The awards just keep rolling in for Ashford Castle

ASHFORD Castle has been awarded three accolades at the 2017 Travel + Leisure World's Best Awards, further cementing its reputation as one of the world's leading hotels. 

The prestigious property was named as the No. 2 Top Resort Hotel in UK & Ireland, the No. 6 Top Resort in Europe and No. 59 in the list of Top 100 Hotels in the World.  

Travel + Leisure magazine's annual awards honour the top destinations, hotels, resorts, spas, airlines and more as voted by its readers. 

Reflecting the exceptional standard of the Irish hospitality industry, this year's World's Best Awards mark a particularly successful year for Ireland, with Irish hotels claiming four of the five places in the Top Resort Hotels in UK & Ireland category. 

Ashford Castle is one of only two Irish properties to be named in the Top 100 Hotels in the World category and is joined by fellow Red Carnation Hotels, the 41 Hotel, the Milestone Hotel and the Egerton House Hotel in London. 

General manager, Mr. Niall Rochford, commented: “We are honoured to have been recognised by Travel + Leisure readers as one of the World's Best and particularly to have featured in three prestigious categories. 

“Ashford Castle truly offers guests an experience like no other, from the castle's rich history to modern luxuries like our award-winning Spa, the invigorating outdoor activities on our 350 acre estate to an exceptional level of service, as would be expected of a Red Carnation Hotel property. 

'We strive to be the best in everything we do and will continue to excite and surprise those whom we have the pleasure of welcoming through our doors.â€

Once home to the Guinness family for over 100 years, the five-star property and its 350-acre estate in County Mayo offers guests the ultimate luxury resort vacation, boasting elegantly appointed rooms and suites, fine dining and acclaimed Irish hospitality on a grand scale. 

The estate's expansive grounds provide the perfect playground for a wealth of outdoor pursuits such as golf, horse-riding, kayaking, cycling, ziplining, fishing, clay shooting and flying a hawk at Ireland's first Falconry School.       

Following a three-year restoration of the 800-year-old building, the hotel reopened to guests in April 2015, modernised and enhanced far beyond the requisite standards of a leading luxury hotel, while retaining the original features and essence of the castle's history. 

The careful restoration process included the addition of new facilities such as a 32-seat cinema, Billiards Room, Cigar Terrace, Wine Cellar and conservatory which houses a spa, gym and ozone-filtrated pool. 

Recent accolades including ‘Opening of the Year' at the 2015 European Hospitality Awards and ‘Hotel of the Year 2015' by luxury travel network Virtuoso, has firmly re-established Ashford Castle as one of the world's most prestigious hotel resorts.