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kilkee bay hotel

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Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 5,407 ✭✭✭finbarrk


    It has been closed during the Winter. They did ok last Summer and Autumn. The Ashford Court Hotel in Ennis is under the same ownership, they might be able to help.


  • Registered Users Posts: 500 ✭✭✭JOSman


    I don't think they open until the end of the month.


  • Registered Users Posts: 19,585 ✭✭✭✭Lady Chatterton


    Threads merged


  • Registered Users Posts: 500 ✭✭✭JOSman


    Think it opens at the end of May.


  • Registered Users Posts: 61 ✭✭Red Clover


    The Kilkee Bay hotel opened on 30th May. No phone contact all winter to take bookings. How do people expect to run a hotel successfully with no booking system? Opening only a few days before Whit week-end with rookie staff and no proper preparation! A recipe for disaster. This hotel has potential to be busy for nine months of the year with proper management.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 121 ✭✭Lobby Con Shine


    Red Clover wrote: »
    The Kilkee Bay hotel opened on 30th May. No phone contact all winter to take bookings. How do people expect to run a hotel successfully with no booking system? Opening only a few days before Whit week-end with rookie staff and no proper preparation! A recipe for disaster. This hotel has potential to be busy for nine months of the year with proper management.

    Completely agree. I think there is a gap in the market for a full-time hotel in Kilkee and it's a shame that where once there was half a dozen functioning hotels in the town, there is now just one, the Stella Maris which is a well-run hotel but has limited capacity.

    The problem is that the Kilkee Bay and the Ocean Cove have been bought as investments. These types of hotel need owners who live and breathe them. There is no hotel between Loop Head and Ennis. The Armada is well up the coast and Doonbeg is not really a hotel and also it's isolated - you have to drive everywhere from it.

    A properly-run hotel could create full-time employment for a dozen people along with part-time opportunities during the summer months. It would be a huge boost for the town. Such a pity that there are two fine fully-built hotels in the town with no-one interested in making a go of them.


  • Registered Users Posts: 806 ✭✭✭Jim Martin


    Completely agree. I think there is a gap in the market for a full-time hotel in Kilkee and it's a shame that where once there was half a dozen functioning hotels in the town, there is now just one, the Stella Maris which is a well-run hotel but has limited capacity.

    The problem is that the Kilkee Bay and the Ocean Cove have been bought as investments. These types of hotel need owners who live and breathe them. There is no hotel between Loop Head and Ennis. The Armada is well up the coast and Doonbeg is not really a hotel and also it's isolated - you have to drive everywhere from it.

    A properly-run hotel could create full-time employment for a dozen people along with part-time opportunities during the summer months. It would be a huge boost for the town. Such a pity that there are two fine fully-built hotels in the town with no-one interested in making a go of them.

    That is an absolute disgrace! How on earth can this part of the country claim to be part of the 'Wild Atlantic Way' which the government are so heavily promoting, without the basic essentials being present? This country just does not seem to improve/progress & yet expects tourists/visitors to come flocking here!


  • Registered Users Posts: 121 ✭✭Lobby Con Shine


    Jim Martin wrote: »
    That is an absolute disgrace! How on earth can this part of the country claim to be part of the 'Wild Atlantic Way' which the government are so heavily promoting, without the basic essentials being present? This country just does not seem to improve/progress & yet expects tourists/visitors to come flocking here!


    It's part of the Wild Atlantic Way because it's on the Atlantic coast. If the criterion for being on the route was to do with having the necessary accommodation, then there would be serious gaps in it.

    However, it is a disgrace that Kilkee doesn't have a large, functioning hotel.

    One thing I forgot to mention in my initial post was that the Kilkee Bay Hotel has a nightclub attached. There is no nightclub between Loop Head and Ennis and, if run properly, it could take in a few bob on Fridays and Saturdays during the winter which could help in the off season.

    However, a nightclub attached to the hotel may not exactly be an attractive proposition for many people.


  • Registered Users Posts: 61 ✭✭Red Clover


    I agree but a nightclub has to be run properly and we have seen in the past that greed has caused massive overcrowding problems which has led to normal club goers to avoid the place leaving it open to the gurriers who want to cause trouble. The entrance to the nightclub in question is bit away from the bedrooms so a well-run premises shouldn't cause problems.


  • Registered Users Posts: 121 ✭✭Lobby Con Shine


    Red Clover wrote: »
    I agree but a nightclub has to be run properly and we have seen in the past that greed has caused massive overcrowding problems which has led to normal club goers to avoid the place leaving it open to the gurriers who want to cause trouble. The entrance to the nightclub in question is bit away from the bedrooms so a well-run premises shouldn't cause problems.


    The best thing that could happen for the nightclubs in Kilkee is if a nightclub was to open in Kilrush. That would take a lot of the lowlifes away from Kilkee.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 686 ✭✭✭Running Balance


    Opening a nightclub in kilrush? They'd be more peace on the Gaza strip!!


  • Registered Users Posts: 18,069 ✭✭✭✭JCX BXC


    Opening a nightclub in kilrush? They'd be more peace on the Gaza strip!!

    As bad as that is, its funny.

    With a nightclub In kilrush, it would be a glorified south hill or similar.


  • Registered Users Posts: 374 ✭✭DoubleD


    Carnacalla wrote: »
    As bad as that is, its funny.

    With a nightclub In kilrush, it would be a glorified south hill or similar.

    Isn't Kilkee just a glorified South hill though? Its full of "undesirables" from the worst parts of Limerick mixed with the local riff raff, who lets face it, are not much better. But ya, lay the blame on Kilrush there lads, well done.

    Kilrush could't support a nightclub, it can barely support one pub these days, The Haven, Crottys, Kellys are basically operating as restaurants that happen to serve drink.

    Kilkee doesn't need a hotel, its a small backward seaside town that has been dying year on year for the past decade, in another ten years even the cultured Limerick visitors will be heading for pastures new. Kilkee has very little to offer, a nice looking beach that's covered in urine and excrement and roads that are falling apart. Massive murals of a known terrorist litter the streets making sure that any American that visits there wont be returning anytime soon. Shops and restaurants operate with grossly inflated prices to fleece the few remaining tourists. The cliffs are lovely but the walkway is poorly maintained. Its a study on how not to do tourism really.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 341 ✭✭poppyvally


    DoubleD wrote: »
    Isn't Kilkee just a glorified South hill though? Its full of "undesirables" from the worst parts of Limerick mixed with the local riff raff, who lets face it, are not much better. But ya, lay the blame on Kilrush there lads, well done.

    Kilrush could't support a nightclub, it can barely support one pub these days, The Haven, Crottys, Kellys are basically operating as restaurants that happen to serve drink.

    Kilkee doesn't need a hotel, its a small backward seaside town that has been dying year on year for the past decade, in another ten years even the cultured Limerick visitors will be heading for pastures new. Kilkee has very little to offer, a nice looking beach that's covered in urine and excrement and roads that are falling apart. Massive murals of a known terrorist litter the streets making sure that any American that visits there wont be returning anytime soon. Shops and restaurants operate with grossly inflated prices to fleece the few remaining tourists. The cliffs are lovely but the walkway is poorly maintained. Its a study on how not to do tourism really.


    well written Double and sadly, so very true. We always kill the golden goose. Greed in a hurry.


  • Registered Users Posts: 121 ✭✭Lobby Con Shine


    DoubleD wrote: »
    Isn't Kilkee just a glorified South hill though? Its full of "undesirables" from the worst parts of Limerick mixed with the local riff raff, who lets face it, are not much better. But ya, lay the blame on Kilrush there lads, well done.

    Kilrush could't support a nightclub, it can barely support one pub these days, The Haven, Crottys, Kellys are basically operating as restaurants that happen to serve drink.

    Kilkee doesn't need a hotel, its a small backward seaside town that has been dying year on year for the past decade, in another ten years even the cultured Limerick visitors will be heading for pastures new. Kilkee has very little to offer, a nice looking beach that's covered in urine and excrement and roads that are falling apart. Massive murals of a known terrorist litter the streets making sure that any American that visits there wont be returning anytime soon. Shops and restaurants operate with grossly inflated prices to fleece the few remaining tourists. The cliffs are lovely but the walkway is poorly maintained. Its a study on how not to do tourism really.


    Alot of speculative comment there, not much by way of evidence.

    Kilkee could support at least one hotel, if not two, but they'd have to be run properly. We know this because there have been several properly-run hotels there previously.

    This is a thread about the hotel so I won't get into a discussion about whether Kilkee is backward or not but it's usually the person making such claims that has the issues.


  • Registered Users Posts: 477 ✭✭blowin3


    I lived outside Kilkee for a number of years 5 I think (blanked it out). It was with out doubt the worst time in my life especially if you are not from there "blowin". The business only want your money and lot of the others are just booze and drugs. Not a nice place have not been back or will be back in that dump again.


  • Registered Users Posts: 374 ✭✭DoubleD


    Alot of speculative comment there, not much by way of evidence.

    Kilkee could support at least one hotel, if not two, but they'd have to be run properly. We know this because there have been several properly-run hotels there previously.

    This is a thread about the hotel so I won't get into a discussion about whether Kilkee is backward or not but it's usually the person making such claims that has the issues.

    Says post is speculative - goes on to speculate wildly.....
    069.jpg


  • Registered Users Posts: 477 ✭✭blowin3


    blowin3 wrote: »
    I lived outside Kilkee for a number of years 5 I think (blanked it out). It was with out doubt the worst time in my life especially if you are not from there "blowin". The business only want your money and lot of the others are just booze and drugs. Not a nice place have not been back or will be back in that dump again.

    By the way these are my personal feelings. I knew a guy from Limerick who ran the Marine and did a fine job as well. But he had to nearly stay open 24 hours to make it pay and after 2 years he was burnt out. There was a saying about the park owners when they got payed by Limerick folk. It went on the lines "thank you very much see you next year " . But its a shame as it has a lot going for it beach, walks and of course Loop head.


  • Registered Users Posts: 121 ✭✭Lobby Con Shine


    DoubleD wrote: »
    Says post is speculative - goes on to speculate wildly.....
    069.jpg


    There is evidence to show that several hotels operated in Kilkee in days gone by.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,994 ✭✭✭Shapey Fiend


    The fact the town is 75% unoccupied can't help. Awash with cheap self catering and I'm guessing there are 100 b&b beds in the general vicinity.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 121 ✭✭Lobby Con Shine


    The fact the town is 75% unoccupied can't help. Awash with cheap self catering and I'm guessing there are 100 b&b beds in the general vicinity.


    There can't be many seaside towns around the country that aren't "awash" with holiday homes. The Seaside Resort Renewal Scheme saw to that. It was introduced in the 1990s which led to the (over) building of cheap holiday homes due to the tax incentives.

    There is no doubt that many, if not most, of them are poorly-built and that is a shame but from a Kilkee point of view, the scheme led to an alteration in the typical visitor to the town. While many (not most) of the tourists to Kilkee before the scheme were from Limerick, the fact that many of the homes were purchased by Dubliners has led to a change in the demographic of the visitor to Kilkee.

    Lest there be any misconception of Kilkee's status as a resort (as suggested by Double D), the place is still packed to the rafters every summer. A well run hotel would certainly clean up during the summer. The question is whether there would be enough business for it to survive during the winter months and I am convinced that there is plenty of business for the Kilkee Bay Hotel to prosper if done correctly.


  • Registered Users Posts: 203 ✭✭irish coldplayer


    A well run hotel would certainly clean up during the summer. The question is whether there would be enough business for it to survive during the winter months and I am convinced that there is plenty of business for the Kilkee Bay Hotel to prosper if done correctly.

    If it was such a no brainer then why did all the hotels in Kilkee go bust? unable to even achieve an operating profit let alone service debt.
    By comparison none of the Hotels in lahinch are closed down...


  • Registered Users Posts: 121 ✭✭Lobby Con Shine


    If it was such a no brainer then why did all the hotels in Kilkee go bust? unable to even achieve an operating profit let alone service debt.
    By comparison none of the Hotels in lahinch are closed down...


    You haven't the foggiest idea what they achieved so don't go on like you do.

    Pretty much from the outset, the two recently-built hotels (Kilkee Bay and Ocean Cove) opened during the winter only so they didn't really give it a chance. Both were purchased by investment syndicates for tax purposes. The management changed on an almost yearly basis.

    I have not suggested that it is a "no brainer" - that would seem to suggest that it's easy. Making a hotel work requires hard work and long hours, that's why I have prefaced my comments with the words "properly run" or "well run". I don't think anyone would describe the abovementioned hotels as having fitted that description.


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,200 ✭✭✭kollegeknight


    One story from a few weeks ago that will explain why the hotel struggles.

    My wife and I stopped in for lunch not wanting to look for parking on the street in the town.

    Two other small tables arrived at the same time. Two waitresses. 5 minutes to take our drink order(she got wrong). 15 minutes to take our food order.

    I ordered the bangers and mash- two pork and black pudding sausages on a bed of mash with a red onion jus. (Sounds good). OH ordered chicken with sauce on side.

    35 minutes later just when we were about to leave, our food came out. OH got her chicken with cold gravy all over it and the waitress landed a kids plate of chips and sausages in front of me. I presumed she got the order mixed up with a kid at another table. I explained to her my order.
    She goes back to the kitchen, wife's meal was not edible. And the waitress comes out to ask me to order something else.

    I asked for the drinks bill and as I was paying 16€ (charged for the uneaten chicken dinner) the chef comes out smirking and turns for the kitchen when he say me paying.

    I am relatively local and do like to go to restaurants on the coast but will go nowhere near that place again.

    A business will not and should not survive with that service or food quality.


  • Registered Users Posts: 61 ✭✭Red Clover


    blowin3 wrote: »
    I lived outside Kilkee for a number of years 5 I think (blanked it out). It was with out doubt the worst time in my life especially if you are not from there "blowin". The business only want your money and lot of the others are just booze and drugs. Not a nice place have not been back or will be back in that dump again.

    What a sad little person. Lived in a place for five years and wants to blank it out of the mind.
    One thing that can be said about Kilkee is that it doesn't do blowins. It has been a holiday resort for over 200 years and welcoming visitors is in its DNA. This August week-end there are probably 15,000 people in the town all having a good time. Your bitter little post says more about you than it does about Kilkee.


  • Registered Users Posts: 477 ✭✭blowin3


    Hmmm thanks for the comments red! As I said my personal feelings from some one who had the pleasure of living there. But if you are local your comment " Kilkee does not do blowins" says a lot about what ye think of people who were not lucky to have been born or a is a local as ye call each other. Many a time I heard the comment thank God the blowins are gone home and we have it back to our selfs. Any way sorry for hijacking this tread as its about hotels etc. so won't be making any more comments about Kilkee .


  • Registered Users Posts: 19,585 ✭✭✭✭Lady Chatterton


    Mod Warning

    Red Clover - Attack the post not the poster.


  • Registered Users Posts: 61 ✭✭Red Clover


    There has been quite a bit of discussion about hotels in Kilkee and not all the posts seem to have the facts.
    There are 5 hotels in Kilkee. (although the word 'hotel' is a protected title and only those premises registered with Failte Ireland are legally entitled to use the name - if this was enforced it would halve the number of hotels in the country). At one time four of the five ran all year round.
    Stella Maris: Open all year round. Family run and long established.
    Kilkee Bay Hotel: Was built under the Seaside Renewal Scheme but once the 10 year tax break was up it changed hands a number of times. Ran successfully all year round in the early years when there was proper professional management. Now open for only 3 months of the summer.
    Halpin's Hotel: Up to the mid 2000s was the best hotel in the town and open all year round. With collapse of the property market, associated hotels in Dublin dragged the group down. It has now been closed for the past couple of years.
    Marine Hotel: This hotel is one of the oldest in Kilkee having been built in the 1870s. It was renovated under the Seaside Renewal Scheme but no investment in personnel or marketing. Open for about 5 months of the year.
    Ocean Cove Hotel: Was built under the Seaside Renewal Scheme as part of a larger development of 60 holiday homes on the site of the old Atlantic Hotel. Was leased to the Lynch Hotel group and was all year round for a year and then only seasonal. Since the Lynch Group left it has been closed and has deteriorated rapidly. Clare Co Council should insist on the building being maintained under the Derelict Buildings legislation as the five story building is an eyesore.

    I am sure the same story can be told about many towns in Ireland especially the premises which were opened for tax purposes rather by professional hoteliers.


  • Registered Users Posts: 121 ✭✭Lobby Con Shine


    Red Clover wrote: »
    There has been quite a bit of discussion about hotels in Kilkee and not all the posts seem to have the facts.
    There are 5 hotels in Kilkee. (although the word 'hotel' is a protected title and only those premises registered with Failte Ireland are legally entitled to use the name - if this was enforced it would halve the number of hotels in the country). At one time four of the five ran all year round.
    Stella Maris: Open all year round. Family run and long established.
    Kilkee Bay Hotel: Was built under the Seaside Renewal Scheme but once the 10 year tax break was up it changed hands a number of times. Ran successfully all year round in the early years when there was proper professional management. Now open for only 3 months of the summer.
    Halpin's Hotel: Up to the mid 2000s was the best hotel in the town and open all year round. With collapse of the property market, associated hotels in Dublin dragged the group down. It has now been closed for the past couple of years.
    Marine Hotel: This hotel is one of the oldest in Kilkee having been built in the 1870s. It was renovated under the Seaside Renewal Scheme but no investment in personnel or marketing. Open for about 5 months of the year.
    Ocean Cove Hotel: Was built under the Seaside Renewal Scheme as part of a larger development of 60 holiday homes on the site of the old Atlantic Hotel. Was leased to the Lynch Hotel group and was all year round for a year and then only seasonal. Since the Lynch Group left it has been closed and has deteriorated rapidly. Clare Co Council should insist on the building being maintained under the Derelict Buildings legislation as the five story building is an eyesore.

    I am sure the same story can be told about many towns in Ireland especially the premises which were opened for tax purposes rather by professional hoteliers.


    There are not 5 hotel in Kilkee.

    Halpins and Ocean Cove has been closed for years. A closed hotel is about as usfeul as an ashtray on a motorbike.

    Anyway, I think the point of the more recent posts on this thread relates to the viability or otherwise of the Kilkee Bay Hotel (or any other regular-sized hotel) on an all-year-round basis.

    I think it's viable to have at least one hotel in addition to Stella Maris during the winter but only on the basis that the owner runs it and earns their living from it.

    As you rightly point out, many of the hotels were bought for investment purposes and it's no surprise that they either fail entirely (Ocean Cove) or choose to restrict opening to the obviously profitable time of the year (Marine, Kilkee Bay).

    My point is that Kilkee, like most small towns in Ireland at present, needs employment. The Wild Atlantic Way and the Loop Head project are two recent additions which add to the reasons, in my view, why the Kilkee Bay Hotel would be viable in the right hands.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 121 ✭✭Lobby Con Shine


    The Ocean Cove Hotel is currently on the market.

    The auctioneers are taking private tender bids up until (I think) the 28th November.

    It would be interesting to see the level of damage that has been done to the property since it ceased trading. The cost of the renovations could surpass the purchase price.

    I really hope the hotel will be bought by an owner/occupier or someone with an interest in making it work rather than some fly-by-night looking to make a quick buck.

    I firmly believe the purchase of this hotel represents a massive opportunity for employment in Kilkee.


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