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kilkee bay hotel

135

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


    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.

    After a long hour worth of a dig through the internet I found a link:
    http://www.property.ie/commercial-property/Former-Ocean-Cove-Hotel-Kilkee-Co-Clare/210120/


  • Registered Users Posts: 121 ✭✭Lobby Con Shine


    Carnacalla wrote: »
    After a long hour worth of a dig through the internet I found a link:
    http://www.property.ie/commercial-property/Former-Ocean-Cove-Hotel-Kilkee-Co-Clare/210120/


    Well spotted. I tried a Google search but nothing came up. I heard it was for sale from someone down the town.

    I wonder why it didn't go into an Allsop Auction before end of 2014 to take ccount of the CGT exemption.

    Anyway, we'll soon know who the new owners are. Donald Bloody Trump probably.


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


    Well spotted. I tried a Google search but nothing came up. I heard it was for sale from someone down the town.

    I wonder why it didn't go into an Allsop Auction before end of 2014 to take ccount of the CGT exemption.

    Anyway, we'll soon know who the new owners are. Donald Bloody Trump probably.

    Donald trump? You would have a better chance of barrack Obama coming into buy that. It would be completely senseless for him to buy it.

    But as you said we will soon see who the new owners are. Obama. Trump or someone else ;)


  • Registered Users Posts: 220 ✭✭JonEBGud


    Over sixteen K Per Annum for the mast?

    Nice little earner.

    6 months of the year plus that.

    Possible? or Not?


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


    JonEBGud wrote: »
    Over sixteen K Per Annum for the mast?

    Nice little earner.

    6 months of the year plus that.

    Possible? or Not?

    If you market it right then I would say it viable.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 121 ✭✭Lobby Con Shine


    JonEBGud wrote: »
    Over sixteen K Per Annum for the mast?

    Nice little earner.

    6 months of the year plus that.

    Possible? or Not?


    Don't mind this "6 months of the year" talk.

    There is a market for a 12 month hotel. Kilkee is smack bang in the middle of the Wild Atlantic Way. The current owner of the Kilkee Bay Hotel clearly isn't interested in opening for 12 months which leaves the door open for the Ocean Cove Hotel (I really hope the new owner renames it at least! I would go back to the "Atlantic Hotel" for old time's sake).

    Think of the bus tours you could get in there. With a well-run restaurant and bar you could make a good living from it. No doubt about that.

    The hotel has amazing views and is in a great location right beside the Diving Centre which is busy for most weekends of the year. The divers alone would give you some business during the winter.

    One of the drawbacks is that I think the hotel does not have a function room. The Kilkee Bay Hotel has but it doesn't get used. Aside from Doonbeg, there is no decent-sized hotel in the triangle between Loop Head, Lahinch/Liscannor and Ennis. That is a large chunk of the county without a hotel.

    The hotel also has apartments next door which would take away from the hotel but at least that's guaranteed custom for barfood during the summer months.

    The real drawback, however, would be the cost of repairs. You might get the hotel at a knockdown price but how much would it cost to bring it up to standard?


  • Registered Users Posts: 61 ✭✭Red Clover


    Don't mind this "6 months of the year" talk.

    There is a market for a 12 month hotel. Kilkee is smack bang in the middle of the Wild Atlantic Way. The current owner of the Kilkee Bay Hotel clearly isn't interested in opening for 12 months which leaves the door open for the Ocean Cove Hotel (I really hope the new owner renames it at least! I would go back to the "Atlantic Hotel" for old time's sake).

    Think of the bus tours you could get in there. With a well-run restaurant and bar you could make a good living from it. No doubt about that.

    The hotel has amazing views and is in a great location right beside the Diving Centre which is busy for most weekends of the year. The divers alone would give you some business during the winter.

    One of the drawbacks is that I think the hotel does not have a function room. The Kilkee Bay Hotel has but it doesn't get used. Aside from Doonbeg, there is no decent-sized hotel in the triangle between Loop Head, Lahinch/Liscannor and Ennis. That is a large chunk of the county without a hotel.

    The hotel also has apartments next door which would take away from the hotel but at least that's guaranteed custom for barfood during the summer months.

    The real drawback, however, would be the cost of repairs. You might get the hotel at a knockdown price but how much would it cost to bring it up to standard?


    This post sums up the position exactly.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,592 ✭✭✭elastico


    One of the drawbacks is that I think the hotel does not have a function room. The Kilkee Bay Hotel has but it doesn't get used. Aside from Doonbeg, there is no decent-sized hotel in the triangle between Loop Head, Lahinch/Liscannor and Ennis. That is a large chunk of the county without a hotel.

    It does have a function room. You are also forgetting the Bellbridge and Armada hotels in Spanish point also have function rooms.

    Either way if an owner occupier buys it then it can be made work.


  • Registered Users Posts: 121 ✭✭Lobby Con Shine


    elastico wrote: »
    It does have a function room. You are also forgetting the Bellbridge and Armada hotels in Spanish point also have function rooms.

    Either way if an owner occupier buys it then it can be made work.

    You're right, thanks for that. They're still a fair distance away from Kilkee.

    Edit: Are you sure it has a function room? The link above mentions banqueting facilities but I seem to recall just a small restaurant to the left of the front entrance and the bar on the right. I think the picture of the large room in the link is of the bar witht he tables/chairs removed. Could be wrong though.


  • Registered Users Posts: 121 ✭✭Lobby Con Shine


    The deadline for tender offers was the 28th November.

    Anyone heard owt?


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  • Registered Users Posts: 61 ✭✭Red Clover


    Nothing yet. Maybe none of the tenders were high enough? Or the auctioneers have to get back to one or more tenderers to elaborate on their offers. Or maybe they have had no offer (quite possible).


  • Registered Users Posts: 121 ✭✭Lobby Con Shine


    Red Clover wrote: »
    Nothing yet. Maybe none of the tenders were high enough? Or the auctioneers have to get back to one or more tenderers to elaborate on their offers. Or maybe they have had no offer (quite possible).


    I see DTZ were guiding €750,000.

    Tee hee hee.


  • Registered Users Posts: 972 ✭✭✭Palmach


    I see DTZ were guiding €750,000.

    Tee hee hee.

    I spoke to someone who spoke to them. They are willing to talk.:D


  • Registered Users Posts: 61 ✭✭Red Clover


    Palmach wrote: »
    I spoke to someone who spoke to them. They are willing to talk.:D

    If anyone wants to talk to them!


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


    It seems past employees love the hotel.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 43 mashtobi


    Carnacalla wrote: »
    It seems past employees love the hotel.

    I was talkin about ocean cove..thats if ya saw my post. Kilkee Bay Hotel I dont have no time for..but yes, standards do be met there..and they did hire back most of the original staff.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 43 mashtobi


    mashtobi wrote: »
    I was talkin about ocean cove..thats if ya saw my post. Kilkee Bay Hotel I dont have no time for..but yes, standards do be met there..and they did hire back most of the original staff.

    They advertise for positions..but they dont really hire new staff.


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


    mashtobi wrote: »
    I was talkin about ocean cove..thats if ya saw my post. Kilkee Bay Hotel I dont have no time for..but yes, standards do be met there..and they did hire back most of the original staff.

    I understood which hotel. I didnt have time to read your post, but happily it was stored in my emails.

    As for the Kilkee bay, I personally know 4 ex employees and 3 were hired back, the other was employed elsewhere.


  • Registered Users Posts: 121 ✭✭Lobby Con Shine


    What's the word on the street for a buyer for the Ocean Cove?


  • Registered Users Posts: 972 ✭✭✭Palmach


    Kilkee Bay Hotel looking for staff. Reopening this month under Sonas Hotels which is run by the well known Michael Lynch.


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


    Under the management of Sonas Hotel, a group owned by the previous owner of the now defunct Lunch Hotels Group.


  • Registered Users Posts: 61 ✭✭Red Clover


    What's the word on the street for a buyer for the Ocean Cove?

    A development company is interested and has put a bid on the premises. It's plan was to convert the hotel into 20 self-catering apartments for sale. The project developers have run into trouble with Clare Co Council planning dept and local tourist interests who are not keen to see the local hotel infrastructure degraded further. There is a shortage of overnight hotel and B&B accommodation in Kilkee and in a recent report 'Towards a Better Kilkee' drawn up by Clare Co council it was stated that planning would not be given to any project converting present overnight accommodation into self-catering units. All local tourist bodies are of like mind.
    Speculative development did no favours for Kilkee in the past and in this case the development company can make one and a half million euro ( 3 minus one and a half) profit in the space of two years putting the hotel underbidder at a major disadvantage.


  • Registered Users Posts: 121 ✭✭Lobby Con Shine


    Red Clover wrote: »
    A development company is interested and has put a bid on the premises. It's plan was to convert the hotel into 20 self-catering apartments for sale. The project developers have run into trouble with Clare Co Council planning dept and local tourist interests who are not keen to see the local hotel infrastructure degraded further. There is a shortage of overnight hotel and B&B accommodation in Kilkee and in a recent report 'Towards a Better Kilkee' drawn up by Clare Co council it was stated that planning would not be given to any project converting present overnight accommodation into self-catering units. All local tourist bodies are of like mind.
    Speculative development did no favours for Kilkee in the past and in this case the development company can make one and a half million euro ( 3 minus one and a half) profit in the space of two years putting the hotel underbidder at a major disadvantage.

    Thanks for the update.

    Well done Clare Co Co. That hotel is on a prime site and there will be someone interested in buying it as a going concern if the price is right.

    Unfortunately, it seems that the development company hadn't thought about the acquisition for more than three seconds and now won't sell to an actual hotelier for less than the exhorbitant price they stupidly paid for it, thinking they'd make a quick buck and to hell with those who live in the town and the amenities they might enjoy.


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


    Just back from a visit to kilkee, its getting busy there! I just can't help thinking that if there was a large hotel open with proper advertising in a place like Limerick it'd be even busier!


  • Registered Users Posts: 121 ✭✭Lobby Con Shine


    Carnacalla wrote: »
    Just back from a visit to kilkee, its getting busy there! I just can't help thinking that if there was a large hotel open with proper advertising in a place like Limerick it'd be even busier!


    A properly-run and established hotel would make a killing this weekend.

    Those in town just for a day trip would automatically go to the bar there for sandwiches etc as they would know it was open.

    As things stand, Stella Maris is the only hotel guaranteed to be open. It'll do very well as a result.


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


    Stella Maris doesn't have that true hotel feel imo, its too much of a pub. It has very few rooms and most people would confuse it from your average B&B. Kilkee needs a proper full service hotel and as you said it would make a "killing" this weekend. Especially something like the Ocean Cove (Although it may be a little hard to access for Tourists unknown to the place, that stupid road is closed 1 year 2 months).

    On another note, I wonder why the Kilkee Bay didn't open this weekend and are waiting until the may weekend.


  • Registered Users Posts: 61 ✭✭Red Clover


    Carnacalla wrote: »

    On another note, I wonder why the Kilkee Bay didn't open this weekend and are waiting until the may weekend.

    I suspect that there is quite a bit of maintenance to do because that has been neglected in the past. As well as that staff have to be recruited and trained (hopefully). For the last three years this hotel has opened on Whit week-end with absolutely no preparatory work. No connection either by phone or email to answer queries or take bookings. It surprises me that the new management haven't got these minimum lines of communication up and running. You can't fill a hotel by just opening the front door.


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


    Red Clover wrote: »
    I suspect that there is quite a bit of maintenance to do because that has been neglected in the past. As well as that staff have to be recruited and trained (hopefully). For the last three years this hotel has opened on Whit week-end with absolutely no preparatory work. No connection either by phone or email to answer queries or take bookings. It surprises me that the new management haven't got these minimum lines of communication up and running. You can't fill a hotel by just opening the front door.

    Especially the experienced MR. Lynch.

    Didn't it get a new roof last year?


  • Registered Users Posts: 61 ✭✭Red Clover


    Carnacalla wrote: »
    Stella Maris doesn't have that true hotel feel imo, its too much of a pub. It has very few rooms and most people would confuse it from your average B&B. Kilkee needs a proper full service hotel and as you said it would make a "killing" this weekend. Especially something like the Ocean Cove (Although it may be a little hard to access for Tourists unknown to the place, that stupid road is closed 1 year 2 months).

    I think you are bit unfair to the Stella Maris Hotel. It has 16 bedrooms and caters for a wide cross-section of tourists. It has a wonderful veranda with a Kilkee bay view where they serve breakfast, lunches, snacks and dinners at night. It is a family run hotel and is almost like a social centre for the locals. The pub part has a low profile. But I agree with you that Kilkee needs a major hotel (or two). Tour operators regularly look for hotels with 30 or more rooms to cater for bus loads. This lack of accommodation is hindering tourism in the town.


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


    Oh it's great to have Stella maris! Its open year round and caters for the flow of year round tourists, but Kilkee as you said need a lot more.
    Also, I'm not sure about it being a "social centre". There's plenty more bars that locals go to.


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