One of Ireland’s most popular family-owned hotels has been sold to an investment fund.
Harvey's Point in Donegal has been run by hoteliers Deirdre McGlone and Marc Gysling for 30 years, but the couple have decided to sell up so they can spend more time with their young family.
On the lakes of Lough Eske and 7km from Donegal town, Harvey's Point is being bought by a fund managed by Davy Real Estate for an undisclosed sum.
It plans to run it as a going concern, and already has significant interests in a number of hotels in Ireland.
The family opened Harvey’s Point in 1989, and have grown the business and the property dramatically over the last three decades.
There are now 64 suites in the main hotel, as well as the lodge, which features 13 compact cabin-style rooms.
It has long been considered one of the best hotels in Ireland and has won many accolades.
Earlier this year it was named Ireland’s number one hotel in TripAdvisor’s annual Travellers’ Choice Awards for 2019.
The hotel had previously held the title for five consecutive years from 2013 to 2017, and was ranked number two in 2018.
“This is a life-changing, lifestyle choice for us as a family,” Ms McGlone said. “Marc and I want to spend more time with each other and with our three teenage children. Life is for living. We have spent an immensely enjoyable 30 years at Harvey’s Point and it has been an amazing journey. 2019 is a milestone year for the hotel and a year of celebrations is planned. However, the time has come for someone else to write the next chapter of the Harvey’s Point story.”
Mr Gysling described the new owner as “highly experienced in the international luxury hotel and travel market”, and said the fund would have “exciting plans for the expansion of the hotel, working alongside the current experienced and loyal team”.
He said that while there would be a change of ownership, “there will be no change with the overall experience that people have come to love at Harvey’s Point”.
The hotel's general manager Noel Cunningham, who has been with the hotel for almost a decade, said the staff would "sorely miss Marc and Deirdre", and added that he looked forward to leading the team "towards the next chapter of the Harvey's Point story and to building on our success to date in terms of standards of customer care and service".
More than 150 people work at Harvey’s Point, and it is one of the biggest employers in the region.
