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The Travel & Hospitality Award winners have been released and The Connacht Hotel is proud to announce that it has been awarded Family Friendly Hotel of the Year in the 2021 European Travel Awards programme.

While this year has been the toughest the travel industry has ever faced, the judges endeavoured to recognise those who deserve praise and to promote the hard work of tenacious travel businesses. Recipients of Travel & Hospitality awards in 2021 were scrupulously selected based on the aggregation of reviews from multiple third-party sources. Selected by a panel of experts who analyse submission material, review customer feedback and compare the facilities of each entrant.

In ainneoin na ndúshlán a bhí roimh thionscadal turasóireachta na Gaillimhe in 2020, tá cuideachta amháin i nGaillimh atá meáite ar theacht slán, beag beann ar gach rud atá ina coinne. Tá teacht aniar agus neart á léiriú ag Grúpa Fáilteachais Chonnacht sa tréimhse dhúshlánach seo. Is gnólacht teaghlaigh é an Grúpa atá lonnaithe i gCathair na Gaillimhe agus ba iad buaiteoirí Ghradam Sheosaimh Uí Ógartaigh in 2018.

Simon Community

For the past four years, Galway Simon Community’s annual Sleep Out has made a significant impact on homelessness prevention services throughout the county. Sadly, the event cannot take place as we know it this year, but whether you spend the night in our back gardens or bed down on the living room floor, the most important thing is that we continue to come together in solidarity to help raise desperately needed funds and awareness in support of those facing homelessness.

Galway’s Connacht Hotel was honoured at the recent Galway Chamber Business Awards 2019, taking home the prize for their 50th anniversary campaign.

The Connacht Hotel won the award for Best Marketing Including Social and Digital Media, which is sponsored by Galway City Council, for the year long efforts which have gone into celebrating half a century of service. The Connacht was founded in 1969 as the Galway Ryan Hotel with an ethos of keeping at the forefront of what tourists were looking for in a holiday.

The Connacht Hospitality Group has recently achieved the Failte Ireland Service Excellence Award across all its properties and is the only hospitality group in Galway to boast this accolade. In order to achieve the “Fáilte Ireland’s Accredited Service Excellence Award” a business must demonstrate that a minimum of 75% of the management and staff have completed the Fáilte Ireland Service Excellence Programme.

It’s not just the win that makes for a great Galway Races. Kieran O’Malley of the Connacht Hotel has advice on making the most of your time with the Tribes.

1. Guys, wear sunglasses, we’re not sure about the weather but with the hat designs you’ll come across, chatting to the wrong lady could cost you an eyeball.

2. Ladies, bring flats. Like the famous course, the end of the final furlong can be an uphill battle. Bring some comfy shoes to ensure you make it past the finishing post.

3. Bring a brolly. It’s Galway – at some stage the fake tan will be running faster than the horses!

Lets be realistic we all know that Galway is one of the nest cities in the world to spend time in, but at Christmas it’s particularly special. Here at the Connacht Hospitality group we have come up with a list of our favourite things about Galway during the festive season.