Pictured left to right: Shane Smith (Director of NI Media) Jason Foody (General Manager)
It was a night to remember at the recent Irish Hotel Awards, which saw Killeavy Castle Estate taking home a string of awards from the event which took place in Athlone in late October.
The Estate was thrilled to have received one of the top awards, taking the title of the ‘Best of the Best’ in the Intimate Wedding Venue of the Year category at the event, overcoming stiff competition in the category.
In addition to taking home the title of Intimate Wedding Venue of the Year, Killeavy Castle Estate took home the title of Castle Hotel of the Year (Ulster) for a third consecutive year, and concierge at the Estate, James Kenny, was named as a finalist for Concierge of the Year.
Adding to the wins on the night, the food offering at Killeavy Castle Estate was recognised for its excellence, receiving not one, but two awards including the award for Fine Dining Experience of the Year and Gourmet Getaway of the Year in the Ulster region, a testament to the Estate’s continued commitment to offering the freshest local produce and seasonal vegetables in its dishes and the success of its ‘Farm to Fork’ approach to dining.
The Irish Hotel Awards seek to recognise and reward the top hospitality locations in Ireland. Accolades are awarded based on visitor experience, following a ‘mystery shopper’ stay at the venue and the production of a 280-point report detailing the experience of various services and departments throughout the venue.
Speaking about the contenders this year, Shane Smith, Director of NI Media, which organises the Irish Hotel Awards, said:
"The Irish Hotel Awards' report on each property contains no less than 280 points that must be addressed, making it what we believe to be one of the most in-depth in Ireland. To say reports blew us away with the levels of excellence is an understatement."
Speaking about the recent wins, Jason Foody, General Manager of Killeavy Castle Estate, said:
“We are thrilled to have received the title of Intimate Wedding Venue of the Year at the Irish Hotel Awards 2022 and to have taken home the Castle Hotel of the Year award for the third year running. We are also incredibly proud to have received the Gourmet Getaway of the Year and Fine Dining Experience of the Year awards in recognition of the food offerings here at the Estate, which is reflective of our commitment to delivering excellence in dining for all of our guests.
“Our concierge, James Kenny, must be congratulated for being selected as a finalist in the Concierge of the Year category, where he was in great company with other concierges from Ireland’s finest hotels.
“This recognition from the Irish Hotel Awards is a testament to the effort that the team at Killeavy Castle Estate makes, day in and day out, to maintain the highest standards of presentation, service and experience for our guests and we thank them all for their continued commitment and effort.”
In recent months, Killeavy Castle Estate has received a string of accolades including being named as a four-star AA hotel and receiving two AA Rosettes for ‘Culinary Excellence’ in the hotel Restaurant.
The Estate has also been named as Best Tourism & Hospitality Team at the Newry Chamber Employee and Team Awards 2022, received the title of Hotel of the Year (Up to 75 rooms) at the LCN Awards 2022, and received the award for ‘Best Food & Drink Experience’ at the NI Giant Spirit Awards, which also saw Mick Boyle, owner of Killeavy Castle Estate receiving the Local Spirit Award.