, except for the new spa which will open in the Autumn. It will carry the name of “a world renowned brand” according to Doyle, but for the moment that name is firmly under wraps.

Mr Doyle was appointed General Manager of The Shelbourne Hotel Dublin in November 2005. A native of Co. Kildare, his varied 17 year career includes the last four years with The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company. He joined the Renaissance team from The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach where he held the position of Hotel Manger since its opening. Prior to this, he was Executive Assistant Manager at the Ritz Carlton Buckhead, Atlanta.

Before joining Ritz-Carlton, Liam spent nine years as Director of Food and Beverage with Hilton hotels in New York and Atlanta, which culminated in a regional role overseeing eleven branded Hilton hotels in the Atlanta market. Liam was an original TMDP graduate from CERT and attended Cornell University’s Hospitality Financial Management program. He is a Vice Chancellor- Culinaire of Chaine des Rotisseurs and a member of the American Institute of Wine & Food.

Irelandhotels.com has now surpassed €10 million in internet sales since the IHF partnered with In1 Solutions in April 2004. The hospitality industry is seeing an irreversible trend with customers booking their accommodation online and using the internet to plan and organise their travel experiences while in Ireland. In addition to using Irelandhotels.com to make reservations, travellers frequently use the resource to assess availability prior to making direct inquiries. This translates into a substantial level of follow-on offline sales that are influenced by the website.

During January 2007, there were over 2,500 bookings through Irelandhotels.com, representing a 118% increase on January 2006. These bookings accounted for over €560,000 in revenue for members and translated into a 116% increase on January 2006. Similarly, February 2007 saw the website process over 3,200 bookings, representing a 125% increase on February 2006. This accounted for over €700,000 in revenue, representing a 129% increase on February 2006.

Annette Devine, President, IHF, stated, “We expect to drive over €6 million in accommodation revenue through Irelandhotels.com during 2007. Crucial to this success is the fact that Irelandhotels.com is very user friendly. It is designed to easily allow people select accommodation based on categories such as family breaks, golf holidays as well as spa and leisure retreats. It also provides an advanced search facility which identifies accommodation based on price range, hotel type and classification, facilities required and destination. In addition to providing unrivalled transparency in terms of availability and price, the website allows users to avail of last minute rates and sign up for notifications of special offers.”

Pat Ratcliffe, Chief Executive of the IHF’s online partner In1 Solutions, stated, “The potential for promotion through the internet is unparalleled. It is far cheaper than producing and distributing thousands of brochures on a property and offers the opportunity for people to have a ‘virtual’ hotel experience of a property and the facilities on offer. It opens up the possibility for the smallest property to compete with multinational hotels on the world stage.”

Margaret Collins of Kayfoam Woolfson demonstrates the King Koil ‘Ultimate in Luxury Hotel Bed’ at Showtel 2007.

Pictured at Showtel 2007 with Annette Devine, President, IHF, were Fergus Scully and Willie Somers of Unilever.

Pictured at Showtel 2007 with Annette Devine, President, IHF, were Belinda Hume and Siobhan Kelly of Glenmore Linens.

Pictured at Showtel 2007 with Annette Devine, President, IHF, were Alan Cruite and Kenneth Dorian from Bunzl McLaughlin Catering Equipment & Supplies.

Findlater Grants Golf Classic Winners 2007

Winners Thomas Merry and Declan Lennon (Surfbox Ltd, Kilkenny)

2nd Richard Bourke (Past President) and Jason Popplewell (Coca-Cola)

3rd Stephen Dudley (Fáilte Ireland) and Eoin O’Sullivan (St. Helen’s Hotel, Rosslare)

Thomas Marry and Declan Lennon receiving their prizes from IHF President, Annette Devine

Ladies Winners Mary Bergin (Hospitality Solutions Consulting) and Eugene Dooley (One Touch Solutions Ireland)

2nd Phil Hanratty (Eccles Hotel, Glengarriff) and Eithne Scott Lennon (Fitzpatricks Castle Hotel)

Nearest the Pin James Scott Lennon (Fitzpatricks Castle Hotel)

Eithne Scott Lennon and Phil Hanratty receiving their prizes from IHF President, Annette Devine.

Pictured at the IHF Heineken Reception in the Slieve Russell Hotel, Ballyconnell, Co. Cavan were, Annette Devine, President, IHF, and John Crowley, Heineken Ireland.

Annette Devine
Majestic Hotel, Tramore, Co. Waterford

Vice Presidents

Matthew Ryan
Grand Hotel Malahide, Co. Dublin
Paul McDaid
Faithlegg House Hotel, Co. Waterford

Hon. Treasurer

Paul Gallagher
Buswells Hotel, Dublin 2

Past Presidents

Pat McCann
William Power
Mary Fitzgerald
Jim Murphy
Richard Bourke

Elected Members

Bobby Fitzpatrick
Jurys Inn Parnell Street, Dublin 1
Philip Gavin
Talbot Hotel, Wexford
Terry McCoy
The Red Bank, Skerries, Co. Dublin
Paul Keenan
Marine Hotel, Sutton, Co. Dublin
Bernadette Randles
Dromhall Hotel, Killarney, Co. Kerry
Shay Livingstone
Rochestown Park Hotel, Cork
Martin Holohan
Mespil Hotel, Dublin 4
Eoin O’Sullivan
St. Helen’s Hotel, Rosslare, Co. Wexford

BRANCH REPS

Cork

Aidan Moynihan
Quality Hotel & Leisure Centre, Cork
Julieann Brennan
Jurys Inn Cork

Donegal

Paul Diver
Sand House Hotel, Rossnowlagh, Co. Donegal
Cormac Walsh
Carrigart Hotel, Carrigart, Co. Donegal

Dublin

Martin Cassidy
Cassidys Hotel, Dublin 1
Martin Mangan
Royal Marine Hotel, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin

Galway

John Bourke
Glenlo Abbey Hotel, Galway
Brian Hughes
Abbeyglen Castle Hotel, Clifden, Co. Galway

Kerry

Emer Moynihan
Earls Court House, Killarney, Co. Kerry
Ivan Tuohy
Holiday Inn, Killarney. Co. Kerry

Mayo

John Raftery
Downhill Inn, Ballina, Co. Mayo
Brian Crowley
Knock House Hotel, Knock, Co. Mayo

Midlands

Neil Cummins
Prince of Wales Hotel, Athlone, Co. Westmeath
Gavin O’Shea
Courtyard Hotel, Leixlip, Co. Kildare

Mourne/Boyne/Lakes

Aaron Mansworth
Crover House Hotel & Golf Club, Lough Sheelin, Co. Cavan
Tony Walker
Slieve Russell Hotel, Ballyconnell, Co. Cavan

Sligo/Leitrim/N. Roscommon

Joseph Dolan
Bush Hotel, Carrick-On-Shannon, Co. Leitrim
Gerard Moore
Sligo Park Hotel, Sligo

South East

Paul McDaid
Faithlegg House Hotel, Co. Waterford
Gillian Butler
Waterford Castle Hotel, Ballinakill, Co. Waterford

Shannon

Michael Vaughan
Vaughan Lodge, Lahinch, Co. Clare

Wicklow

Pat Hevey
Glenview Hotel, Glen-O-The-Downs, Co. Wicklow

NIHF

Janice Gault
Northern Ireland Hotels Federation

As one of Ireland's oldest trade associations, the IHF has faced many interesting challenges since it was established in 1937. Thanks to the commitment of our members throughout the country, we continue to grow in strength as we mark our 70th anniversary. As such, I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to the dedication of our members over the years and to all those who turned out in force for a very insightful and informative conference last month in the Slieve Russell Hotel.

Given the vital importance of the US market, ratification of a draft Open Skies agreement between the EU and the US is a welcome step in facilitating American travellers visiting Ireland. Final ratification will represent a win¨Cwin situation all round for Irish tourism as we are utterly dependant on air and sea access to attract visitors here. With ease of access a major factor for US visitors deciding to come here, this new agreement will offer tremendous potential for our industry.

To assist in the transition period following ratification, the Federation has called on the Government to provide a dedicated 10 million per annum marketing fund for the Shannon region over the next five years.

Given the challenges Shannon Airport will now face, this fund would enable the implementation of a focused marketing campaign in key markets that have direct flights into Shannon while reinforcing the tourism brand of Ireland West. It would also ensure the Shannon region continues to benefit from transatlantic traffic. Going forward, the IHF will work closely with the Shannon Airport Authority to determine incentives for airlines to promote the Shannon region in North America.

From a tourism perspective the current water contamination issue in Galway has serious implications for hotels and guesthouses in the region. The Federation will continue to collaborate with F¨¢ilte Ireland to reassure visitors coming to Galway. While hotels in the areas such as Clifden and Connemara are unaffected by contamination, the IHF has worked to ensure the public are provided with accurate information about the extent of the problem and the safeguards put in place by our members.

Over the coming months, I will work closely with local branches to ensure that the various concerns facing regional tourism continue to be highlighted. Of particular importance with the general election approaching is the need to revisit the antiquated and anti-business taxation system of commercial rates. As commercial rates are currently imposed with no reference to income yields or associated overheads, hotels and guesthouses continue to be disproportionately penalised in subsidising local authorities and their services. In order to address this, the IHF will continue to press for a more equitable mechanism for local authority funding.

As I enter my second year as President of the IHF, I look forward to working closely with industry bodies and members of the next Government to address issues concerning our members and addressing the various challenges facing our industry. I continue to look forward to serving your best interests, from the smallest guesthouse to the largest hotel.

Annette Devine 
President

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