Top honours for West Cork hotel and B&B
The Heron’s Cove in Goleen, West Cork, took the award of AA Guest Accommodation of the Year. Owned by Eurotoques chef Sue Hill, the B&B and restaurant was opened in 1985 and was completely rebuilt as it stands today following a fire in 1995.
Features which were found to have set The Heron’s Cove apart from the many other properties in its category were its stunning harbour-side setting and its AA Rosette award-winning cuisine.
The restaurant, which overlooks the peaceful Goleen Harbour, is led by chef Irene Coughlan and has achieved one AA Rosette status for the last three years running. This accolade is reserved for chefs who demonstrate a mastery of basic techniques and the ability to produce dishes of sound quality and clarity of flavours, using good and fresh ingredients. The restaurant was also recently awarded an AA Breakfast Award.
Ms Hill said the award was recognition of more than three decades in the hospitality business.
“We are truly honoured to win this award. It is the highlight of 35 years’ provision of quality hospitality on the Mizen peninsula in beautiful West Cork,” said Ms Hill, who has also developed the Mizen Head Signal Station Visitor Centre over the last 20 years
Owned and run by the Cronin/Lucey family for five generations, the 26-bedroomed Gougane Barra Hotel in the Muscraí Gaeltacht won the AA Courtesy and Care Award.
No stranger to awards, the hotel has received an AA Rosette for culinary excellence annually since 2006 and it was also awarded the AA Tourism Innovation Award in 2008 for its highly successful Theatre by the Lake programme, which is housed in a marquee on the stunning lakeshore.
Owner Neil Lucey said he was proud to carry on a family tradition in the hospitality sector.
“Courtesy and care is a family passion of ours that has stemmed from five generations,” he said. “We are very lucky to have a great family and team who enjoy their work and have pride in continuing the tradition of welcome in Gougane Barra.”
