Glasha Farmhouse Guesthouse on the Clonmel side of Ballymacarbry and the Old Convent Gourmet Hideaway near Clogheen were among the tourism businesses honoured at the 2010 Georgina Campbell Hospitality Awards at Bord Bia headquarters.

The awards, which are highly respected for their independence, are associated with food writer and critic Georgina Campbell’s Irish Hospitality Guide and the travel website www.ireland-guide.com.

Olive and Paddy O’Gorman, who have run Glasha Farmhouse Guesthouse for 14 years, were presented with the Irish Experience B&B 2010 Award, while another husband and wife team, Dermot and Christine Gannon received the Hideaway of the Year gong.

In this difficult for all sections of the hospitality industry, the recognition the awards provide is a welcome boost to morale and business for the winning businesses battling the nationwide slump in visitor numbers and consumer spending.

Georgina Campbell said excellence was always the object of their search but also look to a keen response and anticipation of the challenges presented by a particular year.

“No prizes for guessing what we have been looking for this season - a determination to keep standards up, which prices fall.”

But Ms Campbell warned consumers against putting unreasonable pressure on hospitality businesses in relation to prices.

“Many fine establishments have cut costs to the bone and their businesses are now literally handing by a thread,” she said.

“Prices have often been reduced to an unsustainable level and yet there is constant pressure from the public to make even further cuts.

“Lack of government action to reduce costs that are outside the control of businesses such as VAT and local charges such as rates means that fixed costs remain too high for further negotiation.

“We will no longer be able to enjoy the favourite places where we eat and stay if they can’t remain in business,” she warned. “consumers need to think twice before pressing for even better bargains.”

The citations Glasha Farmhouse Guesthouse and the Old Convent received from the Georgina Campbell Hospitality Awards judges will make their rivals green with envy.

Glasha is described as the “kind of place visitors dream of finding when they come to Ireland” and provides a “perfect relaxed rural break” for townies. Olive is praised for her “delicious home-cooked” dinners and breakfasts and the many activities for visitors in the area from hillwalking along the Munster Way to fishing in the Nire River, pony trekking and golfing are mentioned as well as the presence of the nearest pub just three minutes walk from the guesthouse.

The Old Convent is described as an “unusual, very comfortable, stylishly decorated country house with gorgeous rooms” located in a beautiful, unspoilt area.