The awards, which celebrate the best that English tourism has to offer, were presented at a ceremony at The Jockey Club at Cheltenham Racecourse on Monday (12 May).
Imago hotel Burleigh Court beat Hope Street Hotel in Liverpool and Ellenborough Park in Cheltenham to win the Large Hotel award, while boutique Exmouth coast property The Old Rectory Hotel picked up the Small Hotel prize.
St. Cuthbert's House, a luxury B&B in a 200-year-old former chapel in Seahouses, claimed gold in the Bed & Breakfast/Guest Accommodation category, while and The Feathered Nest Country Inn in Oxfordshire was named Tourism Pub of the Year.
The Taste of England award went to James Allcock’s Hull restaurant 1884 Dock Street Kitchen, with The Parkers Arms in Lancashire and Eckington Manor in Lancashire picking up silver and bronze.
Excellence in tourism
In total, 15 Gold Awards, 16 Silver Awards and 15 Bronze Awards and 30 Highly Commended winners were selected from a total of 368 entries from across England.
The awards were judged by a panel of tourism industry experts chaired by VisitEngland board member and chief executive of the Blenheim Estate in Oxfordshire, John Hoy.
VisitEngland chief executive James Berresford said: “The VisitEngland Awards for Excellence celebrates the very best in the tourism industry. It is the highest accolade in English Tourism and recognises the true champions of our industry, and the top quality visitor experiences we are fortunate to have on offer in England.
“The competition is of an increasingly high standard and so I offer my sincere congratulations to all our winners on this tremendous achievement, particularly the Gold Award winners for their exemplary contribution to tourism in this country.”
Minister for Tourism Helen Grant said: “The tourism industry is playing a key part in our economic growth strategy and VisitEngland’s Awards for Excellence celebrates all the very best visitor experiences on offer and the hugely talented people working within the sector.”
2014 VisitEngland Excellence in Tourism Award winners
Bed & Breakfast/Guest Accommodation
- St. Cuthbert's House, Seahouses, Northumberland - Gold
- Eckington Manor, Eckington, Worcestershire - Silver
- Kester House Bed & Breakfast, Sedlescombe, East Sussex - Bronze
Large Hotel
- Burleigh Court, Loughborough, Leicestershire – Gold
- Hope Street Hotel, Liverpool, Merseyside - Silver
- Ellenborough Park, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire - Highly Commended
Small Hotel
- The Old Rectory Hotel, Martinhoe, Exmoor, Devon – Gold
- Swinton Park, Ripon, North Yorkshire – Silver
- Rothay Garden, Grasmere, Lake District - Bronze
Taste of England
- 1884 Dock Street Kitchen, Hull, East Yorkshire - Gold
- The Parkers Arms, Newton in Bowland, Lancashire - Silver
- Eckington Manor, Eckington, Worcestershire – Bronze
Tourism Pub
- The Feathered Nest Country Inn, Nether Westcote, Oxfordshire - Gold
- The Watermill Inn & Brewery, Ings, Nr Windermere, Cumbria – Silver
- The Horse and Jockey, Manton, Rutland - Bronze