Job losses as hotel operation closes after 30 years.

LISS Ard Estate is closing its hotel operation after more than 30 years and will in future be used for corporate events and exclusive weddings.

The estate on Castletownshend Road, Russagh, Skibbereen is to become a venue for company workshops, team-building events and weddings as part of the transformation by current owners, Californian property firm The Aspen Company.

The Georgian-era Manor House, where the hotel is based, will become a private mansion. The Aspen Company bought Liss Ard for around €3.5m during the pandemic in 2021.

The change of use is the end of an era for the 163-acre estate  – and for many of the hotel staff who are set to lose their jobs. It is unclear yet how many staff will be affected.

One employee, who asked not to be named, said: ‘The hotel is closing on November 2nd and will be used as a private mansion. It won’t be operating as a hotel any longer.’

Another well-informed source said: ‘The hotel will close for the winter and undergo further renovation. Next year, it will open as a private estate and be open for private bookings only.

‘It will host private workshops, team-building exercises and private, exclusive weddings. The business model will be aimed at high net worth American and UK families who like it here. A lot of them see it as their homecoming.’

The same source said they could not comment further on job losses as the redundancy process was not yet complete.

Liss Ard was famously bought by Swiss intelligence officer Albert Bachmann in 1976 to serve as a safe house for the Swiss government during the Cold War.

The West Cork location was regarded as the safest in Europe in the event of a nuclear fall-out.

The estate later became an Irish spy safe house and was then taken over by Swiss investors, eventually reopening as a luxury hotel and spa.

The Southern Star has learned that hospitality staff were told their employment would end on October 31st.

It is believed severance packages are being prepared by Destinations, a hospitality firm linked to The Aspen Company.

The hotel accepted no further bookings on its website or via third parties from September 29th onwards.

On its own website, The Aspen Company claims it bought the property for 40% of the original asking price (around €8m), returning 15% of investments in the first four months of operation.

During the time under the company’s helm, all 26 rooms, as well as the restaurant and public areas in the hotel were renovated.

Aspen said they were proud of adding a wellness centre with wood burning saunas, yoga studios, a gym and spa treatments such as a tea ceremony and sound bath.

On its website, the Newport Beach-based property firm also says: ‘We took the estate from a run-down limited service mid-market hotel to Upper-Upscale luxury boutique hotel within 16 months (only closed eight months). Room revenue increased 125% in our first season.’

In an email to The Southern Star, Michael Johnston, CEO of The Aspen Company, refuted talk that Liss Ard may be changing ownership again.

‘Liss Ard is not for sale,’ he wrote.