A new Dublin city centre hotel is seeking a High Court injunction over music noise levels from an adjoining restaurant and late-night music venue which has allegedly resulted in complaints from guests and the closure of 31 of its 129 bedrooms.
The Hoxton Hotel, formerly the Central Hotel, on Exchequer Street, adjoins and surrounds the Yamamori Izakaya on South Great George’s Street. The buildings share party walls.
The Hoxton, part of a global chain, reopened on November 20th last following extensive refurbishment.
Stephan Ernest, hotel manager, in an affidavit seeking an injunction, said since then there had been “repeated and serious noise nuisance” from Yamamori during late night and early morning hours.
READ MORE
The “elevated noise levels” have resulted in serious interference with the peaceful enjoyment of the hotel by guests.
Music is played five nights a week from Wednesdays to Saturdays from around 11pm to about 3am, and to 2.30am on Sundays.
Ernest said that as a result of complaints, the hotel has been forced to compensate guests and received negative online reviews. It withdrew a substantial number of rooms from use, currently standing at 31.
There had been correspondence between the parties over a number of weeks, with Yamamori offering to put in tamper-proof sound-limiting devices, Ernest said. There were also promises that its noise expert would meet the hotel’s expert, but no meeting took place.
Andrew Walker, counsel for Trinity Hospitality, told Judge Brian Cregan on Thursday that his client estimates projected losses as a result of rooms not being let of some €300,000 by the end of March.
Counsel said the Yamamori side had also suggested the hotel should have put in noise attenuation measures during refurbishment.
The judge granted permission, with only the Hoxton side represented, for short service of the proceedings on the defendant. He said the case could come back next week.
