Killarney hotel will be known as Great Southern Killarney
We are delighted to announce that the Great Southern Killarney name will be reinstated following a major renovation programme and The Malton badge will be retired in early 2018. The hotel is one of our three properties comprising the Hayfield Family Collection.
The hotel is one of Ireland’s oldest and best loved hotels and will soon be known once again as the Great Southern Killarney in a move that will no doubt please the residents of Killarney. On the 26th of January 2018, our team will proudly reopen our doors as the Great Southern Killarney.
Since we undertook ownership of the hotel in 2014, we have been working towards restoring the hotel to its former greatness. Over the past two years, we have invested in a major restoration programme- the Grand Foyer has been restored to the original Victorian design, the public areas have been redecorated in classical style, an extensive bedroom refurbishment program has been undertaken and the facilities surrounding the Grand Ballroom have been upgraded.
Ettienne Van Vrede, CEO of the Hayfield Family Collection said: “It is fitting and appropriate that we bring the wonderful Great Southern brand back to this beautiful property. Over the past two years we have carefully upgraded the hotel to reflect its heritage, grandeur and position within the town. Ironically, and perhaps not surprisingly, many people still refer to the hotel as the Great Southern such was the strength of its legacy and heritage. We look forward to celebrating the next chapter of this great story”.
Built in 1854 by the Great Southern and Western Railway Company- the first hotel to be owned by a railway company in either Ireland or Great Britain- from 1896 until 2009 the property was known as the Great Southern Hotel Killarney. It was for many years one of the best-known hotels in the country famed for its prized location next to the town’s Railway Station. We believe that restoring the Great Southern name is an essential element of the identity of this iconic property which will be recognised, past and future, as Killarney's Premier Historic Hotel.