Dublin City Council has approved plans for The Clarence Hotel to expand from 58 to 162 rooms, including the addition of an extra floor to both the hotel and Dollard House.
The redevelopment will feature several dining and entertainment options, including a modern brasserie, coffee shop, and a revamped Cleaver East to become a contemporary music pub.
Last year, Keith Evans’ Lifestyle Hospitality Capital acquired a majority stake in the Dean Hotel Group, which owns The Clarence Hotel, for €18.07m, ending Bono and The Edge’s three-decade ownership.
An objector claimed that the expansion threatens to overwhelm local infrastructure in Temple Bar and could undermine the area’s cultural and residential balance. Supporters of the project claim that the improvements will modernise the historic hotel and positively impact the wider local economy and tourism.
First opened in 1852, and bought by U2 lead singer Bono and lead guitarist The Edge and their business partners in 1992, the Clarence reopened after refurbishment in 1996. The hotel was constructed on land that was originally reclaimed for the building of the Old Custom House around 1704.
