The gongs were handed out at a lavish awards evening in Liverpool on the
night of April 23. So these are the best, according to the tourist authority
Enjoy England. What do you think?
Bed and Breakfast of the Year
The winner was The Salty Monk, a
16th-century restaurant with rooms in Sidmouth, Devon. It has five bedrooms
and serves contemporary English cuisine. It won the award for the quality of
its food and accommodation.
Small Hotel of the Year
The winner was The Devonshire Arms,
a country house hotel and spa on the Bolton Abbey Estate in the Yorkshire
Dales. The former coaching inn was rewarded for: “outstanding hospitality
and personal service which continues to exceed guests’ expectations”.
Starred chef Michael Caines recently
reviewed the hotel for The Times and was impressed with the nine-course
meal they served.
Large Hotel of the Year
Chewton Glen in the New Forest -
the country house hotel and spa got these comments from the judges: “Chewton
Glen displays excellence at every level with an amazing attention to detail
and its commitment to sustainability shows the way forward for large
hotels”. The hotel was named by Susan D'Arcy of The Sunday Times as one of Britain's
best country house hotels and got great
reviews from another Sunday Times writer, Vincent Crump.
Self-catering properties
Two self-catering properties were recognised, with Gold Awards – The
Mill Granary in Lower Teesdale, Co. Durham and Stone
Cottage in The Lake District. Both properties were credited with
undergoing recent refurbishment that had been tastefully executed, retaining
many original features.
Sustainable Tourism Award of the Year
Two other accommodation providers received Gold Awards in the new Sustainable
Tourism Award of the Year category – Strattons
Hotel and Restaurant in Swaffham, Norfolk and The
Cottage Lodge, a B&B in Brockenhurst, New Forest. Hotel inspector
Jon Proctor recently told The Times that Strattons is the "greenest
hotel" in the country.
Taste of England
In the restaurant category Fifteen
Cornwall in Watergate Bay took the top spot. The restaurant offers
seasonal and local produce, and provides training to disadvantaged young
people. All profits go to charity. Times
chef Jill Dupleix was impressed with Fifteen when she visited it ahead
of the awards last month.
Days Out - Small Visitor Attraction
As far as days out in England go – there were a number of winners, including
the Roald Dahl Museum in
Buckinghamshire, which opened in 2001 and was awarded Small Visitor
Attraction of the Year. The judges praised its free story-telling sessions
for young children.
- Large Visitor Attraction
Another two museums won Gold Awards in the Large Visitor Attraction of the
Year category - the Imperial War
Museum in Duxford and the Victoria and
Albert Museum in London. The former was praised for its enthusiastic
volunteers and museum staff, and the latter for its advanced interpretation
services and accessibility.
- Best Day Out
The Best Day Out award, which was voted for by consumers, was awarded to
Whitby in North Yorkshire. Nominators praised the resort for its beaches,
Abbey, shops, ice cream and fish and chips. Stephen Breen praised the
seaside town in The Sunday Times - read
his article here
Tourist Information Centre of the Year
The Tourist Information Centre of the Year award went to Liverpool
08 Place, which was established to showcase the city’s Capital of
Culture events and sights. The judges praised the centre for its experienced
team of multi-lingual staff and multi-media technology. Read the Times
Online complete guide to Liverpool to find out where to stay, eat,
drink, and what to see in the city.
The awards, now in their 19th year, are organised by Enjoy England, an arm of
the British tourism organisation, VisitBritain
and were sponsored this year by The
Caravan Club. The full list of winners is available at www.enjoyengland.com.
Fantastic that Duxford won for the large visitor attraction! It's exciting, accessible by public transport & enthuses people about history.
Margaret, Royston, England