Construction begins on new hotel connected to Terminal 2 at Dublin Airport

The franchised development project will feature a newly built hotel that will be directly linked to the airport's Terminal 2.

The Sofitel Dublin Airport, which is set to open its doors in late 2026, will feature 412 rooms along with a number of suites.

The project has been developed by the Arora Group - a franchise partner of Accor in the UK and the owner of both Sofitel hotels at London Heathrow Airport and London Gatwick Airport.

In 2018, Arora was awarded the opportunity to develop this over €100 million hotel as part of a competitive bidding process conducted by Dublin Airport's operator, DAA.

A wide range of amenities in the new hotel will include an all-day dining restaurant, a tea salon and a sky bar on the eleventh floor, offering views of the airport and beyond.

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It will also have an executive lounge, a fitness centre along with meeting and event spaces, such as a ballroom and eight flexible meeting rooms.

Speaking at the ground-breaking ceremony today, Accor's CEO and chairman, Sébastien Bazin, said Ireland remains "a highly attractive market for Accor from a growth and development perspective" due to its "incredible geography, talented workforce and warm and welcoming culture".

"Together with our valued and trusted project partner, Arora Group, we see a significant opportunity to support the Irish tourism sector with more high-quality hospitality experiences," he said.

The founder and chairman of the Arora Group, Surinder Arora, said: "Breaking the ground today is incredibly exciting as it is the group's first hotel development outside of the UK and is a project very close to our heart."

"It is a pleasure to work with the DAA for the first time and with Sofitel Hotels & Resorts on our third joint project and we are grateful for the trust they have both placed in us."

DAA's CEO, Kenny Jacobs, said the operator is "delighted to see work underway on the new Sofitel hotel".

"We are fully focused on improving standards and options for passengers at Dublin Airport and a world-class hotel that's directly linked into Terminal 2 is great news for them," he said.

"It's also good news for local suppliers and for jobs, with the hotel set to create hundreds of new jobs during both the construction phase and when it opens."

Located just 7km north of Dublin's city centre, the hotel will cater to the increasing number of travellers passing through the airport.