Ashford Castle only Irish hotel on Forbes Five-Star honours list

FORBES Travel Guide has announced its star rating winners for 2021 and, for the second consecutive year, Ashford Castle is the only hotel in Ireland to achieve a Five-Star ranking in the annual honours list, the top rating possible and the ultimate gold standard in hospitality.

Ashford Castle is part of an elite group of luxury hotels around the world that have earned this coveted Five-Star Forbes Travel Guide (FTG) ranking.

Niall Rochford, general manager at Ashford Castle, said: “After a tremendously difficult year for the hospitality industry, the team as Ashford Castle couldn’t have asked for better news at this time. This is arguably the most coveted accolade for any hotel and receiving the news that we have retained our Five-Star rating in the 2021 Forbes Travel Guide is hugely rewarding. We truly have the best team and I couldn’t be more proud.”

Forbes’ team of inspectors travel the world to assess hotels, restaurants and spas based on 900 objective standards that determine its coveted annual star ratings, paying particular attention to the provision of exceptional service.

The top award is given only to properties that meet more than 500 service and physical criteria during anonymous inspections, showing 'an impeccable standard of excellence in hospitality'.

They visit every property anonymously as a paying guest with every star rating earned through an objective, independent process.

Commending Ashford Castle on its win, FTG referenced how the hotel had achieved global gold standards during such a challenging year for the hospitality industry, in which the hotel continued to demonstrate its wonderful five-star service and hospitality to guests and particularly, despite the global pandemic.

With 83 rooms and suites, together with a hideaway cottage, Ashford Castle is set in a spectacular 350-acre estate in Cong, and is part of the Red Carnation Hotel Collection and a member of Leading Hotels of the World.