The Slieve Russell Hotel suffered a “fairly significant” financial loss after it was forced to close for 17 days over Christmas and New Year due to a Norovirus outbreak.

On Friday, the four star hotel’s restaurants, bars, spa, golf and Country Club areas were re-opened, while residential guests returned on Monday, January 9.

The decision to close the hotel came after guests and some staff reported symptoms of the Norovirus (the vomiting and diarrhoea bug). The hotel said it immediately notified the HSE and Environmental Health officers and took the decision to close in order to “safeguard the health and wellbeing of our patrons.”

In Friday’s social media statement, the Slieve Russell management thanked everyone for their “patience and support during this difficult time,” adding: “It was greatly appreciated.”

Impartial Reporter:

General Manager Tony Walker told The Impartial Reporter: “We lost one of the busiest weeks in the year.” 

He would not be drawn on the specific loss incurred through missed weddings and Christmas parties and the deep clean of the hotel, stating: “The financial loss was fairly significant.”

He explained that an external company which often deals with Norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships was hired to “disinfect the hotel from top to bottom.”

Mr. Walker commended the staff who helped the external cleaners deep clean the hotel.

“They sprayed an anti-bacterial mist and that had to be wiped down. You learn a lot about this process when it comes to your own door,” Mr. Walker continued. 

“They must disinfect all ‘touch points’. When you think about it, that includes door handles, light switches, window handles, TV remote controls, drawer knobs, inside drawers, the tap on the sink – everywhere is at risk so they just sprayed everything, including all soft furnishings and all bed linen washed at 60 degrees – but that’s par for the course for us anyway.

“All of the hotel, the kitchen, the corridors, front of house and back of house; everywhere was disinfected,” he said.
The next step for the Slieve Russell is to “restore public confidence,” said Mr. Walker. 

“That’s a job of work that we have to do and that’s what we will be focusing on in the next few weeks and months,” he added.

Feedback through email, telephone calls and social media has shown that regular customers “will continue to support us,” reported Mr. Walker, who was pleased to see that the hotel received “a lot of wedding enquiries” after it re-opened at the weekend.

Formerly owned by businessman Sean Quinn, the Slieve Russell is currently owned by AVID Asset Management based in Cavan.