Gresham Hotels, now popularly known as the Hotel Riu Plaza The Gresham Dublin, was founded by Thomas Gresham way back in 1817. Over the years, the hotel grew and grew until the renaming took place. Before that, the founder simply started the business by purchasing 21-22 Sackville Street in Dublin, which is now called the O’Connell Street. Until now, the source for the capital is still unknown. Given Gresham’s background, it certainly is astonishing how he was able to afford such property. He was an abandoned child whose last recorded occupation before the purchase was being a family butler.

Still, the next 48 years, since his purchase of the area in 1817, has been great. He started operating the hotel as a lodging establishment for wealthy aristocrats and other well-off guests passing through Dublin on their way to London at that time. However, the hotel was severely destructed during the Irish Civil War. In the 1920s, it was rebuilt to higher standards, with more crystal chandeliers in the site, which people can still see nowadays. In 1978, the Ryan Hotel Group acquired the brand. The group itself, however, was also bought in 2004 by private operators. It now was The Gresham Hotel Group. Still, in 2016, the management still fell under the hands of RIU Hotels & Resorts for €92 million.