It began with a family bungalow and an effort by Mary and Dick Fitzgerald to supplement their farm income with a B&B. Today, Fitzgeralds Woodlands House Hotel & Spa near Adare is a luxury 4-star hotel renowned for its quality, charm and welcome. It is also a beacon for growing sustainable, generational businesses in Ireland.
When it comes to family businesses in Ireland, the ambition is to constantly play it forward for future generations and surrounding communities. And this is what defines Woodlands House Hotel & Spa, a business that puts its community at the heart of all its decisions.
The business, one of Ireland’s most distinctive family hotels, began life as a four-bedroomed bed and breakfast in 1976 as a means for Mary and Dick Fitzgerald to supplement their farming income.
“For businesses to succeed and to evolve, you definitely have to be looking at changing it up and making it more relevant. We have lots of plans for the future”
The 400-acres of land remains central to the story of Woodlands, with its produce continuing to supply the hotel kitchens with the freshest ingredients. The business spends more than €2.5m each year with local suppliers.
In the intervening almost 50 years, the former B&B has blossomed into a respected 96-room, 4-star resort with event suites, an iconic ballroom, leisure and spa facilities, landscaped gardens and the recently added Treehouse outdoor venue. The award-winning hotel employs more than 200 people.
A culture of innovation
“Our job is to deliver lifetime memories, lifetime moments”
We spoke to the co-founder of Woodlands Mary Fitzgerald and her daughter Elaina, director of the business about what drives the business and anchors it in its community.
Throughout their growth, the Fitzgeralds maintained a strong sense of family in their business culture. “We have mothers and daughters, fathers and sons working here,” Elaina notes. This familial approach extends to guests, with the “house” in their name reflecting the welcoming atmosphere they cultivate.
A guiding principle from Mary has become legendary among staff: “Never say no.”
As Elaina explains, “If somebody asks you something, you’re not to stop and say no. You’re to go and find out, how can you achieve it, or how can you achieve it in a different way.”
The business has faced numerous challenges over its history, from initial banking reluctance and planning permission struggles to economic downturns like the post-Celtic Tiger recession and the Covid-19 pandemic.
Challenges have always been opportunity to blossom for the Fitzgeralds. During Covid, for example, they opened their 44 acres of grounds to the community, creating a 1.2-kilometer walkway for people confined to a 5km travel radius. That is just one example of the many innovations that flowed from the business during that challenging period.
Today, the Woodlands stands as a 96-bedroom property focused on creating memorable experiences for guests. “Our job is to deliver lifetime memories, lifetime moments,” Elaina emphasises. The hotel has developed a reputation for special occasions, particularly weddings, with some couples representing the second generation of their families to marry at the venue.
Evolution and innovation
The story begins in the late 1960s when Dick Fitzgerald purchased farmland in Adare from the Dunraven family. After building a simple four-bedroom bungalow and marrying Mary in 1973, the couple began farming brussels sprouts, strawberries, and cabbages.
A new opportunity emerged in the late 1970s when they joined the Farmhouse Association, converting their home into a bed and breakfast with at least three guest bedrooms. The demand proved immediate and overwhelming. Mary began offering evening meals as there were few restaurants in Adare at the time. “The customers that bought our strawberries and brussels sprouts became my customers for the dinners,” she notes.
In 1979, Mary visited the United States, returning with fresh ideas about en-suite bathrooms – a rarity in Irish accommodations at the time. By 1981, they had built 12 rooms with en-suite facilities, making them among the first farmhouse accommodations in Ireland to offer this amenity.
The business faced challenges when American tourism declined sharply after an airline crash in 1985. Looking to diversify, they took advantage of regulatory changes that allowed establishments with 10 or more bedrooms to apply for a dispensary license to serve alcohol.
Despite investing their life savings on the recommendation of the Tourist Board to convert their B&B into a hotel, they were initially refused planning permission. Mary recalls a banker telling her to “forget about this mad notion” and focus on raising her children. Nevertheless, she persevered, and on July 16, 1983, they opened as a 12-bedroom hotel.
A significant expansion came in 1991 when Limerick hosted the National Ploughing Championships, with the Fitzgeralds investing IR£1.8m to add 20 extra bedrooms and facilities. Further investments in 1995 and 1997 brought 26 additional bedrooms.
The family continued investing: IR£3.3m in 1999 for a leisure center and 37 more rooms, €4.5 million in 2007 for the award-winning Revas Spa, and a €1m refurbishment in 2014/15 that earned the hotel its 4-star status from Fáilte Ireland.
During Covid, they innovated again by creating the Treehouse, initially as a takeaway venue in their garden that has since evolved into a popular, award-winning casual dining destination.
“For businesses to succeed and to evolve, you definitely have to be looking at changing it up and making it more relevant. We have lots of plans for the future,” says Mary.
Family values
As their children grew up, the family all became involved in the business. Mary and Dick’s eldest son David studied at hotel school, and their daughter Elaina (who would later become president of the Irish Hotels Federation like her mother before her) followed suit.
“They all brought out their pals to work at the weekend. So they became my staff,” Mary explains.
Today, all of Dick and Mary’s children are working in the business, including their granddaughter Kerry.
As well as family, the hallmark of Woodlands is its relationship with the local community. “For us, neighbours-first is very important. We live in a lovely community and before we were a hotel we were neighbours.
“The community know that we’ve got their back. We’ve a very proud association with our local Tidy Towns Association. There are so many others. The hotel is a hugely important hub in our community. When the storms strike we have a generator. Thankfully, it always works. We are always jumping in and saying,, come down, have your shower here. We can give you water. We can give you boiling water. We will look after you. We feel that in the same way that if we had a crisis or we had something very challenging, that would be reciprocated 10 times over.”
Sustainability and future plans
The Fitzgeralds have unique insight into the broader hospitality industry through their leadership roles. Mary served as the first female president of the Irish Hotels Federation, while Elaina later held the same position during Covid and subsequently chaired the Irish Tourism Industry Confederation.
Recent years have seen a focus on sustainability initiatives, including solar panels and energy efficiency measures. This aligns with their broader philosophy: “Be the best version that you can be, grow the people around you to be the best version that you can be,” says Elaina.
Looking ahead, the Fitzgeralds are planning accommodation expansions, with the 2027 Ryder Cup at nearby Adare Manor presenting a significant opportunity.
Central to their growth has been their relationship with Bank of Ireland. “Bank of Ireland has a sustainable growth mentality, and we have a sustainable growth mentality,” Elaina explains. The relationship goes beyond financing, with the bank providing expertise, education, and challenges to their thinking.
“They take a punt in you. They’re invested in you as a personality. They’re invested in you as a family. They’re invested in your business, and they’re actually invested in your community as well,” she says.
Mary adds that the relationship isn’t just about money but knowledge and approach: “The way they approach their business, it’s about helping you and not just about the money aspect.”
“They are hugely ambitious and you feel the welcome when you come in,” says Michael Ryan, head of Business Banking Mid-West with Bank of Ireland. “This is family driven, multi-generational business. They are not happy to stand still and you have to be prepared to be on that journey with them.”
The Woodlands House Hotel & Spa story demonstrates how a family business can evolve through innovation, perseverance, and strong partnerships, growing from a modest farmhouse to a substantial hospitality operation while maintaining its core values and community connections.
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