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The winners of the 2026 Irish Hotel Awards were announced on Monday 19 October, recognising hotels, venues and staff across the country. The ceremony highlighted top properties and the people who run them — from chefs and front-of-house teams to managers and porters.
Standout achievers of the night
Killarney’s Aghadoe Heights Hotel & Spa dominated several headline categories, picking up awards for Best 5 Star Hotel, Best Afternoon Tea and Best Fine Dining. The property also earned an honourable region mention for spa experience in Munster.
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Co Lough’s Waterford Castle Hotel & Golf Resort was another big winner, taking home both Best Romantic Hotel and Best Golf Experience. Dublin’s Clontarf Castle Hotel claimed the prize for Best Hotel Restaurant.
Complete list of winners
Hotel categories
- Best 3 Star Hotel: Winner — Abbey Court Hotel & Leisure Centre. Regional finalists included Ard Rí House Hotel (Connacht) and Maldron Hotel Tallaght (Dublin).
- Best 4 Star Hotel: Winner — Shannon Springs Hotel. Finalists included The Lodge at Ashford Castle (Connacht) and Hyatt Centric, The Liberties (Dublin).
- Best 4 Star Lux Hotel: Winner — Bishop’s Gate Hotel. Other regional nominees included Kilronan Castle Estate & Spa and Kilkea Castle Hotel & Golf Resort.
- Best 5 Star Hotel: Winner — Aghadoe Heights Hotel & Spa. Conrad Dublin and Mount Juliet Estate Hunter’s Yard Hotel were also shortlisted.
- Best Castle Hotel: Winner — Kilkea Castle Hotel & Golf Resort. Kinnitty Castle Hotel received a highly commended mention.
- Best Newcomer: Winner — Radisson RED Galway.
- Best Boutique Hotel: Winner — Fiddle + Bow.
- Best Country Hotel: Winner — Faithlegg.
- Best City Hotel: Winner — The Address Cork.
- Best Business Hotel: Winner — Radisson Blu Hotel Letterkenny.
- Best Airport Hotel: Winner — Shannon Springs Hotel.
- Best Local Hotel: Winner — Old Ground Hotel Ennis.
- Best Dog-Friendly Hotel: Winner — The Mill Lodges.
- Best Family-Friendly Hotel: Winner — Newpark Hotel Kilkenny.
Experience and leisure awards
- Best Coastal Escape: Winner — Dingle Skellig Hotel.
- Best Golf Experience: Winner — Waterford Castle Hotel & Golf Resort (with Diamond Coast Hotel highly commended).
- Best Spa Experience: Winner — Dunboyne Castle Hotel & Spa. Aghadoe Heights received a Munster mention.
- Best Hotel Bar: Winner — Shannon Springs Hotel.
- Best Breakfast: Winner — The Lake Hotel.
- Best Afternoon Tea: Winner — Aghadoe Heights Hotel & Spa.
Food, drink and dining
- Best Hotel Restaurant: Winner — Clontarf Castle Hotel.
- Best Fine Dining: Winner — Aghadoe Heights Hotel & Spa.
- Best Food & Beverage Manager: Winner — Robin Sukumaran, Clontarf Castle Hotel.
- Best Chef: Winner — Daniel Glavin, The Lake Hotel.
- Best Kitchen Porter: Winner — Krzysztof Wendilowski, The Glasshouse Hotel.
Weddings and events
- Best Waterside Wedding Venue: Winner — Dingle Skellig Hotel.
- Best Intimate Wedding Venue: Winner — Belle Isle Estate.
- Best Waterside Wedding Venue (highly commended): The Maritime Hotel.
- Best Event Manager: Winner — Gill Long, Newpark Hotel Kilkenny.
- Best Wedding Planner: Winner — Lorna McKeon, The Westgrove Hotel.
Service and operations
- Best Service: Winner — Gateway Hotel.
- Best Front Office Manager: Winner — Dejan Sipak, The Fleet Hotel.
- Best Guest Relations Manager: Winner — Sandra Leonard, Clayton Hotel Cardiff Lane.
- Best Accommodation Services Manager: Winner — Iwona Kepinski, The Fleet Hotel.
- Best Duty Manager: Winner — Wenbin Wang, The Plaza Hotel.
- Best General Manager: Winner — Egle Tamosauskaite, Herbert Park Hotel and Park Residence.
Revenue, marketing and HR
- Best Marketing Manager: Winner — Laura Catterson, Four Seasons Hotel & Leisure Club, Monaghan.
- Best Revenue Manager: Winner — Clare Harkin, Radisson Blu Hotel Letterkenny.
- Best Human Resource Manager: Winner — Michelle Baird, Manor Country Hotel.
Recognition for rising talent
- Best Rising Star (hotel): Winner — Temple Gate Hotel.
- Best Rising Star (individual): Winner — Sophil Killough, Voco Belfast.
- Best Food & Beverage Manager: Winner — Robin Sukumaran, Clontarf Castle Hotel.
What the awards reflect
The Irish Hotel Awards program recognises both properties and the professionals who keep them running. Winners range from large, luxury estates to smaller regional hotels and individual staff members, underlining how service, culinary quality and guest experience drive reputation across Ireland’s hospitality sector.
Full shortlists and regional nominees were announced at the ceremony and across award categories. The results highlight regional strengths — coastal resorts, castle properties and city hotels all featured among the night’s winners.
