Pa Hughes, Ines Kottnig, Gillian O'Brien, Lorcan O'Brien and Joseph and Mark Scott Lennon from the Woodenbridge Hotel & Lodge celebrate winning ‘Ireland’s Favourite Place to Stay – Leinster’ at the 36th Gold Medal Awards. Photo: Paul Sherwood

Pa Hughes, Ines Kottnig, Gillian O’Brien, Lorcan O’Brien and Joseph and Mark Scott Lennon from the Woodenbridge Hotel & Lodge celebrate winning ‘Ireland’s Favourite Place to Stay – Leinster’ at the 36th Gold Medal Awards. Photo: Paul Sherwood

Representatives the Powerscourt Hotel Resort & Spa celebrate their Silver medal in the Ireland’s Five Star Afternoon Tea Hotel category at the 36th Gold Medal Awards. Photo: Paul Sherwood

Representatives the Powerscourt Hotel Resort & Spa celebrate their Silver medal in the Ireland’s Five Star Afternoon Tea Hotel category at the 36th Gold Medal Awards. Photo: Paul Sherwood

Pa Hughes, Ines Kottnig, Gillian O'Brien, Lorcan O'Brien and Joseph and Mark Scott Lennon from the Woodenbridge Hotel & Lodge celebrate winning ‘Ireland’s Favourite Place to Stay – Leinster’ at the 36th Gold Medal Awards. Photo: Paul Sherwood

Pa Hughes, Ines Kottnig, Gillian O’Brien, Lorcan O’Brien and Joseph and Mark Scott Lennon from the Woodenbridge Hotel & Lodge celebrate winning ‘Ireland’s Favourite Place to Stay – Leinster’ at the 36th Gold Medal Awards. Photo: Paul Sherwood

Staff from The Woodenbridge Hotel & Lodge in south Wicklow celebrated a night to remember when they were crowned ‘Ireland’s Favourite Place to Stay – Leinster’ for the third year running at the 36th annual Gold Medal Awards.

A contingent from the Woodenbridge Hotel – Ireland’s oldest hotel, dating back to 1608 – made the trip to Galway for the lavish ceremony at The Galmont Hotel & Spa, including owners and third-generation hoteliers Mark and Joseph Scott-Lennon.

The award adds to a string of accolades accumulated by the historic hotel, which also received its first ever nomination in the Ireland’s Best Family Run Hotel category at the Gold Medal Awards and claimed Silver in the Best Three-Star Hotel category.

Still on cloud nine, a hotel spokesperson said that staff are “absolutely over the moon”, adding: “These achievements mean the world to us and are a true reflection of the passion, dedication, and hard work of our amazing team who go above and beyond every single day.

“It was made even more special celebrating the night alongside our sister hotel, Fitzpatrick Castle Hotel — what a night for the family.

“Thank you to everyone who continues to support us, stay with us, and vote for us year after year. We couldn’t do it without you.”

Elsewhere in the Garden County, the four-star BrookLodge & Macreddin Village took home Silver in the Ireland’s Menu Provenance Award category, while the Powerscourt Hotel Resort & Spa also secured Silver in the Ireland’s Five Star Afternoon Tea Hotel category.