VISIT England has announced this year’s Awards For Excellence, highlighting the best accommodation and attractions.
The honours have been handed out annually for 35 years now, celebrating quality, innovation and customer service, so those choosing staycations can ensure they pick a great place for a great time.
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Fans of fancy, old-fashioned motors won’t want to miss the Morgan Experience in Worcestershire Credit: Morgan
Kids can have fun meeting birds at Bovey Castle Credit: Handout
Sophie Swietochowski has the lowdown on ten category winners.
ACCOMMODATION
B&B/Guest House Of The Year
The glorious York Minster cathedral Credit: Getty Images – Getty
Taking home gold in the B&B category, MonkBridge House is slap bang in the centre of York, within walking distance of top attractions including the glorious York Minster cathedral.
The home was built in 1864 and is bursting with character, although all eight of its bedrooms have been given a sophisticated makeover since then.
The award-winning breakfasts are whipped up with locally sourced goods and home-made jams, marmalades and granola are among the morning spread.
WAIL OF A TIME
I drove Irish Route 66 with deserted golden beaches and pirate-like islands
TEMPTED?
Tiny ‘Bali of Europe’ town with stunning beaches, €3 cocktails and £20 flights
Two nights’ B&B costs from £205.
See monkbridgehouseyork.com.
Camping, Glamping And Holiday Park Of The Year
Enjoy serious glamping at Clawford Lakes
Immersed in 98 acres of glorious, wildlife-rich landscape, Clawford Lakes is glamping done properly.
The campsite is set within a rugged valley close to the Cornish holiday spot of Bude and features stylish floating lodges and lakeside pods, both overlooking the water, as well as luxury apartments, lodges and cocoons with a safari-tent look to them.
The lake is ideal for keen anglers and the site is pet-friendly, too.
Three-night weekend breaks cost from £299 for a family of four.
See clawfordlakes.co.uk.
Large Hotel Of The Year
If countryside charm and rugged hillsides sound like your cup of tea, you may want to swing by this year’s large hotel winner.
The 5* Bovey Castle in Devon is an elegant space filled with plump cushions, grand headboards and dangling chandeliers.
There is a large on-site spa offering massages from £80, as well as an 18-hole golf course, plus activities including archery, tennis, rifle shooting, pottery throwing and deer walks.
Stays cost from £192 per night.
See boveycastle.com.
Self-Catering Accommodation Of The Year
Kids will love the pony rides and the chance to feed the animals at Bosinver, buried deep in rural Cornwall Credit: instagram.com/bosinver/
Kids will love the pony rides and the chance to feed the animals at Bosinver, buried deep in rural Cornwall.
With a whole host of cosy cottages on its roster, varying in size from two to six bedrooms and with dog-friendly options, it’s no surprise this spot came out on top for self-catering accommodation.
These are more than just holiday homes — there’s a play barn, sauna, tennis, swimming pool, Gruffalo trail and games room, all on site.
A three-night stay for four people costs from £569.
See bosinver.co.uk.
Small Hotel Of The Year
With 48 stunning and completely unique bedrooms, The Tempus in Northumberland is simply oozing character.
Expect elegant roll-top baths, four-poster beds, terraces and bubbling hot tubs.
There’s also a set of ultra-chic lakeside yurts and cabins.
One night’s B&B costs from £121.50.
See thetempus.co.uk.
OUT AND ABOUT
Experience Of The Year
Ever wanted to venture back to the Iron Age?
This Blacksmith experience at Oldfield Forge in Herefordshire will help you do just that.
Available for anyone aged seven-plus, the attraction teaches punters the tricks of the trade and how to forge practical items and decorative goods such as knives, garden tools and even swords.
The events last anywhere from a few hours to a couple of days and cost from £62.
See oldfieldforge.co.uk.
Large Visitor Attraction Of The Year
Forget day trips to the zoo.
Jimmy’s Farm & Wildlife Park in Suffolk gives guests the chance to get properly up close and personal with animals.
Little ones will be keen on the Farmyard Friends Experience, where they’ll get to feed sheep, goats, pigs or cattle, while polar bear fans will be desperate to get stuck in to The Lost Lands of the Tundra, the polar bear enclosure.
Day tickets cost from £25 per adult and £20 per child. Under twos go free.
See jimmysfarm.com.
Pub Of The Year
We love a proper British boozer and VisitEngland has just crowned The Kirkstyle Inn and Sportsman’s Rest the best of the bunch.
The Northumberland inn has a knockout menu that sources meat from nearby farms, with star dishes of pigeon pie and Softley Farm lamb loin on the menu.
Visitors can curl up in a cosy corner next to a roaring fire with a wine or local ale.
You can spend the night in one of the upstairs rooms, too.
See theksi.co.uk.
Small Visitor Attraction Of The Year
Fans of fancy, old-fashioned motors won’t want to miss the Morgan Experience in Worcestershire.
There are guided factory tours where visitors can get a good look at Morgan Motor Company vehicles, plus driving experiences that let you get behind the wheel of a heritage car.
Those that don’t feel confident steering themselves can opt to be a passenger while being driven by a trusty professional.
See experience.morgan-motor.com.
Taste Of England Award
Fine fare on offer at Carriages in Herefordshire Credit: Carriages
Crowned top dog for fine dining, Carriages in Herefordshire will knock your socks off.
Save this for a special occasion, as it’s fancy — think classic British grub that relies on seasonal and local ingredients.
The tasting menu costs a reasonable £80pp and features classy dishes such as asparagus salad with white crab, wild garlic emulsion and chervil vinaigrette, as well as honey-glazed duck breast.
See carriageshereford.co.uk.
