Two Bath hotels and a pioneering firm running food tours of the city, have been named among the best in England in the national hospitality industry’s most-prestigious awards scheme.
The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa was voted the best large hotel while No 15 by GuestHouse Bath came second in the small hotel category at VisitEngland’s annual Awards for Excellence.
Meanwhile Savouring Bath, which supports and collaborates with artisan food and drink businesses across the city, won Bronze in a category that celebrates pioneering new tourism initiatives.
The annual Awards for Excellence celebrate the best of the country’s tourism industry – and this year the Bath success stories heled the South West again outperform all other regions with 17 winners.
The Royal Crescent was up against The Langham in London and Hotel Indigo Durham, County Durham, while No 15 by GuestHouse Bath was shortlisted alongside Seaham Hall, County Durham, and The Idle Rocks, Cornwall.
Savouring Bath was competing in the TXGB (Tourism Exchange GB) Trailblazer Award category, which recognises businesses that work with the TXGB platform to drive economic impact and awareness.
None of Bath’s three winners are strangers to awards this year. No.15 by GuestHouse, Bath, the 37-bedroom boutique townhouse hotel on Great Pulteney Street, landed a Gold, a Silver and a Bronze in the Bristol, Bath and Somerset Tourism Awards in February while The Royal Crescent, which won a Gold at the same event, also topped the Best Social Media Campaign category at the annual HMA Hotel Marketing Awards.
Savouring Bath founder Mike James was nominated by Visit West, the body that runs destination marketing organisation Visit Bath, earlier this year in the Tourism Superstar competition.
Participants on Savouring Bath tours discover the best of the city using their taste buds while strolling through its elegant 18th-century streets and alleyways, stopping off at venues ranging from unusual tea houses and artisanal coffee roasters to breweries, bakeries, farmers’ markets and falafel sellers.
The tours are led by local guides who are passionate and highly knowledgeable about Bath’s best independent food and drink outlets, share anecdotes about the city’s culinary heritage and give top tips on its independent food and drink outlets.
Bath’s three successes in the Awards for Excellence mark the end of a cycle which started last year when they entered the Bristol, Bath and Somerset Tourism Awards before qualifying for the South West Tourism Excellence Awards.
The national Awards for Excellence winners were announced at a glittering event in Birmingham, hosted by broadcaster Clare Balding.
Robin Barker from South West awards organisers Services for Tourism, said: “After all we’ve been through over the last two years it was an absolute delight to gather again in person alongside the cream of South West tourism businesses.
“Huge congratulations to them all – to have excelled in regional awards and then gone on to national success in such difficult times is testament to their innovation, resilience, and commitment.”
Tourism minister Nigel Huddleston added: “Our superb tourism businesses offer something for everyone and the sector is one we can be proud of.
“It is fantastic to see so many hardworking businesses of all sizes recognised for their gold-standard contribution to English tourism and I congratulate all the winners."
Awards for Excellence categories ranged from Experience of the Year to Ethical, Responsible and Sustainable Tourism, from the Accessible and Inclusive Tourism Award to the Small and Large Hotel of the Year, the Taste of England Award to the Pub of the Year and the Bed and Breakfast of the Year award.
