CIE Tours has celebrated the diversity and richness of experiences offered by Irish tourism at its annual Awards of Excellence. The event took place at EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum in Dublin on February 8, 2023, gathering together senior representatives of Ireland’s tourism sector to recognize Ireland’s hospitality ambassadors.

The CIE Tours Awards of Excellence were first launched in 1990.  This year’s awards are presented based on post-stay feedback received from nearly 20,000 customers surveyed throughout 2022.  The data and information obtained from these surveys is invaluable to CIE Tours’ partners who use it to continuously improve their offering to their clients.  

All of the awardees delivered an exceptional quality experience and welcome to visitors, achieving a customer satisfaction rating of over 92%.

Fourteen overall award winners were announced; each achieved the highest customer rating in their category:

• Best 5 Star Hotel: Grand Central Hotel, Belfast
• Best 4 Star Hotel: Cabra Castle Hotel, Cavan
• Best 3 Star Hotel: Dooley’s Hotel, Waterford
• Best Hotel Accommodation: Dunraven Adare Hotel, Limerick
• Best Hotel Dinner: Ballygarry Estate Hotel & Spa, Kerry
• Best Hotel Service & Hospitality: Clayton Hotel, Burlington Road, Dublin
• Best Event Dinner / Entertainment: The Crosskeys Inn, Antrim
• Special Dinner Feature: Killeen House Hotel, Killarney, Kerry
• Best Tour Feature: Marine Bar, Waterford
• Best Walking Tour: Westport Walking Tour, Mayo
• Best Visit: Cliffs of Moher, Clare
• Best Lunch: Taylors Three Rock, Dublin
• Best Sheep Dog Trial: Atlantic Sheepdogs, Sligo
• National Heritage Award: Brendan Ferris Sheep Dog Trials, Kerry

Merit Awards were also presented to 54 hotels and tourist attractions who achieved a customer rating of 92% or higher (see full list below).

CIE Tours International Awards - Merit Winners 2023:

HOTEL MERIT WINNERS:

Leinster Hotel Merit Winners:

• Dublin: Ashling Hotel | Clontarf Castle Hotel | Davenport Hotel | Herbert Park Hotel | Hilton Garden Inn | Hyatt Centric, The Liberties | Radisson Blu Royal Hotel | Maldron Hotel Pearse St | Royal Marine Hotel
• Kildare: Barberstown Castle Hotel
• Munster Hotel Merit Winners:
• Clare: Dromoland Castle Hotel
• Cork: Kinsale Hotel and Spa
• Kerry: Dingle Skellig Hotel | Great Southern Killarney | Killarney Avenue Hotel | Killarney Plaza Hotel | Killarney Towers Hotel | The Brehon Killarney
• Waterford: Granville Hotel

Ulster Hotel Merit Winners:

• Belfast: Europa Hotel

Connaught Hotel Merit Winners:

• Galway: Salthill Hotel
• Roscommon: Kilronan Castle

VISITOR ATTRACTION MERIT WINNERS:

Leinster Visit Merit Winner:

• Dublin: Dalkey Castle & Heritage Centre | Experience Glasnevin | EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum | Guinness Storehouse | Kilmainham Gaol | Little Museum of Dublin
• Kildare: Castletown House | Irish National Stud & Gardens
• Kilkenny: Greta Power Bungalow B&B | Sullivan’s Tap Room
• Louth: Listoke Distillery & Gin School
• Offaly: Clonmacnoise
• Westmeath: Sean’s Bar
• Wexford: Dunbrody Emigrant Ship | Johnstown Castle
• Wicklow: Glendalough Visitor Centre
• Munster Visit Merit Winner:
• Cork: Blarney Castle
• Kerry: John B. Keane's Pub | Killarney Horse & Carriage Tours | Tangney Tours Jaunting Car | South Pole Inn

Ulster Visit Merit Winner:

• Antrim: Giant's Causeway
• Donegal: Donegal Castle | Slieve League Cliffs
• Down: Hillsborough Castle

Connaught Visit Merit Winner:

• Galway: Connemara Celtic Crystal | Dan O’Hara Homestead | Dún Aonghasa | Kylemore Abbey
• Mayo: Ballintubber Abbey | Killary Harbour Cruise