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ONE OF EUROPE’S largest tourist hostel operators, the Berlin headquartered a&o is to establish its first tourist hostel in the Irish market.
This follows Patrick Crean’s Marlet Group lodging plans to convert a permitted seven storey office development in Dublin’s docklands to a 496 bedspace tourist hostel for Martin’s Terrace, Dublin 2 and adjoining lands at the corner of Macken Street and the newly realigned Hanover Street East.
A planning report lodged on behalf of applicants and Marlet subsidiary, Prime GP4 Ltd with the application by planning consultant, Kevin Hughes of Hughes Planning and Development Consultants states that the a&o chain is to operate the tourist hostel.
Hughes stated that a&o last year accommodated 6.1m tourist bed nights in the most successful year yet for the business.
Hughes states from a practical perspective, the tourist hostel will contribute much more to the vitality of the area throughout the day compared to an office building whilst also ensuring increased activity within the immediate area at night.
He said that while the proposal seeks to substantially alter the use of the permitted office scheme, the form, scale and design of the approved building will not be subject to significant revision.
He said that the proposed hostel will assist in alleviating pressure on the hospitality sector following the easing of Covid-19 restrictions
Hughes states that while there are 24 tourist accommodation and seven student accommodation facilities within 1km of the subject site, the proposed tourist hostel will not result in an over-concentration or proliferation of tourist accommodation in the immediate area.
Hughes states: “We contend that there is a market and a need for additional tourist accommodation within Dublin City Centre and will aid in creating an added tourism draw to the historic and cultural hub that is the Grand Canal Dock and will enhance its status as a tourism destination.”
Hughes states that Dublin at 83.4% has the highest hotel occupancy rate across 35 European countries and there is also the fact that some existing hotels have been taken out of control of general public use for refugees and international protection applicants.
The planning report states that this leaves a direct problem with hotel room affordability with instances such as live music and sporting events regularly resulting in hotel prices becoming unaffordable.
Hughes submits that the proposal “can contribute additional tourist accommodation within Dublin City”. a&o was founded in Berlin in 2000 and operates 41 properties, including three pipeline properties in European city centres. The 41 properties comprise 8,200 rooms and 28,000 beds
Hughes states that the a&o logo is ‘Everyone Can Travel’ and the firm’s guest mx is quite diverse.
The firm has hostels in gateway cities such as Berlin, Munich, Amsterdam and Edinburgh and soon opening in Barcelona and Florence.
Last year, the company enjoyed record revenues of €220m which was an increase of 28% on 2022 revenues.
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FG on course for an epic victory, couldn’t be happier :)
@Paul M Doe: Well done.
@Tezmond McVicar: thank you :)
Hopefully Independents and small parties like the freedom party and Independent Ireland do well.
@common sense: It’s a pity we haven’t more politicians of Carol Nolan’s calibre!
@Dave Callaghan: I like her
@common sense: Far-right parties like the ‘Freedom Party’ are the last thing we need. Hopefully they’ll run separately and split their vote.
@Brendan O’Brien: It’s a matter of time before a far right party get into power, just like the rest of Europe. Macron in France had to join the literal Communist party of France to stay in power by the skin of their teeth. They wont survive the next one though. Belgium, Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Sweden, Germany etc. all following
@Cole Palmer: all the more reason to resist it now
@Cole Palmer: Nazi smurf would be dropped off at pre-school, the tiny goon that he is!
@common sense: you mean all those who got a mere 1% support in June ?
@common sense: really need to change your name from common sense with that post.
@Cole Palmer: the funny thing is, if the far rite get elected, the first they would get rid of are the very fools that voted them in.
@Cole Palmer: 100% agree
@common sense: that’s 1% of the vote taken care off
The choice of opposition is shocking but have to choose them over these robbers.
@Basildon Joe: northern bank robbers?
@Paul M Doe: I’d have voted for them if they weren’t so pro Palestine terrorists
@Basildon Joe: says a lot about you that you would have even considered
If it works don’t fix it. But either of the FF or FG parties have the historic record of running the country to a high level. The left wing muddlers world wide are being exposed and rejected. The population especially the poor need a successful economy to pay for services.
@thomas molloy: We are one of the richest countries in the world. We have a powerful economy. We have horrific public services with many crises due to a neoliberal government with two main parties of the same nature for the last 100 years. Running the country to a high level… ehh, maybe for the private sector?
@deadslys: yes agree with you. 100 years and trying to privatise everything biggest problem here
@martin finnegan: fully agree. But there are two problems. Firstly, neo liberalism has come to be accepted as ‘natural’ and people believe there is no real alternative. Secondly, apart from pbp we have no party that absolutely opposes this ideology. Of course, they get little or no coverage, and when they do, they routinely f up because they have no real understanding of how to make their alternative appeal to voters. Depressing situation really.
@Alan: No coverage! That twerp is never off the telly
Yeah like it’s going to make any difference! Ff/FG back in power again, but make sure you vote so it looks like you have a choice!! You don’t!!!
@pat kelly: You do have a choice. So stop crying over nothing.
@pat kelly: You do have a choice. Yes, FF and FG will probably win, but enough seats to govern on their own is by no means a certainty. There are lots of other parties out there who could form part of a coalition, and a good coalition party can have a big say in a program for government. So use your vote!!
@pat kelly: people need to vote , otherwise this government benefits from your lack of voting. If you want change, you need to vote strategically, no point in voting independents if they are ex ffg,
As they lost their seats for a reason.
If you want change vote every other party except ffg.
@pat kelly: so you will be crying but won’t bother to vote ,your kind are the worse
Yes independents all way no way voting ff or fg
Reason lot young people in particular are struggling to get out mam s and dads. For all rest Irish getting doc appointment and let not forget cost living so hard have life here if was 20 year younger and no bills id leave here . Very hard get ahead no get basics here
@martin finnegan: if you do, don’t go to England. It’s even worse there.
Make sure you are registered, and get out and vote for FG
@Lefty Cries: Getting polled at last Virgin?
@Freda Peeple: sex obsessed looper is on repeat lol
@Paul M Doe: Stop teasing me you slippery little virgin xoxo
@Lefty Cries: Never tell anyone who to vote for. None of your business.
@Tezmond McVicar: on the 29th, I will be outside my local polling station, telling voters to make sure they vote for FG
@Freda Peeple: serious incel vibes lol
@Tezmond McVicar: ignore the FG bootlicker
@Freda Peeple: Is this fried egg back again? He was very quite in the Trump being elected articles.
ANYONE THAT VOTES FFG G SF NEEDS TO GO SEE A PYCHRIS
@M G: You need to see a typist.
@M G: What is a “pychris”?
Who was it who said “Bad governments are the result of good people not voting”? Register. Decide. VOTE!
@Sean O’Dhubhghaill: well said
If Sharia Fein get into power I am going to request Donald Trump to nuke Ireland
Hopefully good and competent politicians from FF/FG/Greens/Social Democrats/People before profit will rule this country! Far right parties=drug gangs should be banned in Ireland forever!
My independent turned out to be a woke clown. So I will not vote
@Dan Murphy: then don’t complain it you can’t be arsed voting
Can anyone say they know of any young people who actually bought on the grants. The government is bantering about.
Leaders questions is farcical.
100,000 vacant properties still lying idle.
Wait till Trumph reduces corporation tax in USA then all the cards will fall in Ireland unfortunately.
Mongo is pawn in game of life!
@damien leen: at least get the quote right lol
@Paul M Doe: hey….IFKU…have a nice day…
I have no interest in voting, for what it’s just a hopeless cause
@Paul: maybe educate yourself,
Voting is your right, every vote makes a difference ffg love people like you.
@Colette Byrne: so by not voting you are voting for the government.
I will certainly use my vote, but how, that’s yet to be mulled over.
Nearly 20 years in Ireland still can’t vote
@Mickstawowy: I believe you need to apply for citizenship or be from the UK. What do you expect?
@Mickstawowy: Are you a citizen?
@Sean O’Dhubhghaill: Not all Irish citizens living in Ireland can vote! That sounds like noncese but it’s exactly what is going on. Person with a certificate of naturalization declaring him and Irish citizen cannot vote because when he submits this certificate of naturalization as a proof of his citizenship – he recovers NO any reply! They just ignore such requests. That is totally unlawful and absolutely disgrace but exactly what happens at present – Irish citizens with proof of their citizenship sneaky not allowed to vote!
@Mickstawowy: your not a citizen.
@Colette Byrne: why should you have to be a citizen to vote!if you have lived in Ireland for a number of years, shouldn’t you be allowed to have some say in electing the government?
@Soundy Sound: yeah 2,5k e and tones of paper for myself and my lovely wife so feck it better go for holiday
have your say