Premier Hospitality

Galgorm Resort

Galgorm
Written by Roma Publications

Galgorm Resort & Spa

One of Northern Ireland’s premier luxury resorts continues to enhance and improve its facilities as part of a £2 million investment programme. Galgorm Resort & Spa has long had an enviable reputation for its award-winning facilities but is refusing to rest on its laurels.

The major expansion development encompasses a number of elements including an extension to the onsite restaurant, the addition of a 2 acre spa garden, a new two tier fitness suite and a spa eatery.

The extension to the existing onsite Italian restaurant, Fratelli, is currently under construction ahead of a scheduled completion date later in the summer. The extension will increase capacity from 100 to 180 covers and introduce a second dining option in the form of La Taverna. La Taverna was created by the Fratelli team and made its first appearance at the Fratelli’s Belfast city centre site earlier in 2017. La Taverna mixes a varied and comprehensive wine list with a food menu that plays on traditional Italian cooking.

The new space has been created by Arc Design NI Ltd. with Director Adrian Patterson saying:

“I’ve been involved in the project from conception, through to its current state on site. I have worked previously with Galgorm on some small scale surveying work but this is the biggest commission to date.

“I was given complete freedom on the design; however it was critical that I designed sufficient space for the required number of additional seats to meet the client’s business plan. The building we are extending was quite restrictive in terms of where it is on the wider hotel complex and the surrounding environment meant that our design options were limited. The site conditions were more restrictive than the design brief given the client.

“The extension has a feature zinc roof set at a slight incline meaning the roof will slope up and away from the low window plinth creating the feeling of height and space to the whole area. Again, we were tied by existing structures so we had limited scope for the choice of roof. The windows are generally full height from plinth level to the roof, therefore capturing as much natural light as was physically possible. The landscaping around the extension and terrace area will also play a big part. We wanted to tie in with the hotels adjacent Spa area and particularly their new walled garden, so we brought in some olive trees direct from Italy to add character and a little bit of drama to the outside spaces.”

He added:

“The main challenge was trying to fit everything within the existing environment. The budget and the brief from the client was fairly flexible and the construction so far has been straightforward. Moving forward this is a huge project for me and it’s great PR to be involved with such a well-known hotel. I have a great relationship with Galgorm. It has (and remains) a brilliant project to work on.”

The combination of Fratelli and La Taverna has proved to be a successful one in Belfast city centre and indications are that this will be repeated at Galgorm Resort & Spa. To keep up with the latest at the resort, please visit galgorm.com.

To view more Arc. Design (NI) Ltd. projects, please see their website: arcdesignni.co.uk or follow them on Facebook facebook.com/arcdesignni.

Galgorm

 

Estco NI

Estco NI provides a comprehensive building service for both private and public clients. The company has been in operation since 2008 and within this time has worked on various residential schemes, including new build and renovations.

Most recently, Estco NI has been involved with the Galgorm expansion project. Estco NI has worked closely with Galgorm Resort & Spa to understand their vision and expectations for the project.

John Scullion, Estco NI, said:

“This is a great project which gives us the opportunity to work with a local business which prides itself on being the best and being ahead of the rest of the industry.”

John added:

“At Estco NI we build strong relationships with clients to ensure that projects are completed on time and on budget, at a level of quality which exceeds the client’s expectations.”

 

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Roma Publications