Plans to knock and redevelop historic Mayo island hotel

A planning application has been advertised to demolish an existing hotel on a Mayo island and replace it with a new 38-bedroom hotel along with apartments.

Vesada Private Limited proposes to demolish the existing Achill Head Hotel in Pollagh on Achill Island and construct a replacement 38-bedroom hotel incorporating a bar, gym, commercial kitchen and dining room. They also propose to construct a separate ‘apart-hotel building’ comprising four three-bedroom suites, ten two bedroom suites and two one bedroom suites.

The Achill Head Hotel which overlooks Keel Bay was one of the most popular hotels on the island and had been operating with various owners for over 50 years. However it has been closed to the public for a number of years and recently has been accommodating refugees from Ukraine fleeing the war in their home country.

The hotel made national headlines in 2019 when local residents opposed plans by the Department of Justice to use the hotel as a location to provide emergency temporary accommodation and house up to 40 asylum seekers.

Vesada Private Limited is a Dublin based property company and as well as owning the Achill Head Hotel also owns the Pontoon Bridge Hotel in north Mayo.