Planned boutique Rathmullan hotel inspired by design principles from Barcelona

Planning has been sought from Donegal County Council for the development of a 37-bedroom boutique hotel in Rathmullan.

Thomas McCarron, of Clipfine Ltd, was the named listed applicant for Pier Hotel Rathmullan,  a proposed 32-bedroom, four-storey hotel including a restaurant, bar, dining area, a reception, and ancillary services to include kitchen, storerooms, toilets, and reception area.

Along with the 32 bedrooms, is an extra five penthouse rooms recessed at roof level, and four one-bedroom apartment-style suites to the rear.

Included in the application was the provision of a rear car park, bin store, and increase in width of public footpath along Pier Road and Kerrs Bay Road, and connection to the adjoining public sewer, storm sewer and public watermains, and all associated site development works. 

The hotel is proposed to be located at the junction of Pier Road and Main Street, and according to the planning applicants, reinforces the building’s role as a civic anchor within Rathmullan while introducing a modern, yet contextually sensitive architectural language that respects the coastal village character and improves the experience of the public realm.”

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William Donoghue & Associates, consulting on behalf of McCarron, wrote that the “proposed hotel draws inspiration from the urban design principles found in cities like Barcelona,” and that the “architectural vision” of the hotel design was of “quiet confidence.”

Pier Hotel, according to the developers, is a “proposed boutique hotel in Rathmullan is rooted in a thoughtful response to the village’s rich and layered built heritage.

“The design draws from the distinctive characteristics of local architecture - both vernacular and formal - in order to establish a dialogue between past and present. This approach is not one of pastiche or replication, but rather a contemporary interpretation that seeks to integrate meaningfully into its context while offering a unique identity of its own.

“A defining feature of the design is the incorporation of Juliet balconies on the upper levels. These elements serve as a contemporary gesture toward the Georgian and Victorian architectural influences visible throughout Rathmullan, particularly in the larger townhouses and former estate buildings.

“The balconies introduce an element of elegance and vertically to the facades, enhancing the rhythm and proportion while allowing generous natural light and ventilation into the interior spaces.

“Their design, featuring fine metalwork and minimal structural expression, provides a balance between modern detailing and historic reference.”