'Destination Breaffy' to be upgraded to a four-star facility

AFTER a lapse of 22-years Breaffy House Hotel, Castlebar, is to be upgraded to a four-star facility.

The management team at the hotel has been working with Fáilte Ireland for the past three years to regain the ‘lost’ star.

The hotel’s general manager, Wilson Bird, announced the four-star accreditation would come into effect from this September.

Mr. Bird exclaimed: “That is probably the proudest moment of my life and I know the management team here are all excited and energised by getting the fourth star.”

He made the announcement at the official launch of Breaffy House Resort’s ‘BBQ on the South Terrace’ outdoor dining campaign for summer 2018.

The event showcased the best of what ‘Destination Breaffy’ has to offer by way of its conference facilities, private dining and outdoor dining product offerings.

Local corporate guests were treated to a splendour of visual delights and tasty bites throughout the evening not to mention the aroma and splendour of the eye-catching ‘pig on a spit’.

With a buzzing atmosphere which included music, food, private tours of its recently upgraded conference facilities and fully refurbished manor and superior deluxe bedrooms, the event was a huge success.

It was an extravaganza which delivered well beyond the ‘wow factor’ providing a truly memorable experience for all its guests.

Mr. Bird added: “Our new conference facilities and refurbished manor and superior deluxe bedrooms together with our private dining and outdoor dining service offerings have been a major part of our recent €3.5million investment here at ‘Destination Breaffy’.

“We are proud to showcase all that is on offer to our corporate clients and are delighted that so many could attend.”

"The Willow, Beech, Ash and Oak conference rooms, he said, come equipped with air conditioning, wireless Internet access, state-of-the-art audio visual technology and are wheelchair accessible.

"Private restrooms and natural daylight complete the list of desired ‘must have’ conference facilities. These rooms can be easily configured into four separate conference rooms or two adjoining conference rooms accommodating groups of between 20 to 100 delegates."

Deputy general manager, Michael Yates, added: “Private dining facilities are another key aspect of the recent investment at Destination Breaffy.

"Whether it’s for that all-important business meeting presentation, or a private function or buffet for that special celebration - retirement, employee appreciation, team building, Communion, Confirmation, Christening, or graduation - we pride ourselves on offering this excellent private dining facility for anywhere between 20 to 80 guests.”

Private dining packages are available with either a three-course per person lunch or dinner menu option and include a room hire charge of €150 plus two complimentary bottles of Moet Champagne.

Reiterating the demand for private dining services, Mr. Bird stated: “We already see an increase in demand for our private dining package offers which is testament to the type of clientele we continue to attract here at Breaffy House Resort.”

The BBQ event included an outdoor gin bar with an education on Schweppes mixers by bar supervisor, Sean Conway, while the leisure club facilities manager, Cathy Geraghty, provided an eclectic mix of fitness exercises on the south lawn hellipad.

The recently upgraded spa facilities were showcased by spa manager, Shauna O’ Connor, and her team who provided educational and inspirational beauty and massage tips and express massages throughout the evening.

The newly added Glenowen ice cream completes the outdoor dining experience.

Mr. Bird gave a brief account of how the hotel facilities have been upgraded.

He said: “The management team and our staff at the hotel have brought the hotel from €4 million turnover when I started to almost €9 million this year. In the last five years we have done 320 weddings. We have got working with us 236 staff, of which 211 are Irish.

“We have an annual pay roll of €3.8 million and the majority of that is kept local. We spent €4 million doing up the hotel over three years and €3.8 million of that being local. We pay €1.8 million to 23 local suppliers.”

He said the three owners, Owen, Kelly, Gerry Murphy and Cyril Duffy from Balla, have reinvested everything made in the hotel and that is the exact plan going forward.

Kiltimagh native Maggie Ruane, the new head of sales and marketing at Breaffy House, said: “Our owners are very committed to investing in this property.

"The fact that high profile brands are choosing Destination Breaffy to be the launchpad for their products says a lot of what we have done here to raise the bar of Breaffy.”