A prestigious event every year, last week saw the winners of the 2023 Tourism and Hospitality Awards announced.
Winners include hotels, b&bs, restaurants, pubs, events and visitor attractions. Some of the major winners were Holywell House, Winstanley House, The Spa at Breedon Priory, Brook Meadow, The Griffin Inn and Cosby Yarn Bomb. Now in its 12th year, the awards, organised by Leicestershire Promotions, are the regional heat of the national VisitEngland Awards for Excellence. Many of the winners will go forward as Leicestershire’s nominations for the national awards.
A winner was awarded for each category, with the judges also awarding a small number of Highly Commended and Commended certificates in a few categories –
Bed & Breakfast and Guest House
Winner: Holywell House
Highly Commended: B&B at No. 3
Small Hotel
Winner: Winstanley House
Highly Commended: St Martins Lodge
Large Hotel
Winner: Stapleford Park
Camping, Glamping & Holiday Park
Winner: Ettie’s Field
Highly Commended: Brook Meadow
Self Catering Accommodation
Winner: Brook Meadow
Highly Commended: Hall Farm Dadlington
Highly Commended: The Gresham Aparthotel
Business Event Venue
Winner: Novotel Leicester
Highly Commended: Imago Venues
Small Visitor Attraction
Winner: Windmill Farm Park
Highly Commended: King Richard III Visitor Centre
Large Attraction
Winner: National Space Centre
Experience of the Year
Winner: The Spa at Breedon Priory
Highly Commended: Everards Brewery Tour at Everards of Leicestershire
Pub of the Year
Winner: The Griffin Inn
Highly Commended: Tap & Run
Fine Dining
Winner: Restaurant 263
Accessible & Inclusive Tourism
Winner: Hotel Brooklyn
Ethical, Responsible and Sustainable Tourism
Winner: Rothley Wine Estate
Highly Commended: Timber Festival
Best Free Event
Winner: Cosby Yarn Bomb
Winner: Punk: Rage & Revolution
Highly Commended: Snap Dragon Children and Family Festival
Best Event/Festival – paid entry
Winner: Leicester Comedy Festival
Highly Commended: Timber Festival
Best Entertainment Venue
Winner: Loughborough Town Hall
Best Team
Winner: Winstanley House
Highly Commended: Belmont Hotel
Commended: Moira Furnace
Rising Star
Winner: Tom Marsden, College Court Conference Centre and Hotel
Highly Commended: Jefferson Dinesh Padilla Males, 1573 Bar & Grill
Commended: Marta Matzutzi, Stapleford Park Hotel
Best Waiting Staff
Winner: Karolina Drazewska, Stapleford Park Hotel
Best Breakfast
Winner: Rustic Kitchen & Deli
Best Sunday Lunch
Winner: Black Iron at Winstanley House Hotel
Best Tearoom/Coffee Shop
Winner: Wistow Café Bistro
Best Casual Dining
Winner: Rustic Kitchen & Deli
Highly Commended: 1573 Bar & Grill
Putting Leicestershire on the map
Winner: Everards of Leicestershire
Best Day Out in Leicestershire (supported by Visit Leicester)
Winner: Great Central Railway
Highly Commended: National Space Centre
Commended: Peter le Marchant Trust
Commended : Bradgate Park
A special award for Outstanding Contribution to Tourism, sponsored by Novotel Leicester, was also announced. Recognising the 60th anniversary of the opening of the Phoenix Theatre, the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Haymarket Theatre and 15 years since Curve opened, the award was presented to the Leicester Theatre Trust, the body that has sat behind these theatres for all that time.
Congratulations to all of the fabulous winners.