Ashford Castle recently received five awards at the European Sustainable Tourism Awards.
The 800-year-old castle was awarded in the categories of Best Local Gastronomy, Best Luxury Eco Accommodation, Best Sustainable Historic Hotel, Best Sustainable Pet-Friendly Hotel, and Best Sustainable Accommodation in Ireland.
Responsible Future
The awards are organised by Quartz Inn Hotels and were created to encourage a more eco-friendly and responsible future for the tourism industry.
The judging panel included Francisco José Rodriguez Mora, head chef at the Trout at Tadpole Bridge; Katie Ellam, CEO of Book Eco Hotels; Jolanta Dziewit, director of sustainability at iVisitKrakow.com; Branislava Grbic, global sales manager at Rosewood Hotel Group; Roeland Verhamme, CEO and founder at Expect Me; Lidiia Tkachenko, director and co-founder of Quartz Inn Hotels; and Ignacio Merino, head of strategic partnerships at FreeTour.com.
‘Unwavering Commitment’
“Congratulations to Ashford Castle for their outstanding success,” said Jolanta Dziewit, director of sustainability, iVisitKrakow.com.
“Their unwavering commitment to sustainability exemplifies a distinguished standard for the industry, setting the stage for a more responsible and eco-friendly future.”
Red Carnation Hotels
Since its acquisition by Red Carnation Hotels in 2013, the castle has undergone restoration and preservation efforts, with a focus on local craftsmanship and supplier engagement.
Ashford Castle became the first hotel in Ireland to achieve the GREENMark Plastic Smart Standard Award, eliminating single-use plastics.
Volunteer Programmes
The establishment claims to actively support local communities through volunteer programmes, contributing over 215 hours in 2022.
Ashford Castle has also prioritised food sustainability, with on-site foraging, home-grown vegetables, and honey from estate apiaries.
Additionally, Ashford Castle has managed a commitment to waste reduction through partnerships with Winnow, the commercial food waste solutions provider, since 2020.
