Royal Spa Hotel, Main Street, Lisdoonvarna, Co. Clare., V95 X6WX

Sherry FitzGerald McMahon are delighted to bring to the market the Royal Spa Hotel, an historic 12-bedroom hotel occupying a prominent position in the heart of Lisdoonvarna, one of County Clare’s best-known tourist towns. One of the most distinctive features of the Royal Spa is its longstanding association with music and entertainment in Lisdoonvarna. The venue has had a long standing association with Christy Moore amongst many others. The Royal Spa Hotel has been owned and operated by the Doherty Family for the past 46 years. The family has had a strong connection with the Irish music industry over that time including Christy Moore. “When we took over the Hotel in 1980, it was in a very poor state of repair. Over the years we have enjoyed renovating and sensitively restoring the Royal Spa Hotel to its original character. We have met some wonderful people along the way, both customers and staff. Now its time for someone else to put their stamp on this historic property as we look forward to our retirement.” A landmark property with a remarkable history, the Royal Spa has been welcoming visitors to Lisdoonvarna for generations. The hotel’s own records trace the property deeds to 1832, while the building is included on the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage and is recognised for its architectural and social significance. The hotel developed alongside Lisdoonvarna’s emergence as a fashionable Victorian spa destination, when visitors travelled from across Ireland and further afield to experience the town’s celebrated mineral waters. The property combines its historic character with an established hospitality business comprising 12 guest bedrooms, bar, café/dining facilities, an impressive function / entertainment room (capacity for 200 standing 160 seated) and an outdoor covered pergola with beer garden. In addition ,there are currently redundant rooms that could be renovated in the existing building that would have potential for a further 4 to 5 additional ensuite bedrooms (may require planning permission). There are 16 parking spaces to the rear and the property is only a 2min walk from a large public carpark. The property underwent significant renovations in the 1990’s which included extensive works on the roof. The building extends to a floor area of approximately 1,051 sqm (11,309 sq.ft.) The town of Lisdoonvarna has ambitious plans to develop the Spa Wells, the development of the old Lynch’s building on the square and the Hydro Hotel is in the process of getting considerable investment having been taken into new ownership recently. A Remarkable Musical Heritage In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the hotel had its own resident orchestra which played nightly in the ballroom for visitors to the spa town. The hotel's history records the ballroom as having what was known locally as the “Best Dance Floor in North Clare”, and the original dance floor remains an important feature of the property. That musical tradition continued into the modern era. The hotel became closely associated with the celebrated Lisdoonvarna music scene. Christy Moore has recalled playing the venue with Moving Hearts in 1981 and subsequently returning to perform there on numerous occasions. He has also documented performances in the room by artists including John Martyn, Dexys Midnight Runners, Stockton’s Wing, De Danann, Matt Molloy, Mick Hanly, Damien Dempsey and Natalie Merchant. “So many great memories garnered over 45 years since I first played a gig at The Royal Spa Hotel in Lisdoonvarna….across the decades I wrote and recorded many songs in The Royal Spa including “Lisdoonvarna” and “Joxer”….my work blessed by the power of the local Sacred and Sulphuric Spring Waters” Christy Moore Perhaps most notably, the Royal Spa played a part in the celebrated reunion of Planxty. The original line-up of Christy Moore, Andy Irvine, Dónal Lunny and Liam O’Flynn rehearsed at the hotel before performing an intimate concert there in October 2003. The reunion subsequently led to a series of major concerts and the band's Live 2004 release. This history gives the Royal Spa an identity as both a hotel and a genuine part of Ireland's traditional and contemporary music heritage. Bar, Function Room & Drawing room The hotel incorporates a traditional bar, providing an atmospheric setting for residents, visitors and local trade. Its position in the centre of Lisdoonvarna offers obvious potential to capitalise on the considerable seasonal visitor numbers to the town. Of particular importance is the hotel's substantial function and entertainment room, historically known as “The Hall” or ballroom. Retaining its original dance floor and much of its traditional character, this is an exceptional feature within a hotel of this size. The room provides considerable flexibility for live music, dancing, private functions, celebrations, cultural events and organised entertainment, while its established musical history provides an opportunity for a future owner to further develop the Royal Spa as an intimate live-music destination. The hall was used by the Burren Players for many years for rehearsals and shows. The high ceiled drawing room is an impressive space that boasts Eamon De Valera as one of it’s visitors. Accommodation The Royal Spa is an intimate 12-bedroom hotel (potential for 4/5 more bedrooms), with guest accommodation arranged over the upper floors. The bedrooms are en-suite and traditionally furnished, providing comfortable accommodation in the centre of the town. The relatively compact bedroom offering, combined with the bar, dining and function facilities, creates an interesting hospitality proposition with scope for an owner-operator to develop a number of complementary income streams. Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival Lisdoonvarna is internationally renowned for its annual Matchmaking Festival, a tradition stretching back more than 160 years and intrinsically linked to the social history of the town. Held throughout September, the festival transforms Lisdoonvarna into a major centre for music, dancing, entertainment and socialising, attracting visitors from Ireland and overseas. The Royal Spa's central location, accommodation, bar and particularly its historic ballroom place it in an excellent position to benefit from this important annual event. The ballroom and original dance floor have themselves enjoyed a longstanding association with September's festivities. Location Lisdoonvarna occupies a strategic position in the heart of North Clare and the Burren, within easy reach of some of Ireland's most visited tourist attractions, including the Cliffs of Moher, Doolin, the Burren, Lahinch and the ferry connections to the Aran Islands. The hotel's prominent town-centre location provides convenient access to local shops, pubs and amenities while offering an excellent base from which visitors can explore the wider North Clare and Wild Atlantic Way region. The sale of the Royal Spa Hotel therefore represents a rare opportunity to acquire an established hospitality property with an extraordinary history and cultural identity. Its combination of 12-bedroom accommodation, traditional bar, dining facilities and historic entertainment venue offers considerable potential for continued hotel operation, food and beverage trade, live entertainment, functions and event-led tourism. Few hospitality properties of this scale can offer such a strong connection with the history of their town or with some of the most recognisable names in Irish music.