Kildare hotel wins 2024 Hotel of the Year

Four-star Hotel of the Year award for Kilkea Castle in Georgina Campbell 2024 Awards

Celebrating Ireland’s gold standard champions of the food and hospitality industries, the winners of the Georgina Campbell Irish Food & Hospitality Awards 2024 were announced this week.  One of the top awards went to Kildare, with Kilkea Castle in Castledermot picking up the Georgina Campbell 2024 Four-Star Hotel of the Year Award.  The awards were presented by leading food and travel writer, Georgina Campbell and well known Irish chef, Richard Corrigan at a gala event in Dublin. 

Georgina Campbell said of Kilkea Castle: Ireland’s oldest inhabited castle, Kilkea dates back to the 12th century. The original structure is surprisingly small - a ‘boutique castle’ perhaps - but it is authentic and elegant, with a pleasing ambience that conveys intimacy as well as a certain sense of grandeur. Sensitively restored by the current owner, Jay Cashman, it is now a thriving and well managed hotel once again, offering lodges, a championship golf course, spa, falconry and equestrian activities - and it makes a fairytale wedding venue.

Approaching the castle through gates and along a tree-lined driveway beside the golf course is a memorable experience – and, having been eased into its special world by friendly staff at check-in, arriving guests soon find there is some new surprise to discover around every corner. Appealing dining options include the unique Restaurant 1180, with a real ‘castle’ atmosphere and magnificent views over the countryside, along with more casual options including the excellent Hermione's Restaurant at the Clubhouse. An interesting and rewarding place to stay, Kilkea Castle also offers good value – especially off season, when its sturdy walls and crackling fires can be especially appealing.

Ireland’s longest running food and hospitality awards, the selections are the result of independent all-year assessments by a team of anonymous experts. This year, the great benefits of regional collaborations in creating hubs of excellence around the country are especially recognised, along with the increased importance placed by the food and hospitality sector on sustainability and supporting Irish producers - who are celebrated in a special category of the awards as providing the foundation of all of our good food.

However, celebrated food and hospitality writer, Georgina Campbell, offered a note of caution about falling standards in some areas, particularly around the most important meal of the day: breakfast.

“Cost-cutting is understandable and often necessary in the current business environment,” said Campbell, “but it needs to be done with care. Slashing the quality of breakfast in an otherwise enjoyable experience is counter-productive, and leaves guests disappointed on departure. But, as usual, this year’s Irish Breakfast Award winners are setting a gold-star standard for the famous Irish breakfast and showing how a reputation for serving an outstanding breakfast can be good for business.”  

The prestigious ceremony featured an engaging panel discussion and a lively Q&A with special guest and award-winning Irish chef, Richard Corrigan, who is a great ambassador for Irish food and an inspiration for young people considering a career in hospitality. This year, Georgina particularly acknowledged the achievements of those who have been striving for high standards over many years and continue to do so in the face of all kinds of challenges.

Campbell said: “We need to encourage more young people to see the food and hospitality industry as an exciting option. Even quite young children could experience the enjoyment of doing rewarding work with a hospitality team, and that could create positive associations that would remain with them later, when career choices are to be made. It is not enough to tell a child about the hospitality sector, we must help them to develop an early interest and that could shape the sector’s future pioneers from the get-go.”

Sustainability

Georgina added: “Something special that we noticed this year was how the rise of the kitchen garden is accelerating. We’re seeing more chefs getting actively involved in this eco-friendly initiative and not just paying lip-service to the concept. Growing their own seasonal produce is something for establishments to be proud of, as well as having environmental benefits. It’s great to be working with deliciously fresh, nutrient-dense produce grown right outside your door, and it’s a point of special interest for guests.”

Room for improvement

Georgina did offer words of caution however, noting: “Although service has improved a lot this year and there is generally a warmer feel to hospitality, shortcuts are being taken in some establishments. We would like to see cost challenges addressed in more imaginative ways than cutting quality – by offering more choice of sizes for dishes on menus, for example, and reducing waste overall. That the shorter weeks and shorter opening hours that resulted from the pandemic are still continuing in many places – often together with higher prices - is not helping matters and must be discouraging for people thinking about having a break or a meal out.”