Revealed: Our soulless hotels and unimaginative menus
John McKenna, who yesterday launched the 2008 Bridgestone guide that rates Ireland’s 100 best places to stay described the new large hotels as “soulless”.
He stayed in a new large hotel in south Co Dublin recently and said he found it lacked the kind of hospitality that he was used to in smaller establishments.
“It probably had 150 rooms and it was just like a big box of compartments,” he said. “Almost 60 new hotels opened in Ireland last year and I do not think that is sustainable. I do not know what sort of a future they will have,” he said.
“When you go into a good hotel you should really feel that there is a proprietor who is concerned about your wellbeing and welfare and is there to offer you hospitality,” he said.
“There are just so many of these builders’ hotels and you are just not conscious of any hospitality. It is kind of depressing and not the direction we need to go in.”
The guide, written by Mr McKenna and his wife, Sally, has 12 new entries.
New destinations for 2008 include Gougane Barra Hotel, Macroom, Co Cork; Gregan’s Castle, the Burren, Co Clare; Pastis, Glencairn, Lismore, Co Waterford; Rigney’s Farmhouse, Kilcornan, Co Limerick; and Seomraí Só, Inis Meain, Aran Islands.
The guide also features the top 10 hotels for being pet friendly; for romance; walking holidays; great views; great surf and for getting away from it all.
The McKennas also launched the Bridgestone 100 Best Restaurants for 2008 and bemoaned the lack of ambition and similarity of menus in restaurants across the country.
Mr McKenna said they remained optimistic, however, with the coming of age and success of the “maverick” restaurateur.
“Thankfully, we have a growing band of mavericks who are doing their own thing, cooking with their own signature, and this is in line with developments in cities like New York, where substance is winning out over style,” he said.
He referred to the spicy fried dried jellyfish that can be enjoyed in the inexpensive Green Island Chinese restaurant in Moore Street, Dublin, and the cutting-edge ham sandwich at the Good Things Café in Durrus, Co Cork.
“What I like is going into a restaurant and being taken aback by choice of dishes or the use of unusual ingredients,” he said. “While I love old favourites like lamb shank and adore belly of pork, it becomes a problem when too many chefs are producing the same dish.”
Mr McKenna said the more imaginative chefs are producing the same dishes but would combine it with lobster or scallops. And if they are cooking chicken wings, they will serve it with fish.
There are 19 new entries in the 2008 guide including the Market, Limerick; Over the Moon, Co Cork; the Safe Cafe, Limerick; and Vaughan’s Anchor Inn, Co Clare.
The guide also features the top 10 great maverick restaurants; chefs to watch, great signature dishes; places to dress up for; places for business entertaining and places with great services and great-value restaurants.
bridgestoneguides.com
