Luxury hotels are under-performing, says the woman behind the annual hospitality awards

Far too many four and five-star hotels in Ireland are under-performing and proving a disappointment to high-paying guests, according to Georgina Campbell, the woman behind the annual hospitality awards.

Photo: Graham Neville, head chef at Dax Restaurant, Dublin 2, which was named Restaurant of the Year in the Georgina Campbell awards, with Gary O’Hanlon, head chef of Viewmount House, Longford, who won the ‘Hospitality Hero’ award for services to Irish food and hospitality. Pic: Paul Sherwood

Announcing the awards for 2018, Ms Campbell said that while she and her team of assessors had enjoyed good experiences over the past year, there had also been far too many disappointments in all areas and all kinds of establishments.

“The Irish food experience is certainly improving —largely thanks to dedication at grassroots level and the ever-increasing availability of diverse small-production foods throughout the country — but, as has become usual over the last few years, our least satisfactory experiences have again tended to be in four-star and five-star hotels.

“Higher prices mean higher expectations, of course, but the high level of dissatisfaction is often down to simple things that could easily be fixed at any level, plus a lack of hospitality, which often means lack of a host, and poor staff training.”

Ms Campbell said that the Irish Breakfast Awards, held in association with Fáilte Ireland in April, brought hotel categorisation into sharp focus.

Diana Dodog and her husband Michael in Food Depot, Clonakilty and Courtmacsherry, Co Cork, won the Street Food of the Year award. Pic: Paul Sherwood

“It’s hard to avoid the conclusion that there are too many underperforming four and five-star properties, whereas good three-stars deserve to be held in higher regard and we would like to see the best ones resist the ambition to move up to the next category.”

She made her comments as representatives of the very best in Irish hospitality gathered at Bord Bia’s Thinking House in Dublin yesterday, for the announcement of the 2018 Georgina Campbell Awards.

Among the top award winners were James and Beryl Kearney, and Gary O’Hanlon, of Viewmount House, in Longford, who received the ‘Hospitality Hero’ Award, in recognition of their special contribution to Irish food and hospitality.

The Twelve Hotel in Barna, Co Galway, was named Hotel of the Year, while Restaurant of The Year award went to Dax Restaurant in Dublin. Bar One in Castlebar, Co Mayo, got the gong for Pub of the Year.

Dromoland Castle in Co Clare won two major awards.

David McCann is Chef of the Year while his colleague Tony Frisby, restaurant manager of the Earl of Thomond restaurant, was named Host of the Year.

Speaking about the ongoing search for excellence, Ms Campbell said: “Through our programme of anonymous assessment, we’re always keeping a sharp eye out for those exceptional establishments which are right on top of their game and going the extra mile for customers.

David McCann, the head chef at Dromoland Castle, Co Clare, who is Chef of the Year, and Host of the Year Tony Frisby, restaurant manager, Earl of Thomond Restaurant, Dromoland Castle. Pic: Paul Sherwood

“Once again this year, we have found plenty of new ones worthy of recommendation, especially in urban areas. What we seek is not perfection but real food and hospitality with real heart, and we’re continuing to find it in clusters of excellence all over the country.”

She said she and her team had some especially good experiences in the North over the year and also in areas like the Burren and North-West, including Derry.

She noted that, despite the huge popularity of casual dining, there is no sign of fine dining disappearing.

“The biggest trend continues to be in drinks, however, and while welcome, with new craft breweries and independent distilleries opening on an almost weekly basis, it may be time to take stock.”