Hodson Bay Group's Dublin hotel is up and running

After years of preparation, including a six-month dig which unearthed some fascinating artefacts from medieval Dublin, the Athlone-based Hodson Bay Group opened its first hotel in the capital last month.

The four-star Hyatt Centric, located on Dean Street in the Liberties, also happens to be the first Irish hotel of the Chicago-based Hyatt chain which has 18 million customers enrolled in its loyalty programme.

Garry Walsh, the Hodson Bay Group's commercial director, said a "soft opening" of the hotel took place in early October. The Hyatt Centric has 234 bedrooms and is the fourth hotel in the group, along with the Hodson Bay and Sheraton hotels in Athlone and the Galway Bay Hotel in Salthill.

It's expected that there will be up to 100 people working in the Hyatt Centric by the end of this year, with that figure likely to climb to 150 by next summer.

Speaking to the Westmeath Independent recently, Mr Walsh was enthusiastic about the new hotel and said the Hodson Bay Group's experience of operating in "challenging markets" like Athlone would stand to it in Dublin.

He said it was notable that Hyatt chain had chosen Hodson Bay for its first foray into the Irish market because it was impressed with the group's ethos and the way in which it ran its existing hotels.

"When (the Hyatt organisation) were doing their homework, they knocked on our door. They researched us, saw our values, how we operate, and that we're an Irish family-run business.

"Then they came and stayed in the Hodson Bay and Galway Bay, and they saw and experienced for themselves what service looks like in our hotels," said Mr Walsh.

"They saw how we market ourselves and saw that everything we do is not really about selling the bedroom, it's about selling service and selling what's outside our front door. The brand Hyatt Centric is all about that. It's about bringing people into a neighbourhood and making it a platform for them to go and explore."

He said the new hotel was "fabulously designed" and there was a conscious effort to make it an inviting space for people to visit.

"We wanted to make sure the hotel is a place where you feel you can come in, hang out, and feel welcome. Whether you want a cup of tea and a scone or whether you want to come in for a nice lunch or dinner, it's about making sure the atmosphere is right," he said.

"Declan Curtis, who came from The Morgan Hotel, is the managing director and he brings a great appreciation of a Dublin vibe."

During an excavation ahead of the hotel's construction, archaeologists found a number of significant items ranging from a 17th century Dutch tile to a well-preserved 12th century slate etching of the Norse God Odin.

These finds are now part of an interactive historical timeline in the hotel ('The 900-Year-Old Story') at which guests can scan QR codes on their mobile devices in order to access video clips of local historians talking about the artefacts or other aspects of the area's history.

An app for the hotel - 'Savvy Centric' - has also been developed in order to give guests a guide to the attractions and history on their doorstep in the Liberties. "Arrive as a stranger, leave as a local," is the mantra.

"We're trying to understand the history of where we are and to amplify that and incorporate it into the guest experience. That's something which is appreciated by the people we've met from the Liberties," commented Mr Walsh.

Asked about the overall performance of the Hodson Bay Group this year, Mr Walsh said it experienced "marginal growth" in the six months between March and September, but that the coming months would be more difficult.

"Our financial year goes from March 1 to February 28, and we're pleased that we've had growth in the first six months. 

When you look at the market statistics for Athlone and Galway, I don't think everybody's achieved growth in that period.

"For the coming six months there's no doubt that, outside of Dublin, there is hesitation in the marketplace.

"Whether that's driven by Brexit, or other factors, the next six months is likely to be challenging and we won't see growth in the next six months. If we finish the year like-for-like with last year, that would be a great achievement," he said.