Adare Manor has appointed Paul Heery to the role of general manager.

The announcement comes as the five-star castle hotel enters its final refurbishment phase.

With over 20 years of experience, Heery was formerly general manager of The Gleneagles Hotel, Scotland, where he was responsible for all hotel operations on the private Perthshire estate employing around 500 employees.

Prior to this, he was hotel operations manager at The Connaught Hotel in London, and deputy general manager at the Merrion Hotel in Dublin.

“The appointment of Paul Heery as general manager is part of Adare Manor’s on-going commitment to provide guests with unrivalled facilities and services, and has come at a very exciting time for the hotel as we embark on the final phase of restoration and refurbishment,” said chief executive, Colm Hannon.

“Paul’s experience in the luxury travel industry both globally and at other iconic properties, alongside his understanding of Ireland, will be extremely valuable as we move onto the new chapter at Adare Manor.

“We are very excited to welcome Paul into his position.”

A passionate golfer, Heery became familiar with the award-winning facilities at Gleneagles in his spare time and will be an additional asset to the golf course at Adare Manor.

Heery said “I am delighted and honoured to be taking over as General Manager of such an iconic and celebrated property.

“For me, Adare Manor has always stood out as one of the greatest castle properties, both in terms of its architecture and rich history, and also its stunning grounds, excellent golf course and dramatic beauty.

“With the recent extensive renovations nearly completed, I look forward to leading the wonderful opportunity of further elevating the guest experience and creating lasting memories at Adare Manor in my native Ireland.”

Adare Manor closed its doors in January 2016 for an almost two year intermission and will debut its new look in late autumn.

Most notably, the expansion will include a new 42-bedroom wing, an expansive ballroom with capacity for 350 guests, a La Mer spa and a complete revamp of the golf clubhouse and comprehensive redesign of the golf course by world-renowned designer Tom Fazio, which when complete will take its place among the finest golf courses in Europe.