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This Irish hotel has been named as the best in the world

It’s in Mayo!

ASHFORD CASTLE HAS been voted the world’s number one hotel by Virtuoso, an international network of luxury travel agencies.

The announcement was made last night at the “Best of the Best” awards at the annual Virtuoso Travel Week event in Las Vegas.

This was the first time ever that an Irish hotel was nominated.

ASHFORD CASTLE

Tourism Ireland’s head of North America Alison Metcalfe said: “Given that there are almost 1,100 five star, luxury properties in the Virtuoso hotel and resorts portfolio, Ashford’s nomination – and subsequent win last night – is a wonderful achievement.

The award also helps to raise the profile of Ireland in general, in the high end, luxury travel category in North America – an important segment for tourism to the island of Ireland.

“It gives us another hook to showcase our superb luxury tourism product, including our castles, luxury resorts and boutique hotels, our rich culture and heritage, and not forgetting our world-class golf.”

Read: Hotels are raking in the cash – and here’s how much they make on every room>

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40 Comments
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    Mute Brad Thompson
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    Aug 13th 2015, 3:15 PM

    Premier Inn Swords might have something to say about that

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    Mute Oliver Cullen
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    Aug 13th 2015, 5:32 PM

    Classic!

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    Mute John Reese
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    Aug 13th 2015, 3:38 PM

    Well deserved. The castle has seen a €40 million renovation over the past year and fair play to the new owners they hired all local contractors/people from the Mayo/Galway region. It really is a beautiful setting and well worth a walk around the grounds for those who have never been.

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    Mute whereisspace
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    Aug 13th 2015, 4:30 PM

    Careful John…the owners might be called racist if they hire only local folk…..

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    Mute P O Leary.
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    Aug 13th 2015, 4:51 PM

    And I believe the allowed the current staff work in other hotels they own around the world while work was going on.

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    Mute Powerful Sayings
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    Aug 13th 2015, 3:19 PM

    Stayed many times. Couldn’t say a bad word of it. Great news.

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    Mute Dave O Keeffe
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    Aug 13th 2015, 9:21 PM

    no recession round here! :p

    67
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    Mute Sgt Pepper
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    Aug 13th 2015, 3:29 PM

    That’s what my house looks like. Takes me ages to paint it.

    207
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    Mute Victor Donnelly
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    Aug 13th 2015, 3:40 PM

    Well done, great win. Building looks fabulous in the picture.

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    Mute Dave Purnell
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    Aug 13th 2015, 3:23 PM

    Brilliant to see

    186
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    Mute Mayo Weather
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    Aug 13th 2015, 3:28 PM

    The only thing ridiculous or question marky about this Angie and Mark is that it wasn’t awarded sooner. We believe there is an anti-Mayo sentiment on here due to the fact that we are proving to be the most powerful, smartest, athletic, beautiful and now hospitable county in the Country. Congrats to all at Mayo Inc., let the sun shine!

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    Mute Paul Radford
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    Aug 13th 2015, 3:31 PM

    And don’t forget Loius Walsh is from Mayo too

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    Mute Niall Martin
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    Aug 13th 2015, 4:22 PM

    Or that the castle is technically in Galway ;)

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    Mute Lou Tennant
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    Aug 13th 2015, 6:47 PM

    Holy crap, it actually is in Galway. I never knew that

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    Mute Dave O Keeffe
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    Aug 13th 2015, 9:19 PM

    or that the profile pic is Galway themed

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    Mute The Wine Baron
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    Aug 14th 2015, 7:58 AM

    Still no sign of Sam though amazing as you are

    19
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    Mute Pete Gibson
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    Aug 14th 2015, 9:58 AM

    Mayo people are so smart they don’t know where Mayo ends and Galway starts..
    I heard about Putin annexing the Crimea but not about Co. Mayo annexing Co. Galway.

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    Mute Joanne Byrne
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    Aug 15th 2015, 8:36 PM

    Ashford Castle is split between the two counties Mayo / Galway!!!

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    Mute Mary Ward
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    Aug 13th 2015, 3:24 PM

    Brilliant news

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    Mute Lisa Ryan
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    Aug 13th 2015, 4:02 PM

    Super congrats to you #Ashford Castle

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    Mute Rob Roe
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    Aug 13th 2015, 4:45 PM

    Amazing hotel loved it

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    Mute Montgomery
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    Aug 13th 2015, 3:34 PM

    The Ibis budget I stayed in in Manchester blows it out of the water

    53
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    Mute Daisy Chainsaw
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    Aug 13th 2015, 11:45 PM

    Park Inn Manchester is way better than any Ibis.

    3
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    Mute John Nolan
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    Aug 13th 2015, 4:59 PM

    My favourite Irish hotel by a mile.

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    Mute jack frost
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    Aug 13th 2015, 5:12 PM

    Is that price with or without breakki ?

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    Mute Mark Gerard Lochlain
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    Aug 13th 2015, 3:17 PM

    Really!!???

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    Mute Alan Scott
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    Aug 13th 2015, 3:52 PM

    I would love to know how much a night they are charging.

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    Mute M
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    Aug 13th 2015, 4:07 PM

    Could always check on that there internet they have now.

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    Mute John King
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    Aug 13th 2015, 4:23 PM

    475per night is the cheapest I saw

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    Mute Amanda Scott
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    Aug 29th 2015, 9:19 PM

    Will stick to the tent in the park.

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    Mute AngieW114
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    Aug 13th 2015, 3:21 PM

    That’s ridiculous!

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    Mute Lou Tennant
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    Aug 13th 2015, 6:44 PM

    why?

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    Mute David Cloherty
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    Aug 13th 2015, 9:34 PM

    Yes it’s in Galway it’s facing outerard Co Galway on the lough corrib the the entrance is in cong Co mayo I was told on the corrib cruise

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    Mute HRH The Brummie
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    Aug 13th 2015, 10:24 PM

    considering it’s recently reopened they didn’t have much time to check it out. Fiat and Renault cars still get car of the year from some car magazine or other. let TripAdvisor reviews decide.

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    Mute Margaret
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    Aug 13th 2015, 6:35 PM

    Enda will be thrilled!

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    Mute Micheal S. O' Ceilleachair
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    Aug 14th 2015, 11:25 AM

    Now to be known as the King Cong Hotel!!!!!!

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    Mute Mary McDermott
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    Aug 13th 2015, 7:04 PM

    What about Best Hotel in San Francisco

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    Mute Pete Gibson
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    Aug 14th 2015, 11:51 AM

    I am genuinely curious as to why they give their address as Cong,Co. Mayo.
    (Cong is on the other side of Lough Corrib, just over the bridge.)
    Would it have anything to do with the film “The Quiet Man”?
    Wealthy American tourists want to stay near where John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara had their skirmishes.

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    Mute Tom Hannon
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    Aug 17th 2015, 1:24 AM

    ok good news for those who can afford to stay in it. looks like the travelodge for me

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    Mute Albert Barrett
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    Aug 13th 2015, 3:57 PM

    Wow,well done, some achievement. Must check it out.

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