The freehold of The Fitzwilliam Hotel Belfast has been put up for sale for £32m+.
The hotel, which opened in 2009 on a corner site fronting Great Victoria Street, has 146 bedrooms and suites, including a spacious two-bedroom private suite and a luxury penthouse suite. It also features an award-winning bar and restaurant.
In June this year, planning permission was granted for an expansion comprising 52 bedrooms and suites, a conference centre, gym and a luxury spa with swimming pool and eight treatment rooms.
The hotel is owner-operated and unencumbered by management providing investors the full flexibility to either retain the operation under The Fitzwilliam name, subject to licence, or to rebrand the hotel.
Fergal O’Connell, CEO of the Fitzwilliam Hotel Group, said: “Having been involved with The Fitzwilliam Hotel Belfast since its opening in 2009, we are incredibly proud of what has been achieved over the past 17 years. The hotel has established itself as one of Belfast’s leading luxury hospitality destinations and, with planning permission now secured for a significant expansion, we believe this is the right time for a new owner to build on that success and take the hotel into its next phase of growth.
“We remain fully committed to our wider hospitality interests, including The Fitzwilliam Hotel Dublin, where we have recently completed a substantial refurbishment programme and obtained planning permission to extend the hotel, and are excited about the opportunities ahead.”
Paul Collins, executive director and head of hotels, Ireland at CBRE, which has been appointed to market the opportunity, added: “Belfast’s hospitality market has strengthened considerably over recent years, supported by rising visitor numbers and greater corporate activity. The Fitzwilliam is well placed to benefit from this positive momentum, and its consented expansion plans give a new owner a clear path to add scale in a supply-constrained market.
“The Fitzwilliam is one of Belfast’s best-located hotels, next to the Grand Opera House and a short walk to Donegall Square and the vibrant Linen and Cathedral Quarters. We expect strong interest from investor groups particularly given the quality of the hotel and being unencumbered.”
