Harcourt Developments launched 25 luxury suites at Lough Eske Castle, Donegal, featuring unique interiors with local Magee 1866 tweed, enhancing guest experience and accommodation capacity by 28%.
One of Ireland’s largest privately held companies, Harcourt Developments, has revealed 25 new luxurious suites at Lough Eske Castle, County Donegal’s only five-star hotel, following a multimillion-euro investment.
The suites and two double bedrooms, are located in a new wing situated to the rear of the main heritage building. The additional suites and rooms give the award-winning Lough Eske Castle hotel a 28% increase in rooms inventory, bringing the total number of keys to 124.
Designed by Belfast based architects RMI, works commenced in October 2023 and were completed in August 2024.
The new additions, named“The Donegal Suites”, showcase furnishings, artworks and amenities sourced and created by local craftspeople and businesses. Overseen by Harcourt Developments’ Creative Director, John Doherty, the new suites’ luxurious interiors schemes incorporate the work of world famous local tweed weavers Magee 1866, with the design and colour palette inspired by the stunning landscapes in which Lough Eske Castle is steeped.
The suites each feature a bespoke Magee 1866 tweed, the result of a careful collaboration between fifth generation family business Magee 1866 and the hotel.
Donegal Suites, Lounge & second bedroom
The distinctive burnt orange and salt and pepper tweed originates from the firm’s “Eske Bunch” collection, named after its weaving mill situated on the banks of the River Eske, not far from the hotel, in Donegal town.
This warm and welcoming orange colourway, reflective of County Donegal’s diverse landscapes, is showcased in a striking feature wallscape, with texture and dimension created with vibrant flecks and nepps of colour randomly dispersed throughout the fabric.
This adds a pop of colour to each bedroom, while also augmenting the sense of luxury and comfort, which tweed creates when used in interior spaces.
Each tweed wallscape is made with 100% woollen yarn, a fibre which is versatile, biodegradable and renewable.
All Magee 1866’s fabrics are designed, woven and finished by its team locally, with quality always the guiding principle.
Rosy Temple, CEO at Magee 1866, comments “Magee 1866 and Lough Eske Castle have a longstanding relationship as two leading Donegal companies. We have worked together on many occasions throughout the years, so were thrilled when they shared plans for The Donegal Suitesand wanted to work with us on bringing the interiors to life in a unique way, that showcased local craft and expertise.
“Donegal tweeds are unique to the region and encapsulate the vibrant flora and textures found in the area, such as wild gorse, heather and granite, that can be seen throughout the peatlands, rugged hills and coastline. Due to the wonderfully random nature of the flecks, and Magee 1866 working closely with our spinning partners to produce bespoke colours for our collections, each Donegal tweed woven is one of a kind. The interiors of Lough Eske Castle’s Donegal Suites display unique fabric works of art.”
John Doherty, Harcourt Developments’ Group Creative Director, comments: “At Lough Eske Castle, we have seen a continued increase in international visitors to the hotel. This has been supported by increased air access to Ireland, which has been a key factor in the success and growth of the luxury accommodation sector in the Republic of Ireland and the Wild Atlantic Way. As Lough Eske Castle is County Donegal’s only five-star hotel, we want to ensure the hotel meets this increasing demand, building on its existing award-winning reputation and genuine Donegal hospitality.
“Donegal holds a very special place in the journey of Harcourt Developments, and we are delighted to be welcoming more guests to this beautiful region. This has been a key principle in the building of the additional Donegal Suites, with the interiors developed around a unique tweed encompassing Donegal landscapes through texture and colourway, woven by one of Ireland’s oldest and most renowned weavers, Magee 1866.”
Donegal Suites, Bathroom.
In addition to the collaboration with Magee 1866, The Donegal Suites showcase produce and artwork sourced locally from Sliabh Liag Distillers, McNutt of Donegal, McGonigle Glass Studio, Kevin Callaghan Pottery, The Donegal Chocolate Man, Kinnegar Brewing, and artists including Patrick Murphy and David Mitchell. Each of the rooms has a card-based entry mechanism and also features a Phillips 50 inch smart television/screen and a CubieBlue Bluetooth device.
Dónal Cox, General Manager at Lough Eske Castle, comments: “We have found an increased demand for suites that can host multigenerational stays from domestic and international guests, as well as suites suitable for celebratory stays. While our key objective has been to provide luxurious accommodation which includes four poster beds, roll top baths and cosy fireplaces in each spacious 68 sqm suite, the team and I also wanted to add a bespoke experience for our guests. We are truly passionate about what County Donegal has to offer and we showcase this to guests through artwork, crafts, tweed and locally made produce during their time in our new Donegal Suites.”
Properties in The Harcourt Collection each offer a unique experience and regularly achieve higher than average occupancy rates, with many return guest visits. The strength of each property’s performance lies in the sense of place and standard of hospitality and guest care. Lough Eske Castlewill see further investment through improvements to the ballroom and restaurant next year.
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