Published: Wednesday, 3rd February, 2010 4:36pm

Trim hotel recognised for service excellence

Patrick Curran and Therese MacLennan, Knightsbrook Hotel, Trim, receiving the Optimus award from Liam Campbell of Fáilte Ireland.

Knightsbrook Hotel Spa & Golf Resort, Trim, part of the Cusack Hotel Group, were honoured at the Fáilte Ireland Optimus Awards which were held in Galway last week. The restaurant received the Service Excellence Award for special recognition for their ongoing commitment to continuous improvement and business excellence. The Optimus programme, developed by Fáilte Ireland, aims to help tourism establishments - including hotels, restaurants and visitor centres - achieve excellence in every aspect of their business by providing a practical approach to improving the quality, value and delight that visitors experience during their stay in Ireland.

Tony Lenehan, head of food, hospitality and standards with Fáilte Ireland, said: "I would like to congratulate Knightsbrook Hotel Spa & Golf Resort on their achievement. Not just on the accolade that they have received today, but on their business acumen which has seen them embrace a management framework that brings tangible business benefits.

"This year we have 20 winners who are receiving recognition for their commitment to quality through the Optimus programme. Today's recipients are located throughout the country, representing 12 counties in all, and reflect well on the tourism industry's willingness to embrace change and innovation towards self-improvement."

All the establishments have undergone a full assessment based on the Optimus framework. This assessment confirms the performance of these hotels and their ability to embed the principles of continuous improvement across their business while transforming these principles into tangible results.

Redmond O'Donoghue, chairman of Fáilte Ireland, stressed the importance of Optimus in the current trading conditions.

The Optimus programme is a national quality standard and business improvement tool for the Irish tourism industry with an emphasis on business improvement. The programme helps enterprises understand their performance and then assists them in establishing priorities around making continuous improvement.