GREGANS CASTLE HOTEL STRIKES GOLD
GREGAN’S CASTLE HOTEL, the chic country house hideaway nestled in the rugged landscape of the Burren, Co Clare, has been awarded the Irish hospitality industry’s highest accolade, the prestigious Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Award for Excellence 2010.
Owned and operated by husband and wife team Simon Haden and Frederieke McMurray, Gregan’s Castle won the top industry award at the 22nd Annual Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Awards, held in The Shelbourne Hotel, Dublin on 20 September. The country house hotel triumphed ahead of hundreds of its peers in the Irish hotel and catering industry to win the coveted Gold Medal Award for Excellence after scooping the hotly-contested Gold Medal Award for Country Houses & Guesthouses, sponsored by Laurent-Perrier, earlier in the night.
Celebrating 22 years this year, the Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Awards are recognised as the leading independent awards programme for the Irish hospitality industry. Competition for the awards is intense, with a record number of entries in 2010. Entrants hailed from the four corners of Ireland and underwent a rigorous assessment process conducted by the Gold Medal Awards team of 14 expert industry judges, who travelled more than 27,500 kilometres across the island this summer to search for the Ireland’s best hotels, restaurants, caterers and hotel groups.
Gold Medal Award Winners, Finalists & Sponsors
As well as the supreme award, 14 category awards were presented at the gala awards ceremony. A total of 67 businesses were nominated as finalists in this year’s Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Awards, including 40 new category entrants.
Gold Medal Award for Five Star Hotels, sponsored by Edward Dillon & Co
Winner:
Park Hotel Kenmare
Finalists:
- Aghadoe Heights Hotel, Killarney, Co Kerry
- Dromoland Castle Hotel, Newmarket on Fergus, Co Clare
- Fota Island Resort, Cork
- The G Hotel, Galway
- Hayfield Manor Hotel, Cork
- Park Hotel Kenmare, Co Kerry
Gold Medal Award for Four Star Hotels, sponsored by Aon Insurance
Winner:
Knockranny House Hotel
Finalists:
- The Brehon, Killarney, Co Kerry
- Cromleach Lodge, Castlebaldwin, Co Sligo
- Harvey's Point, Lough Eske, Co Donegal
- Inchydoney Island Lodge, Co Cork
- Kelly's Resort Hotel, Rosslare, Co Wexford
- Knockranny House Hotel, Westport, Co Mayo
Gold Medal Award for Three Star Hotels, sponsored by Tourism Ireland
Winner:
The Headfort Arms Hotel
Finalists:
- Bloomfield House Hotel, Mullingar, Co Westmeath
- The Blue Haven Hotel, Kinsale, Co Cork
- The Claregalway Hotel, Claregalway, Co Galway
- Downhill House Hotel, Ballina, Co Mayo
- The Headfort Arms Hotel, Kells, Co Meath
- Park Inn, Belfast
Gold Medal Award for Country Houses & Guesthouses, sponsored by Laurent-Perrier
Winner:
Gregan's Castle Hotel
Finalists:
- Gregan's Castle Hotel, Ballyvaughan, Co Clare
- Lough Inagh Lodge Hotel, Recess, Connemara, Co Galway
- Mount Falcon, Ballina, Co Mayo
- Tankardstown House, Slane, Co Meath
- Rathmullan House, Rathmullan, Co Donegal
- Wineport Lodge, Glasson, Co Westmeath
Gold Medal Award for Hotel Groups, sponsored by Ireland.com
Winner:
The Doyle Collection
Finalists:
- The Doyle Collection
- The Moran & Bewleys Hotel Group
- Tifco
Gold Medal Award for Fine Dining Restaurants, sponsored by Paul Jaboulet
Winner:
One Pico
Finalists:
- The Dining Room at Gregan's Castle, Ballyvaughan, Co Clare
- La Boheme, Waterford
- MacNean House & Restaurant, Blacklion, Co Cavan
- Moira's Restaurant at Cromleach Lodge, Castlebaldwin, Co Sligo
- Dax Restaurant, Dublin 2
- One Pico, Dublin 2
Gold Medal Award for Bistros & Brasseries, sponsored by Champagne Pannier by Classic Drinks
Winner:
First Floor Restaurant at Harvey Nichols
Finalists:
- Bijou Restaurant, Rathgar, Dublin 6
- Crackpots, Kinsale, Co Cork
- First Floor Restaurant at Harvey Nichols, Dundrum Town Centre, Dublin 16
- Louie's Bistro, Dublin 1
- Perrott's Garden Bistro, Hayfield Manor, Cork
- West at The Twelve Hotel, Barna, Co Galway
Gold Medal Award for Casual Dining, sponsored by Campari
Winner:
Wild Honey Inn
Finalists:
- Itsa 4, Sandymount, Dublin 4
- Lord Kenmare's Restaurant, Killarney, Co Kerry
- Max's Restaurant & Wine Bar, Kinsale, Co Cork
- The Morning Star, Belfast
- The Tavern Bar & Restaurant, Murrisk, Co Mayo
- Wild Honey Inn, Lisdoonvarna, Co Clare
Gold Medal Award for Ethnic Restaurants, sponsored by Cobra
Winner:
Ananda
Finalists:
- Ananda, Dundrum Town Centre, Dublin 16
- Chakra by Jaipur, Greystones, Co Wicklow
- Chameleon Restaurant, Temple Bar, Dublin 2
- Little Jerusalem, Rathmines, Dublin 6
- Rotana Café, Portobello, Dublin 2
Gold Medal Award for Cafés & Coffee Shops, sponsored by The Kenco Coffee Company
Winner:
Kay's Real Chefs, Real Food
Finalists:
- Café Noir, O'Connell Street, Limerick
- Café No.11 at The Old Bank House, Kinsale, Co Cork
- Kay's Real Chefs, Real Food, Blanchardstown Centre, Dublin 15
- Partridge's Artisan Café, Gorey, Co Wexford
- Silver Restaurant at Newbridge Silver Visitor Centre, Newbridge, Co Kildare
Gold Medal Award for In House Caterers, sponsored by the National Hygiene Partnership
Winner:
Sodexo Northern Ireland at PSNI Seapark
Finalists:
- Aramark Ireland at Genzyme, Waterford
- Sodexo Northern Ireland at PSNI Seapark, Carrickfergus, Co Antrim
- Sodexo Ireland at APC Galway
- The Barristers Tea Rooms, The Four Courts, Dublin 7
Gold Medal Award for Institutional Caterers, sponsored by the National Hygiene Partnership
Winner:
St Brigid’s Hospital
Finalists:
- Black Olive Catering at Barrettstown, Ballymore Eustace, Co Kildare
- St Brigid’s Hospital, Shaen, Co Laois
- Aramark Healthcare at Beneavin Healthcare Campus, Glasnevin, Dublin 11
- Aramark Healthcare at University Hospital Galway, Galway
- Masterchefs Munster at Moffetts Restaurant, National University of Ireland, Galway
Gold Medal Award for Wine Experience, sponsored by Gleeson incorporating Gilbeys
Winner:
The Twelve Hotel
Finalists:
- Kelly's Resort Hotel, Rosslare, Co Wexford
- Max's Restaurant & Wine Bar, Kinsale, Co Cork
- No.1 Pery Square, Limerick
- Pinocchio, Ranelagh, Dublin 6
- The Twelve Hotel, Barna Co Galway
- The Cornstore, Cork
Gold Medal Award for Customer Experience, sponsored by Fáilte Ireland
Winner:
Cromleach Lodge
Finalists:
- Aghadoe Heights, Killarney, Co Kerry
- Cromleach Lodge, Castlebaldwin, Co Sligo
- Doonbeg Lodge, Doonbeg, Co Clare
- Glenlo Abbey, Galway
- Harvey's Point Hotel, Lough Eske, Co Donegal
- Hayfield Manor, Cork
- The Merrion Hotel, Dublin
Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Award for Excellence 2010 Gregan’s Country House Hotel
