WEALTH March 10, 2026 0 Comments

Gilbert-Ash’s Latest Milestone: What the Topping Out of City Centre Premier Inns Means for Investors and Local Economy

Ever wonder what it takes to reshape a city skyline and pump nearly half a thousand fresh hotel rooms into the heart of Dublin? Well, Gilbert-Ash just hit a major milestone by topping out not one, but two spanking new Premier Inn hotels right in the city center. Imagine the buzz around Jervis Street and O’Connell Street as these game-changing spaces edge closer to completion — with 444 guest rooms promising to redefine affordable lodging in Dublin. It’s not just about bricks and mortar here; it’s a testament to strategic partnerships, precision planning, and vision. With these projects slated to open their doors early next year, the collaboration between Gilbert-Ash and Whitbread is crafting more than buildings — they’re crafting new hubs for visitors ready to soak up the city’s vibe. Curious how it all unfolded and what’s next on this ambitious journey? LEARN MORE

Construction firm Gilbert-Ash has celebrated a significant milestone with the topping out of two new Premier Inn hotels in Dublin city centre.

The topping out ceremonies for both the Premier Inn Jervis Street and Premier Inn O’Connell Street were attended by Gilbert-Ash, representatives from Premier Inn owner Whitbread plc and key project stakeholders.

The new hotels will add 444 guest bedrooms in central Dublin. Both hotels are due for completion by the end of 2026 and will open early next year.

Premier Inn Jervis Street, located at the junction of Jervis Street and Abbey Street Upper, will have 215 bedrooms, and Premier Inn O’Connell Street in the former Clerys building will have 229 bedrooms.

The Jervis Street project includes the demolition of existing buildings and the construction of a seven-storey hotel, plus a basement and roof, as well as a bar and restaurant on the ground floor.

Similarly, the Clerys Quarter hotel requires the construction of an eight-storey building plus a basement and roof, with a restaurant and reception on the ground floor.

“Reaching the topping-out stage is always a rewarding milestone. It’s the moment when we start to see the building emerge from its plans,” said Ray Hutchinson, managing director of Gilbert-Ash.

“Both the Premier Inn Jervis Street and Premier Inn Clerys projects continue to make excellent progress, and collaborating with Whitbread and our wider project partners has been hugely satisfying.

“I have no doubt that, when they open, both Premier Inn hotels will become highly sought-after destinations for visitors to Dublin.”

Emma O’Shiel, project and programme manager for Whitbread in Ireland, said: “Topping out two prime Dublin City Centre hotel developments on the same day demonstrates the scale of Premier Inn’s ambitions in Ireland.

“It shows how successful we are at bringing our affordable, consistent product to the best locations – and how fast we are working to grow a top-class network for our customers.

“But we don’t work alone, and we need the support of an experienced contractor and development team to build complex hotel developments to our high standards.

“So, my thanks go out to Gilbert-Ash and the whole consultant team who have worked so hard to create these two-flagship new Premier Inn hotels for us.”

Whitbread acquired Twilfit House on Jervis Street in January 2019, successfully securing planning approval from Dublin City Council to redevelop the former museum site into a 215-key hotel.

The Clery’s Quarter development site was acquired by the business in August 2022 with planning permission already secured in June 2023.

Gilbert-Ash Premier Inn — Ray Hutchinson and Emma O’Shiel.

Whitbread currently has six hotels in Ireland across Dublin and Cork, offering more than 1,000 bedrooms, with an additional 1,200 rooms secured in its development pipeline. It is targeting a 5,000-bedroom network across Ireland.

Both the Jervis Street and O’Connell Street Premier Inn hotels have been designed to achieve BREEAM ‘Excellent’.

(Pic: Supplied)