As well as building a brand new Sheraton hotel, an additional nine-hole golf course and golfing academy and a number of luxury lodges, Bandon-based property developer Fleming Construction has installed a cutting-edge IT system which allows visitors to access facilities and communicate from any point on the island.

The five-star Sheraton hotel, which opened its doors for the first time on Friday, features 131 luxurious guest rooms and suites. The new IT facilities provide guests with complimentary 'hot spot' wireless internet access from various public areas in the hotel and allows them to link up with the golf courses and the academy from their bedrooms and from the lodges.

The Island Spa features 17 treatment rooms, hydrotherapy and thermal suites and a full-length swimming pool.

The 200m Sheraton Fota Island resort already features a famous 18-hole golf course, home to the Irish Open in 2001 and 2002, and is regarded as one of the country's top holiday destinations.

Fifty-five luxury lodges . . .the entire first phase . . . have already been sold and will be completed later this month.

Eleven more units will be available in June and can be purchased through estate agents Hamilton Osborne King in Cork.

Hotel guests and lodge owners can access the internet by connecting their laptops to the telephone or through the customised LCD TVs located in every guest bedroom. Each TV hosts hundreds of audio tracks and guests can choose from dozens of films for viewing.

The network also powers a range of advanced security systems for guest rooms and lodges, such as card-swipe access and alarm control and monitoring.

Fleming's investment in the new IT and communications system ran to seven figures and accounted for 33% of the hotel fit-out cost.

Fleming Construction, which owns the resort, located in Cork harbour, was founded in 1975 by John Fleming from west Cork. Now with an annual turnover of more than 200m, it spans a range of activities in development, construction, manufacturing, industry and tourism.

"The advanced technologies used at Fota will help it become the top resort destination in the south of Ireland, " says Damien Sheridan, Fleming Construction's IT and communications manager. "The type of people who use the facilities and who are purchasing lodges are very much into having the most advanced technology available, and they will get it here."

Dublin-based Barlan Technologies worked alongside Sheridan to design the network and manage the installation of the IT system.

According to Barlan's business development manager, Niall Barry, Fota was the most ambitious construction project that Barlan had been involved with.

"I can't think of another development in Ireland that has embraced IT in such a comprehensive fashion. It says a lot about Fleming's innovative approach to construction and the vision of Damien and his team."

Hotel manager Paul Dunphy describes Fota Island as the first fully digital resort in Ireland and says the new IT system will allow it meet the high expectations of customers.

"Our guests have certain expectations about the technology on offer, "he says.

"Staying connected is one of the key facets of the Sheraton brand, so it was fantastic to work with Fleming's, who have such an enlightened approach to technology."

He says it was important, too, that the technology would stand the test of time and not become obsolete.

"Technological advances are happening so fast we wanted to make sure the hotel had the most up-to-date IT systems in place, not just for today but for the future as well."