Winners of Irish Virgin Media Gold Medal Awards celebrated in Galway

Held on January 30th at The Galmont Hotel & Spa in Galway, the Virgin Media Gold Medal Awards 2023 celebrated Ireland’s best hotels and hospitality partners. The event was hosted by Irish radio and television presenter Anton Savage and among the many well deserving winners were The Merrion Hotel Dublin, which took home gold for Ireland’s Five Star Hotel. Other winners on the night included The Westbury, awarded gold for Ireland’s afternoon tea hotel, Headfort Arms Hotel which won Ireland’s outstanding customer service award and The Europe Hotel & Resort, Ireland’s overall supreme winner of the night.

The Virgin Media Gold Medal Awards were joined by their official sponsors O’Driscoll’s Irish Whiskey, Sullivan’s Brewing Company, The Firm, SHR Group, Net Affinity, Excel Recruitment, Classic Drinks, Soundtolight, BWG Food Service, Barry’s Tea, Action Recruitment, and of course the headline sponsor, Virgin Media.

These awards recognise Ireland’s finest industry leaders in hospitality and tourism. Hotels from across the island gather to celebrate each other in all different aspects of the industry, from the top Chef of the Year to the overall favourite place to stay. It is a night to appreciate and uphold the outstanding hotels and catering services across Ireland.

David Milligan of Virgin Media, the proud title sponsor of the event expressed their excitement of attending: “We are very proud to be title sponsor of the award, I think it’s really important for us to recognise excellence and show how much we appreciate everyone within the hospitality sector.”

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Laura O’Brien of Classic Drinks gave her appreciation to the hotel industry: “Hospitality is a tough industry. I feel nights like this are very important to reward the people that make this industry what it is.” She went on to say how important nights like The Gold Medal Awards are when it comes to recognising the hard working teams and help with staff retention in the hospitality field.

David McSweeney of Sullivan’s Brewing Company gave praise to the gold medal awards: “There is great collaboration involved and ultimately, I think it’s about celebrating excellence.” He also highlighted some key trends in the hospitality industry including sustainability and the importance of authentic Irish experiences.

Virgin Media Gold Medal Awards 2023 winners:

Ireland’s four-star Hotel, sponsored by O’Driscoll’s Irish Whiskey

Gold: Horse & Jockey Hotel, Co Tipperary

Silver: Harvey’s Point, Co Donegal

Bronze: Armada Hotel, Co Clare

Ireland’s city hotel, sponsored by Sullivan’s Brewing Company

Gold: College Green Hotel, Co Dublin

Silver: The Dean Cork, Co Cork

Bronze: Ashling Hotel, Co Dublin

Ireland’s five-star resort, sponsored by Virgin Media

Gold: Adare Manor, Co Limerick

Silver: Ashford Castle Hotel, Co Mayo

Bronze: Powerscourt Hotel Resort & Spa, Co Wicklow

Ireland’s sustainability/leading green hotel

Gold: Dromoland Castle Hotel, Co Clare

Silver: Fernhill House, Co Cork

Bronze: Castle Leslie Estate, Co Monaghan

Ireland’s hotel breakfast

Gold: Hayfield Manor, Co Cork

Silver: Castlewood House Dingle, Co Kerry

Bronze: The Twelve Hotel, Co Galway

Ireland’s afternoon tea hotel, sponsored by Barry’s Tea

Gold: The Westbury, Co Dublin

Silver: Killarney Royal, Co Kerry

Bronze: The G Hotel & Spa, Co Galway

Ireland’s business and conference hotel

Gold: Carton House, A Fairmont Managed Hotel, Co Kildare

Silver: Great Southern Killarney, Co Kerry

Bronze: Radisson Blu Royal Hotel Dublin, Co Dublin

Ireland’s four-star hotel spa experience

Gold: Thermal Spa Village at Galgorm, Co Antrim

Silver: The Galmont Hotel & Spa, Co Galway

Bronze: The Johnstown Estate Hotel & Spa, Co Meath

Ireland’s hotel group, sponsored by Action Recruitment

Gold: MHL Hotel Collection

Ireland’s best family run hotel group, sponsored by Action Recruitment

Gold: The Blue Haven Collection, Co Cork

Ireland’s five-star hotel spa experience

Gold: Ashford Castle, Co Mayo

Silver: Dromoland Castle Hotel, Co Clare

Bronze: Dromoland Castle Hotel, Co Clare

Ireland’s country house and guest house experience

Gold: The Station House Hotel, Co Meath

Silver: Ballyvolane House, Co Cork

Bronze: Mount Falcon Estate, Co Mayo

Ireland’s wine experience, sponsored by Classic Drinks

Gold: The Lodge at Ashford Castle, Co Mayo

Silver: Ashford Castle, Co Mayo

Bronze: The Twelve Hotel, Co Galway

Ireland’s menu provenance award

Gold: BrookLodge & Macreddin Village, Co Wicklow

Silver: The Marker Dublin Hotel, Co Dublin

Bronze: Ballyvolane House, Co Cork

Ireland’s three-star hotel

Gold: Temple Bar Inn, Co Dublin

Silver: Conyngham Arms Hotel, Co Meath

Ireland’s business and catering, inc. contract catering, sponsored by Excel Recruitment

Gold: Compass Ireland, Co Dublin

Silver: Aramark @ AIB Molesworth Street, Co Dublin

Ireland’s grand wedding hotel

Gold: Mount Juliet Estate, Co Kilkenny

Silver: Armada Hotel, Co Clare

Bronze: Sligo Park Hotel & Leisure Club, Co Sligo

Ireland’s small wedding hotel

Gold: The Station House Hotel, Co Meath

Silver: Marlfield House Hotel and The Duck Restaurant, Co Wexford

Bronze: Headfort Arms Hotel. Co Meath

Ireland’s family friendly hotel, sponsored by Virgin Media

Gold: Newpark Hotel, Co Kilkenny

Silver: Amber Springs Hotel & Spa Resort, Co Wexford

Bronze: Sligo Park Hotel & Leisure Club, Co Sligo

Ireland’s castle and heritage wedding excellence

Gold: Castle Leslie Estate, Co Monaghan

Silver: Bellingham Castle, Co Kerry

Bronze: Tankardstown House, Co Meath

Ireland’s event caterer

Gold: Claire’s Kitchen, Co Mayo

Ireland’s front of house team/team member

Gold: Cashel Palace Hotel, Co Tipperary

Silver: The Montenotte, Co Cork

Bronze: Park Hotel Kenmare, Co Kerry

Ireland’s hotel casual dining experience

Gold: O’Donoghue Public House at Killarney Towers Hotel & Leisure Centre, Co Kerry

Silver: Kilkenny Hibernian Hotel, Co Kilkenny

Bronze: Diamond Coast Hotel, Co Sligo

Ireland’s five-star hotel casual dining experience

Gold: The Europe Hotel & Resort, Co Kerry

Silver: The Dunloe Hotel & Gardens, Co Kerry

Bronze: Dromoland Castle Hotel, Co Clare

Ireland’s guest experience, sponsored by Net Affinity

Gold: Harvey’s Point, Co Donegal

Silver: Lough Eske Castle, Co Donegal

Bronze: No 1 Pery Square Townhouse & Spa, Co Limerick

Ireland’s tourist hotel

Gold: Great Southern Killarney, Co Kerry

Silver: Killarney Royal, Co Kerry

Bronze: Ocean Sands Hotel Enniscrone, Co Sligo

Ireland’s education and healthcare caterer

Gold: Gather and Gather - University College Dublin

Ireland’s five-star chef of the year, sponsored by BWG Food Service

Gold: Adare Manor - Chef Michael Tweedie, Co Limerick

Silver: Anantara, The Marker Dublin Hotel - Chef Gareth Mullins, Co Dublin

Bronze: Ballyfin Demesne - Chef Richard Picard Edwards, Co Laois

Ireland’s chef of the year, sponsored by BWG Food Service

Gold: The Blue Haven Kinsale - Chef Meeran Manzoor, Co Cork

Silver: Kilronan Castle Estate & Spa - Chef Daniel Willimont, Co Roscommon

Bronze: The Lake Hotel - Chef Noel Enright, Co Kerry

Ireland’s four-star resort, sponsored by Soundtolight

Gold: Inchydoney Island Lodge & Spa, Co Cork

Silver: The Lake Hotel, Co Kerry

Bronze: Parknasilla Resort and Spa, Co Kerry

Ireland’s Fine Dining Hotel Restaurant

Gold: Ballynahinch Castle Hotel & Estate, Co Galway

Silver: Tankardstown House, Co Meath

Bronze: Kelly’s Resort Hotel, Co Wexford

Ireland’s five-star fine dining hotel restaurant

Gold: Mount Juliet Estate, Lady Helen, Co Kilkenny

Silver: Park Hotel Kenmare, Co Kerry

Bronze: Carton House, A Fairmont Managed Hotel, Co Kildare

Ireland’s five-star hotel, sponsored by SHR Group

Gold: The Merrion Hotel Dublin, Co Dublin

Silver: Hayfield Manor, Co Cork

Bronze: The Dunloe Hotel & Gardens, Co Kerry

Ireland’s outstanding customer service

Gold: Headfort Arms Hotel. Co Meath

Ireland’s innovative supplier

Gold: Excel Recruitment

Connacht’s Ireland’s favourite place to stay

The Haridman, Co Galway

Leinster’s Ireland’s favourite place to stay

Woodenbridge Hotel & Lodge, Co Wicklow

Munster’s Ireland’s favourite place to stay

Adare Manor, Co Limerick

Ulster’s Ireland’s favourite place to stay

Castle Leslie Estate, Co Monaghan

Overall winner Ireland’s Favourite Place to Stay

Castle Leslie Estate, Co Monaghan

Ireland’s Supreme Winner, sponsored by Virgin Media

Gold: The Europe Hotel & Resort, Co Kerry

#VirginGMA23