International magazine names Mayo resort hotel as best in UK and Ireland
Ashford Castle in Co Mayo has been voted the number one resort hotel in the UK and Ireland by readers of a leading US travel magazine.
It topped the vote in Travel and Leisure magazine as it compiled the World’s Best Awards survey.
The survey asks readers of the magazine “to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe — to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more.”
Hotels are judged on facilities, location, service, food, and overall value.
The magazine wrote about Ashford Castle: “Readers swoon about this 13th-century retreat, once the property of the storied Guinness family.”
Voters praised the hotel for the “magical experience” and for the guests being “treated like royalty”.
The hotel said they are "overjoyed" to have been voted number one.
Today, we raise a glass to the winners of Travel + Leisure's World's Best Awards! We are overjoyed to have been voted as the No. 1 Resort Hotel in the U.K. and Ireland. #TLWorldsBest #TLToast @TravelLeisure pic.twitter.com/96MTr6bONx
— Ashford Castle (@ashfordcastle) July 8, 2020
Other Irish spots that featured on the list include Ballyfin in Co Laois and Powerscourt Hotel Resort & Spa in Wicklow.
The magazine’s top 10 resort hotels in Ireland and the UK are:
- 1. Ashford Castle, County Mayo, Ireland
- 2. Ballyfin, County Laois, Ireland
- 3. The Gleneagles Hotel, Perthshire, Scotland
- 4. Powerscourt Hotel Resort & Spa, County Wicklow, Ireland
- 5. Sheen Falls Lodge, County Kerry, Ireland
- 6. The K Club, County Kildare, Ireland
- 7. Ballynahinch Castle Hotel, County Galway, Ireland
- 8. Dromoland Castle, County Clare, Ireland
- 9. Adare Manor, County Limerick, Ireland
- 10. Inverlochy Castle Hotel, Fort William, Highlands, Scotland
The magazine said that Ireland and Britain’s grand manor houses “deliver a chance to escape into the past, to immerse oneself in the fine craftsmanship and well-honed design of earlier centuries, and to come face-to-face with history”.
The World’s Best Awards survey closed on March 2.
Tourism Ireland said the accolades are extremely welcome as the industry looks to plan for the recovery of overseas tourism.
Travel and Leisure magazine’s survey rated the Capella Ubud hotel in Bali, Indonesia as the number one hotel in the world.
