Few who have been to Ashford Castle will argue with the description of a “fairy tale castle experience”.

Ashford Castle in County Mayo is no stranger to plaudits and awards and it has once again found itself in esteemed company amongst some of the most idyllic destinations throughout the globe. Image via Facebook/Ashford Castle in Ireland Earlier this week, the luxury resort in Cong was included amongst the Chad Clark Certified 25, a list of travel experiences compiled by Chad Clark, a tourism industry veteran and self-proclaimed “experience junkie”. The list has been described as the first of its kind in the industry and compared with the Michelin Guide that ranks the most prestigious restaurants around the world. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3nqrKBKe40 Clip via Chad Clark Travel Ventures The experiences considered for the Certified 25 – the final list was announced in Las Vegas on Sunday – were the result of a survey Clark conducted involving luxury travel suppliers and industry experts. According to Forbes, Clark spent much of the last year analysing the nominees, with the final “chosen on their own merits of how cool the experience actually is”. Amongst the other inclusions on the final list are a pop-up volcano adventure in Hawaii, a Golden Eagle festival in Mongolia, the Ultimate Sydney Experience, a Magnificent Hotel Mini-Bar in the Greenwich Hotel in London and a private banquet on the Great Wall of China. You can see the list in full here and find out more information on the Chad Clark Certified 25 here; submissions are already being invited for next year and the list will be updated annually. Anywhere else in these parts you think might be a contender for 2018/19?