Killeavy Castle Estate, County Armagh, brought home the silverware at the Northern Ireland Hotel Awards lifting five awards on the evening including Romantic Getaway of the Year and Hotel Restaurant of the Year. The Estate was also highly commended in the 4-Star Hotel of the Year category.
Three staff members have also been crowned winners for their respective roles including; Darragh Dooley, Head Chef of the Year, John Mathews, Deputy General Manager of the Year, and Seamus Morgan, Bar Manager of the Year.
The Estate, which was recently awarded its four-star rating from Tourism NI, fought off fierce competition to pick up the prestigious awards at a gala ceremony in Belfast last night. The NI Hotel Awards recognise excellence in the hospitality industry with a panel of judges assessing customer experience, outstanding team members, facilities and services.
Killeavy Castle Estate opened just seven months ago in County Armagh on the Eastern base of Slieve Gullion. The Grade A listed building, derelict for over a decade, was transformed following a £12million investment. The 45-bed boutique, luxury hotel, was shortlisted in eleven categories at the awards receiving a total number of five top awards and highly commended in six categories.
Jason Foody, General Manager of Killeavy Castle Estate, said “We are delighted to have been awarded five NI Hotel Awards at the gala in Belfast acknowledging our commitment to exceptional customer service, our stunning facilities, but most of all our people. We are incredibly proud of our team who strive for the best results possible in every area of the Estate and it was great to see Darragh, John and Seamus rewarded for their outstanding contribution.
“It is particularly special for us to have been awarded Romantic Getaway of the Year. Our goal is to provide a stunning setting for couples to get closer to what is important - be that the beautiful surroundings, or themselves. We take great pride in our provenance and heritage, especially when it comes to our food which is all grown on the estate or locally sourced, so we are thrilled to be named Hotel Restaurant of the Year.”
David Perry, Event Director of the 2019 Northern Ireland Hotel Awards, added "It was fantastic to have the Killeavy Castle Estate team at the Northern Ireland Hotel Awards and a huge congratulations for picking up so many awards. It's great to celebrate the success of the Killeavy team who are making a massive impact in the hospitality sector - having only been open a few months!"