National Accommodation Day: Celebrating Our Accommodation Team at Cork International Hotel

On National Accommodation Employee Appreciation Day, I want to take a moment to celebrate the people I am lucky enough to work alongside at Cork International Hotel.

I have been Accommodation Manager here for eight years, and it is a role I absolutely love. I am passionate about standards and making sure our guests have the best possible experience, but the people in my department are what make the job so rewarding. I see the effort they put in every day, and I am very proud of them.

Accommodation is physically demanding work. It takes care, concentration and attention to detail to prepare a room properly, especially on a busy day. Guests arrive expecting somewhere clean, comfortable and welcoming, and our team works hard to make sure that is exactly what they find.

Much of that preparation happens before a guest ever opens their bedroom door. There is a great deal of work behind that first impression, and today is an opportunity to give the people doing it the appreciation they deserve.

Recognition we share

In 2025, Cork International Hotel received Gold at the Irish Accommodation Services Institute Awards for the fifth consecutive year. That is an achievement we can all be proud of.

What makes it particularly special to me is the consistency it represents. Maintaining standards takes effort every day, across busy weekends, early starts and all the demands of hotel life. Every member of the accommodation team contributes to that, and I see the award as recognition of their shared commitment.

I was also honoured to be named Accommodation Manager of the Year at the 2025 Irish Hospitality Institute Hospitality Management Awards. Receiving that recognition was a wonderful moment in my career. Although my name was on the award, the support and hard work of my team were very much part of that achievement.

I am also a council member of the Irish Accommodation Services Institute. It is an opportunity I value, particularly because accommodation is a profession I care deeply about.

A little about me

I am from Youghal, and outside work I love spending time with family and friends. My son Michael works here at Cork International Hotel as a Duty Manager, so hospitality is very much part of our family life.

Anyone who knows me will know that I enjoy the GAA. I am happy watching a match in Bertie’s or standing at the side of a pitch cheering on my two nieces, who play for Youghal. I was brought up to support your team, win, lose or draw, and that loyalty has stayed with me.

Living near the sea is something I love, too. Youghal’s beaches and boardwalk are beautiful, although I will admit I should make more use of having them on my doorstep!

My alarm usually goes off at 5.30am on working mornings. I enjoy getting into the hotel early, but on a day off, I am very happy to leave the alarm unset and enjoy a lie-in.

I do try to switch off from work. My team is amazing, which helps, although I care so much about the department that it inevitably crosses my mind now and again.

Thank you to our accommodation colleagues

Today, my biggest thank you goes to the accommodation team at Cork International Hotel. Thank you for your hard work, the pride you take in your work and the care you show our guests.

I would also like to recognise our colleagues at The Metropole Hotel and accommodation teams throughout the industry. I know how demanding this work can be, and how much skill goes into doing it well. Awards give us lovely moments to celebrate. Working alongside a team whose effort earns that recognition is something I appreciate every day.