Three Irish hotels named among Europe's best in Travel + Leisure awards

Irish Independent

15-07-2025

Dublin's The Westbury ranked 12th and The Merrion 14th on a list of Europe's best city hotels based on reader surveys, while Sheen Falls Lodge in Co Kerry placed at No. 14 on its readers' list of Europe's best resorts.
Travel + Leisure is a hugely influential US-based magazine and website, and it says almost 180,000 readers weighed in on its latest rankings.
Last year, Ballyfin in Co Laois was named its readers' top resort in the UK and Ireland.
The World's Best Awards do not include an Irish ranking, but picked out Dublin's top three hotels as The Westbury, The Merrion and The Shelbourne.
'This is a home away from home,' one reader said of The Westbury.
Readers were also impressed by the five-star's 'elegant interiors and museum-quality artwork legends such as Sir John Lavery and Louis le Brocquy', as well as 'small' details such as 'beds that you melt into,' and 'stunning cocktails'.
'The Westbury team are very proud to create meaningful and memorable experiences for each guest, and this is a wonderful recognition of that dedication,' said Vincent O'Gorman, the Doyle Collection hotel's general manager.
Gleneagles in Scotland was named the UK & Ireland's top resort for 2025, followed by Sheen Falls lodge, Dromoland Castle in Co Clare and Adare Manor in Co Limerick.
'This year, readers showed an appreciation for spots that married storied heritage and modern indulgence, especially in rural settings far from the bustle of city life,' Travel + Leisure said.
The World's Best Awards are one of multiple international awards and recognitions for hotels each year, ranging from Forbes and AA stars to editorial selections like Conde Nast Traveller's Gold List (which this year included Adare Manor) to the World's 50 Best and Michelin's new 'keys' - a take on its stars for restaurants.
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Condé Nast's Readers' Choice Awards are probably the closest direct comparison – last year, they saw Adare Manor named Europe's best resort.
Each list and awards reflect their own particular methodologies and audience tastes, and hotels will often use marketing and other criteria to assess which to target, encouraging guests to vote for them in email and other campaigns.
Travel + Leisure readers' top European city hotel was named as Raffles Istanbul this year, while its top resort was Grace Hotel by Auberge Resorts in Santorini.
'Istanbul and Paris dominated this year's city hotel rankings, proving that travellers continue to crave the mix of history, culinary sophistication and polished hospitality that these famed cities deliver," it said.
The World's Best Awards achieved some 657,000 votes across categories like hotels, cities, islands, cruise ships and more, with hotels rated on rooms and facilities, location, service, food and value.
The world's best hotel was named as andBeyond Bateleur Camp - a 19-tent stay in Kenya's Masai Mara National Reserve.