07 Apr 2017
Posted by Michelle Connor 
Ashford Castle has been named as the AA Hotel of the Year 2017, the most prestigious prize in the Irish hospitality industry. Minister of State for Tourism and Sport Patrick O’Donovan TD presented the award to General Manager Niall Rochford in a ceremony held in Dublin on Thursday 6th April.
“Ashford Castle is one of Irish tourism’s finest assets.” said AA Director of Consumer Affairs Conor Faughnan. “This icon of Irish heritage has become one of the finest Hotels in the world. It takes a lot to impress an AA Inspectors; they judge by the most exacting standards in the industry. Ashford Castle’s beauty is breath-taking. The investments made by owners the Red Carnation Group are evident throughout the Castle and grounds. What is more important though is the standards of friendliness, professionalism and warmth shown by the entire team. Ashford Castle is a wonderful representation of everything that Irish tourism does so well. We are proud to name them as AA Hotel of the Year for 2017.”
Commenting on the award, Minister of State for Tourism & Sport Patrick O’Donovan said:
“Congratulations to Ashford Castle on winning the enormously impressive accolade of AA Hotel of the Year. Irish tourism has been one of the great success stories of the last decade, coming through very troubled times by being far-sighted, hard-working and relentlessly committed to quality and value. Combining this remarkable heritage property with friendly, professional staff, a warm welcome and excellent service, Ashford Castle is a shining example of what a wonderful experience Ireland offers to visitors.
The AA inspection team was impressed with the warmth and welcome from all the team and the level of service throughout the entire hotel. It is a 5 Star hotel that also manages to be an intimate and friendly place for the people who visit, allowing them to relax and enjoy their surroundings. Whilst it has been a star performer over many years, the recent major investment by Red Carnation Hotels has brought it to the highest level possible in terms of luxury and quality.
On accepting the award, General Manager Niall Rochford said: “It is a privilege for me to accept the award for AA Hotel of the Year 2017 on behalf of the team at Ashford Castle and Red Carnation Hotels. Our Founder and President of Red Carnation Hotels, Mrs Beatrice Tollman, and her entire family should be applauded not just for their investment in Ashford Castle, but for their belief in our team’s ability to deliver world class experiences to all our guests. Following their epic restoration of the Castle in 2015, we have had incredible global recognition for the guest experience Ashford Castle delivers. This award, acknowledges the hard work and commitment of everyone on our team and my hope is for our continued success long into the future.”
The AA uses highly trained and experienced inspectors to personally visit every AA accredited hotel for an overnight stay. The assessments of the standards of hospitality, service, cuisine, facilities and staff are the most exacting in the industry. Winners are selected in recognition of excellence in service and hospitality. They must also clearly demonstrate continuous improvement in the previous 12-18 months.
For a hotel to be considered it must have displayed excellence over time. A hotel that wins AA Hotel of the Year can claim to be the best hotel in Ireland in its category. The award does not necessarily go to a five star hotel, although it does this year.
Other major award winners at the AA ceremony this evening were:
AA Guest Accommodation of the Year: Rolf’s Country House, Baltimore, Co. Cork.
Run by siblings Johannes and Freiderike Haffner, the Country House employs a team of small local team of staff. The team are dedicated to delivering culinary excellence and hospitality.
AA Courtesy & Care Award: The Talbot Hotel, Stillorgan, Co. Dublin.
The Courtesy & Care award is a testament to excellence in customer care executed by hospitality staff and is not granted lightly. It is a reflection of the staff at an establishment rather than the buildings and grounds. An honour of a personal nature, the AA Courtesy & Care award reflects an establishment in which an AA Inspector would choose to stay themselves or to bring their own families.
