A SUBSIDIARY of the Kilmona property investment group headed by Belfast developer Paddy Kearney has paid an undisclosed sum to buy the Hilton Hotel in Templepatrick.
Purchaser Loughview Leisure Group plans to rebrand the hotel to DoubleTree by Hilton, the first of its kind in Northern Ireland (DoubleTree is one of the premier brands within the Hilton collection).
The acquisition of the 200-acre hotel and golf resort adds to Loughview’s existing portfolio of hotels across the north, which includes Ten Square in central Belfast, Chimney Corner in Newtownabbey, and the Loughshore Hotel in Carrickfergus.
The deal will now bring the group’s number of staff to 250 people.
Loughview says the hotel and golf club will remain open without disruption throughout the duration of the rebrand.
Loughview operations director Stephen Carson said: “We’re thrilled to have completed the acquisition of Hilton Templepatrick, given its strategic location and its reputation as one of the favoured destinations in the Northern Irish hotel and golf scene.
“We will continue to invest in the resort going forward and have exciting plans to reveal in the upcoming weeks.”
Loughview's finance director Christopher Kearney added: “DoubleTree by Hilton is one of the fastest growing brands within Hilton’s portfolio and we’re very excited to be the first of this franchise in Northern Ireland.”
Latest accounts show that Loughview Leisure Group posted a bottom line loss of £462,000 last year on a reduced turnover of £8.3 million.
