Building work has begun on a £16.5 million hotel that will overlook Royal Portrush Golf Club in Northern Ireland and be open before the 2025 Open Championship tees off.
Dunluce Lodge is being built by US company Links Collection, which already owns two hotels at St Andrews, The Scores and Dunvegan.
The firm says the 35-bedroom room luxury complex overlooking the fourth fairway at Royal Portrush will open in 2023. Texans Jonathan Harper and Robert Covington co-founded Links Collection, whose mission is “to bring the greatest hospitality experiences to the premier golf courses on earth”.
In a statement, they said: “We experienced and love links golf in Ireland and particularly Portrush. Although initially viewed as a family home, we soon realised that the nine acres would be the perfect site for a golf lodge. We are excited that others will have the opportunity to enjoy the same experience we did, and we can give something back to a local community that has been so supportive.”
Valor Hospitality has been appointed hotel development and management company for the site. Brian McCarthy, managing director of UK and Europe at Valor Hospitality, said: “We’re very excited about our plans for The Dunluce Lodge, not only for what it means for Valor’s growth, but also the opportunities it will bring to The Royal Portrush Golf Club and local area.
“With its five-star status, this resort will attract visitors from all over, and with our experience in managing luxury resorts around the globe, including golf projects in South Africa and in the US, we are more than ready to apply our expertise to our first development in Northern Ireland.”
Wilma Erskine, the former manager of Royal Portrush Golf Club, has been brought on board as a brand ambassador for the Links Collection. She said: “The Dunluce Lodge development will see Valor tap into Northern Ireland’s business expertise.”
Former Open champion Darren Clarke is another who has lent his support to the project, which gained planning approval in June. He said: “As a resident of Portrush and long-time member of Royal Portrush Golf Club, I was proud to be associated with the return of the 148th Open to Northern Ireland in 2019. With the media and television interest, Northern Ireland was firmly placed on the world map for golf. There is a great need for five-star accommodation in the area to satisfy the requirements of the high-end golfers, who at present often return to Belfast rather than staying in the local area.”
