England Award Excellence

A Michelin-star bed and breakfast in Cornwall and a Holiday Inn assistant reception manager were among winners in last night’s Enjoy England Awards for Excellence.

St Ervan Manor in Padstow, offering five guest rooms and a garden suite, won the B&B award. Its fine dining restaurant gained a Michelin Star in January. Awards judge and VisitBritain chief executive Tom Wright said St Ervan Manor “redefines the nature of the B&B”.

Sam Hill, assistant reception manager at the Holiday Inn, Leicester, gained the Outstanding Customer Service Award for regularly going beyond the call of duty to ensure that guests have the best experience during their stay, according to the judges. This has generated much repeat and new business, for the hotel. She is also the treasurer of the hotel’s charities trust for which she has personally raised over £10,000.

The Large Hotel of the Year winner was Matfen Hall Hotel Golf Spa, near Newcastle, a family home transformed into one of the North East’s leading country house hotels. The hotel recently underwent a £5 million investment to create additional accommodation, conference facilities, a dedicated golf club house and spa.

The Small Hotel of the Year was Green Bough Hotel in Chester. Wright said the hotel deserved the award for its “attention to detail and outstanding service, excellent value for money and very high quality food”.

Tourism Website of the Year went to http://www.zsl.org/, the site for the Zoological Society of London launched last year. The zoo saw a 30% increase in on-line sales within two months of the website launch.

Other winners were:

*Business Tourism Award – Magna Science Adventure Centre, Rotherham, South Yorkshire.

*Large Visitor Attraction of the Year: National Maritime Museum, in London

*Self-Catering Holiday of the Year: York Luxury Holidays. 

*Best Tourism Experience: British Airways London Eye.

*Taste of England Award: Castle Howard Farm Shop and Courtyard Café.

*Caravan Holiday Park of the Year: Seafield Caravan Park in Northumberland.

*Small Visitor Attraction of the Year:  Compton Verney, a new art gallery in Warwickshire.

*Tourist Information Centre of the Year: Winchester Tourist Information Centre. 

 *Outstanding Contribution to Tourism: Theatre producer Sir Cameron Mackintosh.

Report by Phil Davies

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