A Dublin hotel is set to undergo a major upgrade over a year after hitting the headlines as the scene of an infamous gangland murder.

David Byrne was gunned down at a boxing weigh-in at the Regency Hotel on the 5th of February 2016.

The shooting – which saw attackers dressed as gardaí storm into the hotel – was the first of a string of murders related to an ongoing criminal feud in the city.

This afternoon the hotel was rebranded as Bonnington Dublin – with its new owners, the McGettigan Hotel Group (MHG) announcing an “ambitious upgrade” that will see the facilities transformed over the next 18 months.

Artist's impression of the new Bonnington Hotel

James McGettigan, managing director of the hotel, said the hotel would have been rebranded regardless of the shooting.

“We were planning on rebranding the hotel,” he said. “It brought forward that plan if you like - but of course we had to rebrand due to that incident.”

The hotel came out of examinership earlier this year and has been renamed after MHG’s Dubai property, the Bonnington Jumeirah Lakes Towers.

The old Regency web site has been taken down and the Bonnington has already started taking bookings under its new name.

"The Bonnington Hotel is already regarded as one of the leading hotels in Dubai and we are relishing the opportunity to launch it in Ireland," said Mr McGettigan.

He said refurbishment works will include an “upgrade and refurbishment to the rooms and the public areas and a complete revitalisation of the reception and dining areas.”

The McGettigan family own a number of hotels and pubs in Ireland and overseas.