Leading Irish architectural practice Douglas Wallace Consultants has delivered a major redevelopment and extension of Clayton Hotel Cardiff Lane, transforming the Docklands property with the addition of 115 new bedrooms alongside striking new public, meeting and business spaces.
Positioned on Sir John Rogerson’s Quay at the centre of Dublin’s financial district and just minutes from the Convention Centre Dublin, the hotel occupies one of the most commercially important locations in the capital — the business heart of the city and a key destination for international corporate travel and events. The expansion significantly strengthens the hotel’s capacity at a time when demand for bedrooms in Dublin city centre is at an all-time high and development space is increasingly scarce.
The project showcases the firm’s expertise in unlocking value within constrained urban sites. Working within a tight, landlocked footprint bordered by the river, surrounding buildings and busy quays, the design team reimagined the internal layout to create new accommodation, improve circulation and bring previously underutilised areas into active commercial use.
A central achievement of the scheme is the delivery of 115 new bedrooms — a rare feat in Dublin’s city core where opportunities to expand existing hotels are limited. Through a combination of vertical extension, reconfiguration and precise spatial planning, the practice maximised every available square metre to create high-quality, contemporary guest accommodation in a location where rooms are consistently in short supply.
Beyond the bedroom expansion, the project introduces a series of design-led interventions that redefine the guest and business experience within the building. The ground floor, riverside section has been transformed into a state-of-the-art conference and events facility while the main entrance has been entirely replanned to offer a spacious and elegant lobby and reception allowing for increased occupancy and experience.
At the heart of the redevelopment is a striking new mezzanine level — a stylish, double-height space defined by clean contemporary interiors, extensive glazing and a dramatic, design-led lighting installation. The area is conceived as a vibrant social and professional hub, offering informal breakout zones for meetings, coffee and collaborative working, while bringing natural light deep into the building.
Throughout the hotel, the interior spaces have been modernised with a crisp, contemporary palette, improved sightlines and a greater sense of openness. The use of glazing, upgraded finishes and refined detailing create a more dynamic environment suited to both business travel and city breaks, positioning the property as an attractive base for work, meetings and leisure in the Docklands.
Prior to redevelopment, the building’s layout limited movement between spaces and left significant areas underperforming. The architectural strategy focused on improving flow, enhancing the public realm within the hotel and ensuring the property could meet the expectations of today’s business traveller while remaining flexible for future use.
The firm oversaw the complete renovation and extension, including the delivery of the additional bedrooms, upgrades to public areas and meeting rooms, and the redesign of back-of-house and utility spaces. The works formed part of a €7.5 million investment in front-of-house and business facilities, within a broader capital programme of approximately €24 million which has been invested in the hotel over seven years.
Joe Gallagher, Director, said, “This project demonstrates how intelligent architectural thinking can unlock real commercial and operational value, even on one of the most constrained sites in the city. Delivering 115 new bedrooms in Dublin Docklands — where space is tight and demand is exceptionally high — is a significant achievement.
Our approach focused on reworking the building from within, identifying opportunities to build upwards, repurpose underused areas and create a more efficient, contemporary hotel environment. At the same time, we introduced new meeting and social spaces designed around how people work and travel today.
The result is a hotel that feels more open, modern and better connected to its location in the centre of Dublin’s business district — a place that works equally well for corporate guests, conferences, short stays and city breaks.”
The site presented considerable logistical and planning challenges, requiring close collaboration with delivery teams and planners to ensure the extension integrated seamlessly into its urban context while making more efficient use of the available footprint.
The completed development enhances Clayton Hotel Cardiff Lane’s position as a key corporate hospitality destination near the Convention Centre Dublin, while also creating a more contemporary and appealing environment for visitors to the city. It stands as a strong example of how thoughtful design can revitalise an existing property, increase capacity and respond to the evolving demands of urban travel.
