Ireland’s MHL Hotel Collection has acquired two hotels at Dublin airport, in a deal reckoned to be worth EUR100 million.
The properties have both been operating under IHG flags, with a 209 room Crowne Plaza
and 214 room Holiday Inn Express located adjacent to one another. They were sold by investment group Tifco, a business ultimately owned by Apollo Management, which has been reducing its Irish hotel portfolio with strategic disposals. MHL sees an opportunity at the airport, which recently saw the lifting of an annual limit of 32 million passengers per year, making way for further growth in capacity over the coming years.
A Growing Irish Portfolio
Adding the hotels to MHL’s portfolio takes the business to 16 properties. The company bought the hotels after beating many other challenging bidders for the asset, which is the only dual branded hotel property in the region.
Dublin continues to be a dynamic hotel market, with plenty of new development activity. And during 2025, it performed well operationally, according to agents Cushman & Wakefield. According to the agents, the Irish hotel market as a whole continues to perform strongly. During 2025, key city markets averaged 77-83% occupancy, with both occupancy and revpar modestly up on the previous year. Transaction volumes were boosted by the sale of the Dalata hotel business to Pandox, meaning 26 properties traded in Dublin alone.
Whitbread has targeted Ireland for growth of its Premier Inn network. It is currently building a 156 room hotel in Limerick, part of the Opera Square development. The group currently has six hotels open in Dublin and Cork, with a further six in the pipeline. Construction work has just started on a new 157 room Premier Inn in Outer Dublin. Monami Construction expects to take around 18 months to complete the eight storey block on the Sandyford Business Park.
IHG is planning its second Ruby branded hotel in the city. Ruby Dublin Middle Abbey Street will have 257 rooms, opening by mid 2027, and joining the existing trading Ruby Molly.
Strong Extended Stay Demand
Hilton recently opened Home2 Suites in Dublin, its first European outpost for the long stay brand. Also building the city’s extended stay offer is Irish group Staycity, which is planning a new landmark property under its Wilde aparthotel brand. A block of more than 20 storeys, the Wilde Aparthotels by Staycity Dublin Glass Bottle will have 228 units, opening in autumn 2028.
Hotel giant Marriott is growing its presence in the city. Early in 2027 it will open a substantial dual branded project in the city, adding a 260 room Courtyard by Marriott hotel, alongside a 223 room extended stay offering under its Residence Inn brand. And owner Archer Hotel Capital is refurbishing its Shelbourne luxury hotel in the city, which will relaunch as part of the group’s Autograph Collection.
