DONEGAL’S five-star Lough Eske Castle hotel (above) has won a prestigious international award for the second year running.
The gothic-style pile has been named the “World’s Luxury Country Hotel” by the World Luxury Hotel Awards (WLHA).
The award was presented at a ceremony at the Dusit Thani Hua Hin hotel in Thailand.
Nominations for the awards are made by both members of the travel industry and guests with 50 judges drawn from tour operators and travel consultancies.
Lough Eske Castle, which is just three years old but has already attracted an international clientele, was chosen after being shortlisted among 200 hotels worldwide. The 95-bed hotel is near Donegal town and is set on over 40 acres of woodlands and gardens.
Meanwhile, Ashford Castle has been named “Best Resort in Europe” by Condé Nast Traveler magazine in the US. Ashford Castle general manager Niall Rochford paid tribute to his team at the castle in Cong, Co Mayo, saying: “This is a positive story which conveys how highly regarded the Irish hospitality industry is at an international level, at a time when the Irish hotel industry is much maligned.”