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Dalata Hotel Group Ltd, (“Dalata”) the largest hotel operator in Ireland with a growing presence in the United Kingdom and continental Europe, has today opened Maldron Hotel Croke Park with development partners McAleer & Rushe.
The opening marks another important milestone in the continued growth of the Maldron Hotels brand, which now operates 27 hotels with 4,618 guest rooms across Ireland and the UK. Over the past five years, Dalata has significantly expanded the Maldron portfolio, reinforcing the brand’s position as one of the leading four-star hotel brands in Ireland and an increasingly recognised presence in key UK cities.
Located at the junction of Clonliffe Road and Jones’ Road, directly opposite Croke Park Stadium, the hotel is ideally positioned to welcome supporters, families and visitors to one of Ireland’s most iconic sporting venues. The hotel benefits from excellent road, rail and air connectivity, with both Drumcondra and Connolly train stations nearby, Dublin Bus and Aircoach stops within a five-minute walk, and Dublin Airport less than 10km away.
The 200-guestroom property is Dalata’s 21st hotel in Dublin and features four meeting rooms, a fitness suite, bar and restaurant. The opening of the hotel has created 80 new jobs, with successful candidates selected from more than 5,000 applicants. The recruitment process placed a strong focus on community engagement, reflecting Dalata’s commitment to investing in local talent as well as its focus on building an inclusive and diverse workforce. The new hotel team has a gender balance of 53% female and 47% male employees, with a broad mix of nationalities represented across the team.
The hotel leadership team also reflects Dalata’s strong focus on people development and internal progression through the Dalata Academy, with a significant number of management appointments filled through internal promotion opportunities.
The opening highlights Dalata Hotel Group’s continued growth plans, strengthening its presence in Dublin and reinforcing its commitment to expanding across key strategic markets. It also recognises Dalata’s established relationship with the GAA, and as the sponsors of the Dalata Hotel Group GAA under-20 Football Championship. The hotel officially opens on 14 May, just as the GAA Championship gets into full swing.
The Maldron Hotel Croke Park will offer a high‑quality guest experience, whether attending a match, enjoying a concert, or simply exploring the city, you’ll be just steps from the action. The hotel is expected to attract a broad mix of domestic and international visitors attending major sporting and entertainment events, while also supporting growing demand for high-quality accommodation in Dublin city.
Designed to achieve a BREEAM ‘Very Good’ rating, the hotel incorporates a range of environmental features including green roofs, air‑source heat pumps and EV charging points. Its traditional hand‑built red‑brick façade has been crafted to complement and enhance the surrounding built environment. The project also marks a first for Dalata, delivering its first hotel with zero on-site carbon emissions and reinforcing the Group’s commitment to sustainable hotel development.
Commenting on the opening Dermot Crowley, CEO of Dalata Hotel Group said: “Dublin remains an exceptionally strong and attractive hotel market, underpinned by continued economic growth, rising employment and growing business and leisure visitor numbers. We are proud to further strengthen our presence in the city with the opening of the Maldron Hotel Croke Park today, just as the GAA Senior Championship gets underway. The addition of this hotel represents another important step in Dalata’s continued growth journey, as we invest in high‑quality assets in key strategic markets.
Hotels have long played an important role in GAA life, welcoming families and supporters on match days and providing spaces for teams and communities to come together. We believe this hotel will become a vibrant year-round hub for visitors to Croke Park and the wider city.”
Jarlath Burns, President of the GAA added: “Dalata has become an important partner to the GAA through its support of the Under-20 Football Championship and its commitment to recognising the role that young players, volunteers and communities play in the future of our games.
The opening of Maldron Hotel Croke Park, in such an iconic location, is another important milestone in that relationship and we wish the entire team every success.”
McAleer & Rushe Chairman Seamus McAleer and Chief Executive Eamonn Laverty jointly commented: “We are delighted to see Maldron Hotel Croke Park officially open its doors, marking the successful completion of a landmark new development directly opposite the stadium. This project builds on our long-standing partnership with Dalata and adds to our portfolio of more than 3,000 hotel bedrooms delivered for the group across the UK and Ireland.
Having delivered the Croke Park Hotel for the GAA 20 years ago, it has also been particularly meaningful to return to this renowned location and bring another significant hospitality development to life. We look forward to seeing the hotel play an important role in the local area for many years to come.”
