Ireland’s best hotels for 2012

Castlewood Hotel has been named Ireland’s best hotel and the world’s 6th best

TripAdvisor, one of the largest travel websites, has revealed Ireland’s best hotels in the 10th annual Travellers’ Choice Hotel Awards, often dubbed the “Oscars of the hotel world”.

For the first time, the awards this year included a list of Ireland’s best hotels.

The awards recognise the world’s and Ireland’s best properties across several categories including best hotels, best B&Bs, best luxury hotels and more.

Unlike any other hotel honours, winners are based on millions of reviews and opinions from travellers around the world.

Castlewood Hotel in County Kerry was named Ireland’s best hotel and also ranked as Europe’s second best and the world’s sixth best. Runner-up for Ireland’s best hotel is Loch Lein Country House, also in County Kerry, while third place goes to Strandhill Lodge and Suites Hotel in County Sligo.

“These awards celebrate the best hotels in Ireland and beyond according to those that really matter, travellers themselves,” commented Emma Shaw, TripAdvisor spokesperson. “Ireland performed extraordinarily well this year, laying claim to three of world’s top 25 hotels, including two top ten finishers.”

TripAdvisor, visitors to Castlewood Hotel in County Kerry have called it “excellent all around”, “the best place we stayed in Ireland”, and “absolutely first class”.

Brian and Helen Heaton, owners of Castlewood House Dingle said: “We are so honoured to be recognised by TripAdvisor as a 2012 Travellers’ Choice award-winning hotel. We strive to provide the utmost in service and customer care to our guests and would like to take this opportunity to thank our guests for helping us to receive this award.”

County Kerry performed remarkably well in the TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Hotel Awards, laying claim to the top hotel in Ireland and five of the top 10. Castlewood Hotel took the top spot, followed by Loch Lein Country House (2nd), The Killarney Park Hotel (5th), The Ross (6th), Heaton’s Guesthouse (7th).

While no Irish hotels featured in last year’s Top 25 Hotels in the World list, this year three Irish properties made the cut: County Kerry’s Castlewood House and Lock Lein Country House took 6th and 8th places respectively, while County Sligo’s Strandhill Lodge and Suites Hotel took 13th place.

Top 25 Irish hotels

1. Castlewood House, County Kerry
2. Loch Lein Country House, County Kerry
3. Strandhill Lodge and Suites Hotel, County Sligo
4. Harvey’s Point, Donegal Town
5. The Killarney Park Hotel, County Kerry
6. The Ross, County Kerry
7. Heaton’s Guest House, County Kerry
8. Westport Plaza Hotel, County Mayo
9. Vaughan Lodge, County Clare
10. The Westbury Hotel, Dublin
11. Adare Manor Hotel & Golf Resort, County Limerick
12. Ballinalacken Castle Country House, County Clare
13. Killarney Royal, County Kerry
14. Four Seasons Hotel Dublin, Dublin
15. The Croke Park Hotel, Dublin
16. Brooke Lane Hotel, County Kerry
17. Harbour Mill, County Mayo
18. Sneem Hotel, County Kerry
19. Lough Eske Castle, Donegal Town
20. Lake Hotel, County Kerry
21. The Castlecourt Hotel, County Mayo
22. Fitzwilliam Hotel Dublin, Dublin
23. Number 31, Dublin
24. Cahernane House, County Kerry
25. Sheedy’s Country House Hotel, County Clare