Cork’s most historic hotel, The Imperial on Cork’s South Mall is showing its appreciation to the local community for all their custom and support in recent times by making a donation of over €10,000 to two stalwart Cork charities. The hotel recently won ‘Best Hotel’ at the CBA Cork Business of the Year Awards and also scooped the Gold Award for ‘Ireland’s Best City Hotel’ at the Hotel & Catering Awards. The two worthy charities that will receive €5,000 each are the Cork Simon Community and the Cork-based Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind. The donation is made up of funds raised throughout 2020 & 2021 by the hotel and its guests in the height of the Pandemic, a feat made more significant when you consider the many challenges faced by the hospitality industry which included periods of lockdown, temporary closure and restrictions.
Having weathered many storms in its 200-year history, the hotel takes a long-term view on things, with a passionate commitment to sustainable business operations at the heart of all they do. Part of the family-run Flynn Collection of Hotels, the Imperial has an ongoing commitment to sustainable business practices known internally as the #BecauseWeCare plan, which along with a lengthy list of eco and sustainability goals also includes giving back to the valued local community through charity fundraising.
The donation is made up of funds raised throughout 2020/ 2021 through voluntary donations at the door at events. These included the Imperial’s Guinness Cork Jazz Festival weekend live music performances and their hugely successful ‘Sustainable Market’ held before Christmas. The hotel has also created ongoing fundraising opportunities with invisible cocktails and dessert items as a fixed addition on their menus in the swanky new cocktail bar ‘Sketch’ and trending sustainable restaurant ‘Thyme’. Described as “0% calories 100% charity” these ‘virtual menu items’ (invisible cocktail for sketch and starred items on the Thyme menu) ensure a €5 donation to their nominated charity partner when ordered by a customer.
