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Whitbread PLC, owner of the UK hotel chain Premier Inn, has confirmed a multimillion-euro investment to open a new hotel in Limerick’s Opera Square. The move forms part of the company’s long-term plan to establish a national network of **Premier Inn** rooms across Ireland.
Site, ownership and scale
The hotel will be built on a parcel of land at the junction of Ellen and Patrick Streets, which Whitbread will purchase from the local regeneration company Limerick Twenty Thirty. Whitbread will both own and operate the property.
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The project is planned as a 156-bedroom, seven-storey development and represents the first private investment within the wider Opera Square scheme. Construction and opening are subject to an amendment of pre-existing planning permission.
What guests will find
The planned hotel will include a mix of the brand’s standard rooms and the upgraded **Premier Plus** bedrooms. A ground-floor lounge, free to use, is intended to serve both leisure and business visitors.
Whitbread estimates the Limerick hotel could attract about 60,000 guests annually, a figure based on occupancy levels seen at its trading hotels. The company says demand for affordable, high-quality accommodation is rising across Ireland.
Where this sits in Whitbread’s Irish strategy
At present, Whitbread operates six Premier Inn locations in Dublin and Cork, together accounting for more than 1,000 guest bedrooms. A further six hotels, adding roughly another 1,000 guest rooms, are in development.
“Ireland represents one of the most exciting growth opportunities for Premier Inn,” said Matt Gent, development manager for Whitbread in Ireland. He added the company aims to deliver a truly national network of hotels to meet growing demand.
Local impact
Beyond accommodation, the Limerick hotel is intended to support Limerick Twenty Thirty’s objective of creating a lively commercial and cultural quarter in the city centre. Whitbread says the new site will complement the area’s broader regeneration goals.
