A man has been found dead on a bathroom floor at a luxury five-star hotel in Ireland, police have said.
The US national, in his 60s, was found unconscious at Ballyfin Demesne - a luxury hotel popular with celebrities, where Kim Kardashian and Kanye West stayed as part of their five-day Irish honeymoon - on Tuesday evening. The deceased man, who is understood to have been the victim of an assault, was later pronounced dead.
Gardaí have since arrested a man in his 30s who was travelling with the American holidaymaker. The police force described the death as a fatal assault - and said they are investigating all the circumstances around it. It is understood the police are not looking for any other suspects in connection with the incident.
According to reports, the man had arrived from the US just hours before the tragedy. The Irish Times reported that a post-mortem is underway to establish further details on the incident. The man's next of kin have been informed and a family liaison officer has been appointed to support them.
The man was arrested and detained at a Garda station in the east of the country before being taken to hospital, but he has now returned to the Garda station, according to local reports. A hearse was spotted arriving at the guest entrance of the hotel at around 10.15am this morning.
An area inside the five-star hotel has been sealed off while officers investigate the incident. The arrested man is reportedly described as having "vulnerabilities". Under the law, he can be held for 24 hours before being charged with a crime or released.
Local independent councillor James Kelly told RTE that the communities in Ballyfin and nearby Mountrath are in shock after the incident. He said: "There would be a lot of staff from the area and they're totally shocked by what has happened here. It's something we didn't think we'd be waking up to this morning."
Ballyfin Demesne is located at the foot of the Slieve Bloom mountains in over 600 acres of parkland in County Laois. The price range for a night at the hotel is between €600 (£500) and €2,500 (£2,085).
Since it opened in 2011, the hotel has hosted many celebrities including rapper Ye and his ex-wife Kim, as well as George Clooney and his wife Amal. The country house hotel was recently named as the best resort in Ireland and the UK in the 2024 Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards.
Gardaí said in a statement shared with The Mirror: "Gardaí are investigating all the circumstances surrounding the death of a man at a hotel in North County Laois on Tuesday evening, 12th November 2024. Shortly before 8.00pm this evening, Gardaí were alerted to an incident at a hotel where a male (aged in his 60s) was found deceased.
"One man (aged in his 30s) was arrested and is currently detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984 at a Garda station in the Eastern Region. The services of the Garda Technical Bureau and Office of the State Pathologist have been requested.
"A Senior Investigating Officer (SIO) has been appointed to lead the investigation and an incident room has been established at Portlaoise Garda Station. A Family Liaison Officer (FLO) will be appointed to support the family of the deceased. Investigations are ongoing."
The Mirror has contacted Ballyfin Demesne for comment.