£11m Hilton hotel to be built in Portrush on site of former Londonderry Hotel

Once opened, The Marcus Hotel Portrush, Tapestry Collection by Hilton is anticipated to be the only internationally branded hotel in the town.

The hotel will join a global portfolio of more than 100 unique Tapestry Collection by Hilton properties globally.

The 83-room hotel will also boast a café, restaurant, and bar and will be built on the town’s Main Street on a site that was formerly The Londonderry Hotel.

Graham Dodd, Managing Director, Development UK & Ireland at Hilton, said: “Northern Ireland has seen a significant jump in tourism in recent years, with travellers coming from all over the world to experience the charm of this captivating country.

"Portrush continues to experience growing demand for high-quality accommodation that provides an authentic experience rooted in local culture, making it the perfect location for Northern Ireland’s first Tapestry Collection by Hilton hotel.”

Having served as a hotel and artisan bakery for more than 85 years between 1895 and the 1980s, the renovation project will return the site of this listed building on Main Street to its former glory, embracing the area’s culture and restoring and extending the historic site.

Drawing inspiration from the surrounding landscape, the colour scheme will reflect the beautiful coastline and landscape and the design will celebrate the history of Portrush, a Victorian tourist resort and retain features, including the building’s original mosaic signage.

Rajesh Rana, Director at Andras House, said: “I am very pleased to be commencing this exciting and high-profile project. We understand the importance of this building to the town of Portrush, with so much history and fond memories created here over the years, our architects and designers have responded by coming up with developing a scheme that will complement the old with the new.

"We will start work in September 2023, and this investment of £11 million will undoubtedly be a flagship project for the area.”

As part of the planning permission, Andras House commissioned an Economic Impact Statement, with the hotel projected to boost the local economy by £1.6M and visitor spending by £1.1m annually, creating new opportunities for surrounding businesses.

It will also see almost 70 jobs created during construction and over 40 jobs once the hotel begins operation.

Janice Gault, Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Hotel Federation said: “The Marcus Hotel Portrush, Tapestry Collection by Hilton will bring contemporary branded hotel accommodation to Portrush and will attract international visitors to the north coast area.

"The Giant’s Causeway is Northern Ireland’s most popular tourist attraction, with one million visitors in 2019. This project will allow more guests to stay in the Causeway Coast and Glens Council area, increasing visitor spend and investment locally.”

Hilton is a leading global hospitality company with a portfolio of world-class brands comprising more than 7,200 properties and more than 1.1 million rooms, in 122 countries and territories.