2023 Award Winners HOTEL OF THE YEAR 2023

HOTEL OF THE YEAR 2023

5-Star Hotel of the Year: Ballyfin Demesne Ballyfin Co Laois
It’s worth remembering that the late Chicago businessman Fred Krehbiel, his Irish wife Kay and renowned landscape gardener Jim Reynolds put in eight years of restoration before opening this Regency mansion in 2011, as a luxurious - yet surprisingly homely - small hotel. Beautifully located in the heart of Ireland, in the foothills of the tranquil and unspoilt Slieve Bloom Mountains, it offers residents ‘rest, tranquillity and outdoor activities’. It also offers an exceptional level of discretion and privacy, thanks to its mainly reservations-only, full-board policy and discreetly hospitable hands-on management by General Manager Peter White and his team. Everything about the 614-acre estate is stunning, including the eight acres of walled garden that supply executive chef Richard Picard-Edwards's kitchen, along with wild foods from the estate and produce from trusted suppliers including Mountrath butcher Michael Keegan, Sustainable Seafood Ireland in Dublin and Duncannon Seafood, Co Wexford. Having become a byword for exclusivity, Ballyfin is recognised as one of Ireland’s top five stars, but the down-to-earth feeling of real Irish hospitality may be unexpected. Also, given its reputation for being ‘expensive’, the good value offered may come as a surprise when the price is analysed, thanks to the meals and the exceptional range of extras that are included. So it’s always worth making that call when a special outing is on the cards.

4-Star Hotel of the Year: Clandeboye Lodge Hotel Bangor Co Down
Quietly set in woodland on the edge of the Clandeboye Estate, this comfortable privately owned modern four star near Bangor fits in well with its rural surroundings and not only offers an appealing alternative for those who do not need to stay in town, but is also handy enough for business visits to Belfast. Reception staff are exceptionally warm and helpful and this - together with a welcoming fire and plentiful seating areas in the large and stylish foyer - creates a good impression that carries throughout the hotel. A note from the owners, Pim and Mandy Dalm, to guests arriving in the thoughtfully designed bedrooms, is a nice touch, and the quiet attention to detail is outstanding. And then there is the good food served in the attractive Coq & Bull brasserie, where an iconic Sophie Dickens Coq and Bull sculpture sets the tone for a stylish design and ‘destination restaurant’ ambience, and the 'Good Honest Food' served is inspired by consultation with the famed Nick Price - formerly of Nick's Warehouse and one of the chefs who led the way in Northern Ireland's thriving new food scene. The hotel is a popular wedding venue, but events take place in separate conference and banqueting centres, so other hotel guests are not disturbed. Not a bells and whistles place, this is just the spot for guests who appreciate understated excellence.

3-Star Hotel of the Year: Casey’s of Baltimore Hotel Baltimore Co Cork
Michael and Ann Casey's striking dark green and red hotel just outside Baltimore enjoys dramatic views over Roaring Water Bay to the islands beyond, notably from the restaurant and many of the comfortable rooms, as well as other appealing accommodation offered nearby. Specialising in seafood - as does the friendly and cosy old-world bar Casey’s Cabin, where traditional music is also an attraction - the restaurant is well placed to make the most of the setting. Local food stars, notably mussels from their fish farm in Roaring Water Bay and other carefully sourced produce - and they even have their own in-house nano-brewery, the West Cork Brewing Co., launched in 2014 by a team including their son (and hotel manager) Dominic Casey. Everything they do here is well done and very popular with guests, but the real USP at Casey’s – as with other like-minded Irish hotels – is the hands-on hospitality and care that only a family-run business can provide. And they’ve had plenty of practice, having been doing it since 1975.