English tourism has come a long way since the days when Buckingham Palace and Blackpool Pleasure Beach were the best we had to offer. Now designer hotels litter the country, fabulous B&Bs open every month and passionate staff wow visitors with their dedication and knowledge.
To celebrate the industry's latest achievements the winners of the annual Enjoy England Excellence Awards were announced at a ceremony held at The British Museum last week.
The Samling in Windermere, which already achieved Michelin star status for its restaurant earlier this year, was named hotel of the year for its understated hospitality and stylish rooms. It beat off competition from Malmaison in Newcastle, The Devonshire Arms Country House Hotel in Skipton and Ford Abbey in Herefordshire.
'I'm absolutely delighted,' said Nigel Parkin, the general manager, 'We've been open for three years and we offer a unique experience to our guests, we let them decide what to do and when to do it.'
B&B of the year was given to Holly Lodge in Norfolk, which was created by ex-fashion designer Robert Green field and ex-hairdresser Mike Bell. 'It's been a long journey and we're so chuffed,' said Greenfield. 'We've created a very special place that feels very private, with landscaped gardens, an orangery and rooms in country, Raj and medieval styles. We designed it all ourselves.'
An award for outstanding customer service went to 71-year-old Ann Stamper who used to be a headmistress and now works as a gallery assistant at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich. In her three years at the centre she has attended 16 training courses and developed five different presentations on her favourite subject, Nelson.
The outstanding contribution to tourism award went to The Duchess of Northumberland, who heads one of the UK's leading regeneration projects, The Alnwick Garden Trust. The Alnwick Garden lies in the grounds of Alnwick Castle, the setting for Hogwarts School in the Harry Potter films. It features one of Europe's largest treehouses, which has disabled access and is expected to generate £150 million for the north east over the next 10 years.
