International hospitality giant, PREM Group has completed its renovation and rebranding of The Hoban Hotel in Kilkenny.
Formerly known as The Aspect Hotel, the property is located just five minutes’ drive from Kilkenny city centre on the N10 Ring Road which surrounds the city, making it a popular location for meetings, corporate stays and leisure breaks.
PREM Group purchased the 80-bedroom hotel last year and set to work to completely overhaul the public spaces at the ground floor level. A ¬1m investment and renovation programme has now been completed, with Hugh Wallace of Douglas Wallace Architects overseeing the design.
The completely new reimagined space now features a striking, light filled reception area, bar, restaurant and casual lounge. At the heart of the ground floor, a central bar and coffee dock anchors the space allowing various dining and lounge spaces to pivot from it.
“We opted for a mix of glossy surfaces and textures to create a space that would be conducive for diners or people meeting up for a quick coffee or bite to eat,” said Hugh Wallace. “We wanted the ground floor to feel contemporary and stylish and that look has been created through the choice of fabric, flooring and unusual light fittings.”
A palette of gold, dark greens, gun powder metal and greys have been used throughout, with the bar being finished with a dark green, high gloss, bevelled metro tile. Banquette seating in luxurious dark green velvets are complemented with chairs upholstered in gold and midnight blue while overhead feature lights include cage style fixtures.
There are also nods to art deco in the design, the high tables to the front have been finished in brass with globe shaped lights overhead while a brass shelving unit in the dining area to the rear repeats the square pattern often seen in art deco design.
“The Aspect Hotel, now The Hoban Hotel, has always been a popular meeting place, it is easily accessible, there is ample parking and offers quality food and service,” says Jim Murphy, CEO of PREM Group. “We recognised that business people in particular want to meet and eat on the go so we engaged Douglas Wallace Architects to design a space that would meet the needs of both a corporate and leisure market.
“High tables with access points for laptops, barista style coffee and stylish interiors are what our customers want. The new look Hoban Hotel has all of these elements and more and we are delighted with the outcome.”
Pictured: Architect Hugh Wallace with PREM Group CEO, Jim Murphy, and The Hoban Hotel’s General Manager, Clement Gleeson
