As featured in Hotel & Restaurant times, Wednesday, July 13, 2022.
Ashford Castle has been voted the number one resort hotel in the UK and Ireland by readers of the iconic Travel + Leisure magazine, one of the most highly regarded travel publications in the world.
Every year, US publication Travel + Leisure invites its almost five million readers to share their opinions on their favourite travel experiences covering top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines and more. Hundreds of thousands of the publication’s readers responded, rating their top hotels on facilities, location, service, food and overall value. Ireland’s hotels claimed four of the five accolades in the 2022 World’s Best Resort Hotel in the UK & Ireland, with Ashford Castle earning the highest plaudits. The five-star luxury hotel located in Cong, Co Mayo last claimed top spot in the prestigious awards in 2020.
Several readers praised the stately grounds, calling the setting “absolutely lovely” and “magnificent.” One particularly enthusiastic reader looked back fondly, saying, “Just writing this makes me remember the beautifully served and delicious tea service, complete with Irish scones, mini sandwiches, and sweets enjoyed by the bay windows overlooking gorgeously manicured lawns and fountains.”
Speaking of the award, Niall Rochford, general manager at Ashford Castle said: “Given the challenges over the past two years, this award will mean the world to our team at Ashford Castle and our owners at Red Carnation, particularly as they were voted for by Travel + Leisure’s discerning and well-travelled readers, making them even more rewarding. Such accolades really help to support Ireland’s tourism efforts and ensure our place on the international stage, particularly in the US market which is hugely important to Ashford Castle. We are in very good company in this category and given the standard of five-star hotels across the UK this is not just a win for Ashford Castle, but for Ireland Inc.”
In order of placement, the other winners in this category were: Ballyfin, Gleneagles (Scotland), Adare Manor and Dromoland Castle.
With 83 rooms and suites, together with a hideaway cottage, Ashford Castle sits majestically by the shores of Lough Corrib, surrounded by ancient Irish woodland and beautifully manicured lawns. The 350-acre estate in Cong, Co. Mayo is part of the Red Carnation Hotel Collection where guests have been enjoying exceptional levels of hospitality for more than 80 years.
The great outdoors is part of the 350-acre estate’s quintessential charm and home to a myriad of outdoor activities. You can watch Hawks soar through the air with a visit to Ireland’s first school of falconry or swing into action on the estate’s Eddie Hackett-designed nine-hole golf course.
The five-star luxury hotel is no stranger to awards and is the only hotel in Ireland to have earned a Five-Star Forbes rating for three consecutive years.
