A landmark south Dublin Victorian building once used to house asylum seekers is to be converted into a boutique hotel.
Hatch Hall on Hatch Street in Dublin 2, will be transformed into a five-star resort after Red Carnation Hotels bought the building for over €20 million.
The building, built in 1912, was originally a hall of residence for UCD students when the university was still based on Earlsfort Terrace at what is now the National Concert Hall.
The landmark Victorian redbrick structure had most recently been used as a Direct Provision centre by the Department of Justice.
Hatch Hall was purchased for €16 million by Galway developer Gerry Barrett's Edward Holdings in 2004 and plans were secured from Dublin City Council to the turn it into a 81-bedroom hotel.
However, those proposals were later rejected by An Bord Pleanala.
It was then sold for just €6 million to its most recent owners, East Coast Catering Ireland Ltd, who used it to house asylum seekers for the Department of Justice.
According to The Irish Times, Red Carnation hope that when revamped, their newest property will serve as a compliment to the group's other hotel in Ireland, Mayo's iconic Ashford Castle Hotel.
Outside of Ireland, the company owns and operates 16 other lavish hotels in the UK, US, Switzerland, and South Africa.
