ONE of Ballymena’s longest-established hotels has unveiled £2 million of refurbishments to its reception area, McAllister’s Whiskey Lounge and Clock Tower Suite.
While the pandemic has created trading difficulties for many businesses, the Tullyglass Hotel, which has a heritage spanning more than 150 years, used the forced closure to further invest.
It included upgrading the reception area with a bright marble front desk, wooden flooring and a new comfortable area for guests to relax.
The complete reimagining and theming of McAllister’s Whiskey Lounge reflects the turn of the 20th-century ownership of Tullyglass House by James McAllister, from 1910 to 1953.
He established a whiskey distillery in Ballymena and built several McAllister brands, achieving sales throughout Europe and as far afield as North America. One bottle was even found in the wreck of The Titanic.
Hotel managing director Gus McConville said: “Tullyglass is a central part of the history of hospitality and commerce in the Ballymena area. We decided to use the closure during the pandemic to polish up what is a hidden gem when it comes to tourism in the county and beyond.
“Our recent refurbishments reflect and celebrate our history while incorporating the style of 21st-century leisure travel. We deem it important to use local suppliers for the quality ingredients used in the kitchens, to craftspeople who have skilfully and sympathetically extended the original building to what it is today.
“We have always invested both time and money into this hotel over the three decades my family has owned it. Post-pandemic we are coming back stronger and full of optimism for the future.”
