News Blog - Hotel and Catering Review

Guinness’ Gravity Bar to Double in Size

The multi award winning Guinness Storehouse announced details of a 116m expansion plan which will see the iconic Gravity Bar double in size. With its panoramic 360 degree views over the city, Dublin’s highest bar has proven to be a highlight for the 16.5 million people who have visited the Guinness Storehouse since it opened in 2000. Subject to planning permission, it is hoped that construction [...]

Impressive Growth in Business Tourism Sector

The latest Fáilte Ireland estimates, based on CSO figures, indicate that business travel from overseas markets is worth in excess of a 700m to the Irish economy after growing by seven per cent during the period 2015 to 2016. The sector is estimated to support approximately 21,000 jobs. Reflecting this growth, Fáilte Ireland’s Business Tourism & Events team have directly influenced a 198m of promotable business [...]

Incentivising Corporate Buyers to Choose Ireland

A group of North American corporate and incentive buyers arrived in Ireland in May for a five day fact finding trip hosted by Fáilte Ireland in conjunction with Tourism Ireland.The buyers, who arrived into Shannon Airport, had the chance to carry out a number of site inspections at key venues across the country, including Adare Manor, Co Mayo, The Killarney Park Hotel and The Europe, Co [...]

Powerscourt Joins Luxury Global Network

Powerscourt Hotel Resort & Spa in Co Wicklow has become a member of prestigious global travel network Virtuoso, the number one network in the luxury travel industry, spanning more than 26 countries. “There’s a real kudos attached to being part of this network connecting prestige clients with leading travel providers like ourselves,” says John Costelloe, Assistant Director of Sales at Powerscourt Hotel Resort & Spa. Powerscourt’s [...]

Promoting WAW’s Cycling Potential

Fáilte Ireland announced on July 13th that it was teaming up with cycling specialists Ride Wild to launch the Wild Atlantic Way Cycle Sportif, a series of bi-annual cycling events along the coastal route (from Kinsale in West Cork to Muff in Donegal). The idea is to promote the Wild Atlantic Way as a cycling destination internationally and domestically, as well as attract visitors across the [...]

Ireland Breaks 1 Million US Visitors Barrier

Fáilte Ireland published its preliminary Tourism Facts 2016, a compilation of key findings on tourism performance in Ireland in 2016, on June 20th. With data from a number of sources, the report provides detail on where tourists came from, where they went in Ireland, why overseas tourists came to Ireland, where they stayed and what they did during last year. “This comprehensive reference guide for tourism [...]

TripAdvisor and Deliveroo Integrate Service Offering

TripAdvisor and Deliveroo recently announced the integration of Deliveroo’s restaurant network into the TripAdvisor desktop website, mobile web and mobile app experiences across 12 countries. Consumers browsing TripAdvisor restaurant listings now have the option to order food from more than 20,000 of Deliveroo’s restaurant partners spanning across 12 countries and more than 140 cities. By clicking the ‘Order Online’ button when browsing the TripAdvisor restaurant listing [...]

Irish-Based Chefs in Running for Global Award

The road to the S.Pellegrino Young Chef 2018 Grand Finale is still long, but 10 semi-finalists from each of the 21 regions worldwide are now one step closer. They have been selected from thousands of applications submitted by young chefs from over 90 countries, all of them looking for their chance to be part of S.Pellegrino’s global talent search for the world’s best young chef. Ireland/UK’s [...]

Hastings Celebrates 50 Years of Culloden

Northern Ireland’s Hastings Hotels is celebrating 50 years of ownership of the Culloden Estate & Spa. Hastings Hotels purchased the luxurious property in June 1967, and over the course of the last 50 years, under the direction of Sir William Hastings, has transformed the Culloden in size and luxury. “I purchased the Culloden in 1967 for £100,000, when it was a 13-bedroom boutique hotel with a [...]

Chevalier Award for Margot Slattery

Margot Slattery, Country President of Sodexo Ireland, was named Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Mérite by Jean-Pierre Thébault, the French Ambassador to Ireland, at a ceremony at the French Residence on Ailesbury Road on June 8th. It is bestowed to reward distinguished civil and other achievements by French citizens and other nationalities. Margot’s role in promoting diversity and inclusion, as well as promoting the role of [...]

Growing Tourism from the US and Germany

Tourism industry leaders from around the island of Ireland joined Tourism Ireland in Dublin on May 24th to take part in two workshops looking at ways to maximise growth from the US and German markets for Irish tourism over the coming years. Tourism revenue from the US grew by +72% and visitors by +48% over the period 2010 to 2015. Over one in 10 American travellers [...]

Integrated Payment Service for Irish Hospitality

BOI Payment Acceptance (BOIPA) has partnered with hospitality software and system provider Captiva POS to provide integrated payment solutions to its clients. Captiva POS is used for order and payments processing by over 1,000 hospitality outlets in Ireland, including Munchies, Hillbilly’s, Kanoodle, Ramen Thai, Thunders Bakery, Romayos and Sbarro Pizza. Now, with full support for BOIPA’s payment technology included in Captiva Software, Captiva clients will be [...]

Musgrave Supports Future Chefs

Musgrave MarketPlace recently announced a 2250,000 culinary arts support programme with DIT Grangegorman that will see the development of a new training restaurant and annual scholarship fund for the college’s School of Culinary Arts & Food Technology. The Musgrave MarketPlace training restaurant will serve as a state-of–the-art teaching space in the heart of the new DIT campus at Grangegorman. The restaurant will provide training facilities for [...]

Glenview Wins Business Excellence Award

The Glenview Hotel and Leisure Club, Wicklow has been awarded the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) Award and becomes only the third company in Ireland to reach the internationally recognised business excellence model’s Recognised for Excellence Four Star Standard. EFQM provides a framework for companies seeking to deliver added value to their customers while improving their overall operational and business performance. “At the Glenview we pride [...]

AA Rosettes for Lyrath Estate

La Perla restaurant at the Lyrath Estate Hotel in Kilkenny was recently awarded two AA rosettes. The chief architect behind La Perla’s recognition as an AA Rosette winning restaurant is Executive Head Chef Gary Rogers, who has almost 20 years’ experience in the industry from a variety of destinations all over the world. During his four years in Australia, Gary worked his way up from his [...]

Dublin Champions Enlighten Visitors

Over 40 front line tourism representatives from across the city and county were honoured as ‘Dublin Champions’ at a recent ceremony organised by Fáilte Ireland in The National Maritime Museum of Ireland in Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin. The group are now fully armed to help visitors uncover some of Dublin’s hidden stories and experiences.

Local Sourcing for Sports Stadium

Compass Group Ireland, the chosen foodservice provider for Páirc Uí Chaoimh, has committed to sourcing as much food produce as possible from Cork and Munster suppliers for the newly redeveloped sports stadium. The company, which is also the food partner for Dublin’s Aviva Stadium, secured the catering contract for the new multi-purpose facility when it re-opened on July 22nd. Local suppliers both in Cork and across [...]

Promoting Ireland in Tokyo

Club Tourism Inc, one of the leading travel agencies in Japan, will bring the first direct flight from Asia to Ireland this August, with 240 Japanese flying to Dublin on a charter flight operated by Japan Airlines. Senior representatives of Club Tourism Inc and Tourism Ireland attended an event in Tokyo on June 23rd, hosted by the Irish Ambassador to Japan, Anne Barrington. Tourism Ireland CEO [...]

Sodexo Helps to ‘Disrupt’ the Gender Gap

Tech-intensive industries are being decimated by an exodus of female role models at all levels due to the prevailing cultural issues around lifestyle. That’s according to Margot Slattery, Country President for Sodexo Ireland, who was speaking at the ‘Disrupt the Default - Closing the Gender Gap for Women in Tech’ event organised by Sodexo Ireland and global non-profit organisation Catalyst at the Bord Bia Thinkhouse in [...]

West Clare Tourist Information Point Opens

The official opening took place in Kilrush on July 18th of a new Tourist Information Point for West Clare. Located at the former Lillis Travel Agency office in the town square and operational until the end of September, the new service is a rural development and tourism initiative of Clare County Council in the West Clare Municipal District and is supported by Kilrush Chamber of Commerce. [...]

Design and Craft Businesses Charm Visitors

Design and craft businesses throughout Ireland’s Ancient East gathered in the Pembroke Hotel in Kilkenny on July 6th to attend a Design and Craft in Tourism workshop, organised by Fáilte Ireland. Thirty craft businesses came together to consider how their craft experience can meet the needs of the visitor and how, by engaging with tourism, they can grow their businesses and fit into Fáilte Ireland’s new [...]

ABP Ireland Strike Gold at Quality Awards

ABP Ireland were quadruple winners at the prestigious annual International Taste and Quality Institute (iTQi) Awards. The Brussels-based institute is a leading global authority when it comes to testing and promoting superior food and drink products. The 135 judges are selected from leading European culinary and sommeliers associations. ABP Ireland received three golden star awards for its Tipperary Dry Aged Black Angus rib eye steak and [...]

Wild Atlantic Way Stars on Swedish TV

A popular Swedish TV show, called Go’kväll, has been filming in the West of Ireland. The TV crew was here to record three separate episodes, capturing some of the unique experiences that their Swedish viewers can enjoy on holiday in Ireland. They’ve been visiting as guests of Tourism Ireland and Fáilte Ireland. Go’kväll is a daily lifestyle programme which airs on Sveriges Television, the national public broadcaster in [...]

Blooming Amazing Tea at The G

The g Hotel & Spa in Galway has been celebrating summer in style with its 2017 Floral Afternoon Tea. Served daily from 12pm to 6pm, afternoon tea at the g promises to infuse their customers’ days with colour and energy. Guests can indulge in delicate delights such as white chocolate hibiscus and pistachio brownie, saffron and vanilla verrine, macaroons, raspberry and lavender tartlets, and the miniature [...]

A Culinary Odyssey Awaits At Adare

The excitement is building as the team at Adare Manor prepare to open the hotel in the autumn following an 18-month renovation and expansion programme. Skilled professionals will provide best in class service and facilities, including innovative dining options for guests. Maev Martin reports. Loughlin Druhan was appointed as Director of Culinary at Adare Manor earlier this year, having lived abroad for over 15 [...]