2023 Award Winners PET FRIENDLY DESTINATION OF THE YEAR 2023

Cashel House Hotel Connemara Co Galway

We have always featured a Pet Friendly Destination in our awards and this one has been quietly welcoming dogs since 1968.

“Mum loved all animals,” says Cashel House Hotel owner Brian McEvilly, “And always had dogs (wolfhounds to terriers) among other animals - hens, pigs, ducks, cats, peacocks, horses, donkeys, turkeys and even several tortoises in the pond in The Secret Garden. We may bring back some in the coming years - but not all!” There are no bells and whistles (just dog bowls and towels in the porch) but they have increased the number of pet-friendly bedrooms available since Covid, as the demand has increased – “Mostly due, we are told, to the increase in pet ownership and the separation anxiety suffered by pets who for two years were rarely away from their owners. I believe the separation anxiety is really a shared anxiety, as so many people bonded with their pets with the worries of the times, and they shared precious time together.” In tune with that gentle outlook, relaxed and well-behaved dogs tend to be an almost invisible presence at Cashel House, often meeting only on their morning and evening walks around the extensive gardens. A lovely place for pets and their people – and one that is best enjoyed slowly, rather than a quick one-night stay.