Renowned Offaly hotel claims honours at the Gold Medal Awards

The County Arms Birr Hotel was among the honours when the prestigious 2026 Gold Medal Awards were held at the Galmont Hotel & Spa, Galway on Tuesday (January 27).

The renowned Offaly hotel claimed the silver medal in the competition's Best Small Wedding Hotel category, which was won The Station House Hotel in Co. Meath. In third-place was Co. Dublin's Luttrellstown Castle Resort.

Donegal's Harvey's Point Hotel won the overall Supreme Hotel Award, as over 700 people from across the hotel and catering industry gathered for the event, which was hosted by Anton Savage. Over 1,000 entries were submitted this year across 38 categories.

Now in its 36th year, the Gold Medal Awards aim to recognise and celebrate the outstanding achievements of the hospitality industry from across the country.

With each category of hotel put to the test by an expert judging panel, the ceremony highlighted those who have shown the highest level of excellence and quality within the industry over the past year, from the best afternoon tea offering to the best fine dining experience.

There was further succes for Midlands' based entrants with Co. Roscommon's Kilronan Castle Estate & Spa announced as the winner of Ireland's Four-Star Hotel category, and their Head Chef, Daniel Willimont, coming away with the Chef of the Year prize on the night. The Hodson Bay Hotel, in Athlone, came in third-place in the competition's 'Wine Experience' category, which was won by Ashford Castle in Mayo.