A five-star Cork resort has won the Irish hotel of the year, while other hotels have been recognised for the quality of their services. Read on to find out more.
The Irish Hotel Awards have been announced, and the Irish hotel of the year has been revealed, along with a listing of a host of other top-quality spots to stay on the Emerald Isle.
The awards were announced last week in the Radisson Blue Hotel, Athlone, County Westmeath. 400 hospitality professionals were in attendance for the announcement of the awards.
It was Castlemartyr Resort in County Cork that won the award for Irish hotel of the year, coming out on top of a competitive list of five-star hotels. Who else was recognised?
Irish hotel of the year – down south to County Cork
Castlemartyr Resort has won the award for the Irish hotel of the year. A 280-point report was created by a team of researchers. It was based on their experience in the respective hotels, from arrival to departure, covering all areas of the hotels.
The hotel spans a total of 220 acres and hosts a 17th-century manor alongside the ruins of an 800-year-old castle. It is thus steeped in Irish history.
The resort was officially opened for guests in 2008, with a total of 108 guest rooms and suites, along with 36 luxury residences. A cursory glance at the grounds of the hotel alone can make you see why it has won this award.
Address: Castlemartyr Resort, Grange, Castlemartyr, Co. Cork, P25 X300, Ireland
The rest of the best hotels in Ireland – a range of hotels considered
Alongside the best five-star hotel on the Emerald Isle, the Awards also considered some other categories that needed to be filled. For example, the top four-star hotel was the Lake Hotel in County Kerry, while the top three-star hotel was the Abbey Hotel in Dublin.
The Delphi Lodge in the Connemara region of County Galway claimed the accolade for Gourmet Getaway of the Year, while the Kilkea Castle in County Kildare sat in pole position for Castle Hotel of the Year.
Director of NI Media, Shane Smith, spoke on the awards. He said, “It’s been a while, but we are back with a bang. The turmoil that we’ve all been through was like nothing any of us could have possibly imagined. But thankfully, the industry is getting back on its feet.
“This is, of course, great news for the sector and the standards that are being met, particularly considering staff shortages are simply outstanding.”
The rest of the best – who else won awards?
Alongside Castlemartyr Resort in Cork being crowned Irish hotel of the year, there were a series of other hotels bestowed with awards. Here are some other notable winners:
- Fine Dining Experience of the Year: The Lake Hotel, Co. Kerry
- Boutique Hotel of the Year: Hyde Hotel, Co. Galway
- Coastal Escape of the Year: Garryvoe Hotel, Co. Cork
- Country House Hotel of the Year: Mount Falcon Estate, Co. Mayo
- Family Hotel of the Year: Dingle Skellig Hotel, Co. Kerry
- Golf Experience of the Year: Ocean Sands Hotel, Co. Sligo
Find out more about this year’s awards here.
