Some of the best holidays in England have been picked out by the country's official tourist board to show off the best places to stay and to visit.
The VisitEngland awards celebrate the most beautiful — and unusual — holiday hot spots, as the group shines a spotlight on the country's outstanding tourism offerings.
A beach, history museum and zoo are among VisitEngland's winners.
The Black Country Living Museum, in the West Midlands, brings to life the region's industrial revolution.
Bringing holidays into the 21st century is a powerboat school near Falmouth, Cornwall, where you can rev engines and later enjoy the tranquillity of the south-west coast.
Some of the country’s most recognisable hotels and most luxurious camp sites are also listed.
“Millions of jobs and local economies depend on tourism and the awards also recognise the determination and dedication of businesses and destinations across England’s tourism industry as they rebuild and continue to champion best practice and customer service excellence,” said VisitEngland director Andrew Stokes.
VisitEngland has short-listed the holidays in its Awards for Excellence. There are 15 core categories, including two new awards for Unsung Hero and the Resilience and Innovation award. Winners will be announced at a ceremony in Birmingham on Wednesday.
The awards are:
Accessible & Inclusive Tourism Award
- Gold — Mylor Sailing & Powerboat School, Cornwall
- Silver — Alton Towers Resort, Staffordshire
- Bronze — Fleetwood Beach Wheelchairs, Lancashire
B&B and Guest House of the Year
- Gold — The 25 Boutique B&B, Devon
- Silver — Horseshoe Cottage Farm, Leicestershire
- Bronze — Brightham House Boutique Bed and Breakfast, Devon
Camping, Glamping and Holiday Park of the Year
- Gold — Secret Meadows, Suffolk
- Silver — Brook Meadow, Leicestershire
- Bronze — Landal Sandybrook, Derbyshire
Ethical, Responsible and Sustainable Tourism Award
- Gold — Chichester Festival Theatre, West Sussex
- Silver — Pure Outdoor, Derbyshire
- Bronze — West Bay Discovery Centre, Dorset
Experience of the Year
- Gold — Mylor Sailing & Powerboat School, Cornwall
- Silver — Pure Outdoor, Derbyshire
- Bronze — All Hallows' Farmhouse Cookery School, Dorset
Large Hotel of the Year
- Gold — The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa, Bath
- Silver — Hotel Indigo Durham, County Durham
- Bronze — The Langham, London
Small Hotel of the Year
- Gold — Seaham Hall, County Durham
- Joint Silver — No.15 by GuestHouse, Bath
- Joint Silver — The Idle Rocks, Cornwall
New Tourism Business of the Year
- Gold — Three Mile Beach, Cornwall
- Silver — Triple A Food Tours, Tyne & Wear
- Bronze — Rowley Farm Holidays, Worcestershire
Pub of the Year
- Gold — The Cotley Inn, Somerset
- Silver — The Acorn Inn, Dorset
- Bronze — The Devonshire Arms at Pilsley, Derbyshire
Resilience and Innovation Award
- Gold — Black Country Living Museum, West Midlands
- Silver — Chester Zoo, Cheshire
- Bronze — Severn Valley Railway, Worcestershire
Self-Catering Accommodation of the Year
- Gold — Treeopia, Worcestershire
- Silver — Glynn Barton, Cornwall
- Bronze — Pitt Farm Holiday Cottages, Devon
Taste of England Award
- Gold — Lu Ban Restaurant, Merseyside
- Silver — Moor Hall Restaurant with Rooms, Lancashire
- Bronze — Fischer's Baslow Hall, Derbyshire
Unsung Hero Award
- Gold — Adam Wardale, Middletons Hotel, North Yorkshire
- Silver — Neeshal Jeewon, Hilton London Metropole, London
- Bronze — Clive Goodwin, Ouseburn Trust, Tyne & Wear
Large Visitor Attraction of the Year
- Gold — Chester Zoo, Cheshire
- Silver — Bletchley Park, Buckinghamshire
- Bronze — Pensthorpe, Norfolk
Small Visitor Attraction of the Year
- Gold — Nothe Fort, Dorset
- Silver — Royal Liver Building 360, Merseyside
- Bronze — British Music Experience, Merseyside
Travel Content Award
- Gold — Ben Lerwill, National Geographic Traveller: ‘Pirates and prehistory on Devon’s south-east coast’
- Silver — Cathy Toogood, The Telegraph: ‘Forget the countryside — this Northern powerhouse is the perfect place for summer staycations’
- Bronze — Lauren Jarvis, LoveExploring: ‘Explore the New Forest’
TXGB Trailblazer Award
- Gold — Rugby League World Cup 2021
- Silver — Visit Gloucester
- Bronze — Mike James, Savouring Bath
Tourism Superstar 2022
- Winner — George Finlay, Matlock Farm Park
Outstanding Contribution to Tourism Award
- Winner — The English Period Drama
