Devon’s top B&Bs, glamping and self-catering…

Devon has the best glamping, self-catering and B&B businesses in the South West – and that’s official! At last night’s 2021/22 South West Tourism Excellence Awards held in Exeter, Devon won a host of gold, silver, bronze and commendations.

Best B&B once again was the multi-award winning The 25 Boutique in Torquay – which has been voted best in the world on Trip Advisor. The best glamping business in the South West was Longlands in North Devon near Coulsworthy with its luxury hideaway camps. And gold for the best self-catering accommodation of the year went to The Cottages at Blackadon Farm, Devon.

Dartmoor National Park also was at the top of the awards with Gold for the best Visitor Centre going to the flagship National Park Visitor Centre at Princetown, once home to Sherlock Homes’ creator Sir Arthur Conan Doyle as he wrote The Hound of the Baskervilles. The centre now hosts a variety of exhibitions and displays including a children’s discovery centre. And there was a special Unsung Hero Award for Ali Marhall the Head Gardener at Torquay’s Torre Abbey Mansions who is responsible for nurturing the historic walled garden and its fantastic glass houses.

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A total of more than 90 awards were presented at the Sandy Park ceremony to tourism businesses across the region including Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, Bath, Bristol, Somerset, Dorset, Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. It was the first time since February 2020 that the region’s tourism awards have been able to return to their face-to-face format, with a celebratory dinner enjoyed by over 300 winners, supporters and tourism leaders.

Cafes, pubs, cookery schools and sailing schools were nominated alongside attractions, camping and glamping sites, holiday parks, B&Bs, cottages and hotels. Many have also been nominated to represent the South West in the national VisitEngland awards later in the year.

Jo Ecroyd, a director of headline sponsor South West Water, said: “The South West is home to 860 miles of beautiful coastline and wonderful beaches which are major draws for the millions of visitors to our region each year. In 2021, for the first time ever, 100 per cent of our classified coastal bathing waters passed stringent standards, meaning our regions beaches can proudly take their place as amongst the best in Europe..”

Robin Barker, Director of Services for Tourism Ltd, who manage the Awards, added: “What a night! Tourism is known as ‘the happiness industry’ and last night showed everyone why, with friends, colleagues and competitors all reunited to join in the celebrations after two years of being kept apart.”

All Devon’s winners are listed below:

ACCESSIBLE AND INCLUSIVE TOURISM AWARD

Bronze

Leafy Fields Glamping, Devon, @LeafyFields

Commended

Seaton Tramway, Devon, @SeatonTramway

B&B AND GUESTHOUSE OF THE YEAR

Gold

The 25 Boutique B&B, Devon, @The25Torquay

Bronze

Brightham House Boutique Bed and Breakfast, Devon, @BrighthamHouse

BUSINESS EVENTS & WEDDING VENUE OF THE YEAR

Bronze

Lucknam Park Hotel & Spa, Wilts, @LucknamPark

CAFÉ/TEAROOM OF THE YEAR

Bronze

The Nectary Restaurant, Devon, @quincehoneyfarm

CAMPING AND CARAVANNING PARK OF THE YEAR

Commended

Harford Bridge Holiday Park, Devon, @HarfordBridge

ETHICAL, RESPONSIBLE & SUSTAINABLE TOURISM AWARD

Silver

Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery, Devon, @RAMMuseum

EXPERIENCE OF THE YEAR (ACTIVE OR LEARNING)

Commended

Crag 2 Mountain, Devon

GLAMPING BUSINESS OF THE YEAR

Gold

Longlands Devon

Silver

Brackenhill Glamping, Devon, @Brackenhill_G

HOLIDAY PARK OF THE YEAR

Bronze

Cofton Holidays, Devon, @Cofton_Holidays

Commended

Hoburne Devon Bay, Devon, @hoburneholidays

NEW TOURISM BUSINESS AWARD

Bronze

Bear Town, Devon

Commended

Brackenhill Glamping, Devon, @Brackenhill_G

PUB OF THE YEAR

Bronze

The Dartmoor Inn at Lydford, Devon

RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR

Bronze

The Angel – Taste of Devon, Devon, @theangeldevon

SELF CATERING ACCOMMODATION OF THE YEAR

Gold

The Cottages at Blackadon Farm, Devon

Silver

Pitt Farm Holiday Cottages, Devon

Commended

Bidwell Farm Cottages, Devon, @bidwellfarm

SMALL HOTEL OF THE YEAR

Bronze

Cary Arms & Spa, Devon, @CaryArms

SMALL VISITOR ATTRACTION OF THE YEAR

Commended

Bear Town, Devon

Tiverton Museum of Mid Devon Life, Devon, @TivertonMuseum

SPA & WELLBEING EXPERIENCE OF THE YEAR

Bronze

Lincombe Hall Hotel, Devon, @lincombe_hall

Commended

Salcombe Harbour Hotel & Spa, Devon, @Harbour_Hotels

TOURISM EVENT / FESTIVAL OF THE YEAR

Silver

Great Britain Sail Grand Prix, Devon, @visitplymouth Ali Marshall, Torre Abbey, Devon, @TorreAbbey

UNSUNG HERO AWARD

Ali Marshall, Torre Abbey, Devon, @TorreAbbey

VISITOR INFORMATION SERVICE OF THE YEAR

Gold

Dartmoor National Park Visitor Centre – Princetown, Devon, @VisitDartmoor