Pictured left to right: Representative from LCN Awards, Jason Foody (General Manager) and Judge from LCN Awards
Killeavy Castle Estate has been named Hotel of the Year (Up to 75 rooms) at the LCN Awards 2022, cementing its place as one of Northern Ireland’s top hotel destinations.
The prestigious award, sponsored by Bibendum Wine is a recognition of the work done by the whole team to make their offering the best that Northern Ireland has to offer. With hundreds of entries in a record-breaking year for the LCN Awards, finalists faced stiff competition from some of Northern Ireland’s most highly regarded hotels, however, Killeavy Castle Estate emerged victorious, taking the top award in the fiercely competitive category at the awards event which took place in late September.
Organised by Licensed & Catering News magazine which has been serving the Hospitality Industry in Northern Ireland since 1940, the LCN Awards reward excellence, help raise industry standards and reward hard work and entrepreneurial spirit. Over 500 entries were received for this year’s competition from bars, restaurants and hotel venues, so to win a highly coveted LCN Gong is a major achievement.
Speaking about the win, Jason Foody, General Manager of Killeavy Castle Estate said:
“Winning this award is real recognition for the whole team and all that they have done to make Killeavy Castle the venue it is today. We are always seeking to improve and get to where we are now after Covid is a credit to everyone. I could not be prouder.
“The feedback that we received from judges following a guest inspection of the hotel was phenomenal, and we are incredibly proud of the team here at Killeavy Castle Estate, who work together each day to deliver a top-class experience for all of our guests.”
The Hotel of the Year award was judged by a ‘mystery guest’ inspection at the venue, where the performance of each hotel was measured against a strict set of criteria to identify the recipient of the title of Hotel of the Year.
Speaking about Killeavy Castle Estate, the judges said:
"This luxurious, well managed and customer-focused hotel and spa offered facilities which were second to none, customer care was excellent, and staff anticipated our needs at every stage of the stay. I would have no hesitation in recommending this hotel to family and friends and I look forward to my next visit.”
The LCN Award for Hotel of the Year (Up to 75 rooms) is just one of a number of awards wins for Killeavy Castle Estate in 2022.
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 from the AA Awards.
In addition, Killeavy Castle Estate was named Best Tourism & Hospitality Team at the Newry Chamber Employee & Team 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.
Most recently, Killeavy Castle Estate picked up several awards at the Irish Hotel Awards where it was named Intimate Wedding Venue of the Year and Castle of the Year (Ulster), as well as receiving the titles of Gourmet Getaway of the Year and Fine Dining Experience of the Year. In addition, the concierge at the Estate, Jason Kenny, was named as a finalist for Concierge of the Year.