England’s best places to stay in 2026 from hotels to B&Bs revealed - see the full list

VisitEngland has hosted its 2026 Awards for Excellence, unveiling its winners in a ceremony last night (June 3). The awards cover 17 categories, from Self-Catering Accommodation of the Year to Experience of the Year, with gold, silver, and bronze winners in each.

Running for more than 35 years, the awards celebrate the best of England’s tourist industry, which is worth around £127 billion to the economy and provides around two million jobs. Award winners included hotels, self-catering accommodation, B&Bs, glamping operators, attractions, restaurants, pubs, and individuals, who picked up their awards at a ceremony in Aerospace Bristol hosted by presenter Sean Fletcher.

B&B and Guest House of the Year was picked up by MonkBridge House in York, a property with just eight bedrooms, each individually designed, full of character, and some offering a four-poster bed for a historic vibe. Large Hotel of the Year went to Bovey Castle, set in 275 acres of Devon countryside, a former stately home that has its own golf course, spa, and on-site restaurants.

Clawford Lakes Resort and Spa in Devon picked up Gold in the Camping, Glamping and Holiday Park of the Year category thanks to its varied accommodation, including floating pods, a luxury spa, and an outdoor pool. And Butlin’s picked up an Outstanding Contribution to Tourism, having recently celebrated its 90th anniversary.

VisitEngland Director Andrew Stokes said: “The awards are a celebration of England’s outstanding tourism industry and an opportunity to highlight the excellence that makes it world leading.

“From a hands-on, traditional blacksmith’s visitor experience in the Midlands and a castle hotel and spa set in one of our national parks to accessible and inclusive holidays, these awards showcase the exceptional quality, unparalleled customer service and innovation that drive our industry.”

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Accessible & Inclusive Tourism Award

Gold - Hoe Grange Holidays, Peak District, Derbyshire

Silver - Nottingham Playhouse, Nottingham

Bronze - Attwell Farm Park, Worcestershire

B&B and Guest House of the Year

Gold - MonkBridge House, York

Silver - One Drake Road and Apartments, Devon

Bronze - Holly Lodge Boutique Bed & Breakfast, Norfolk

Business Events Venue of the Year

Gold - Warwick Conferences, Warwick

Silver - Nottingham Venues, Nottingham

Bronze - The Catalyst, Newcastle

Camping, Glamping and Holiday Park of the Year

Gold - Clawford Lakes Resort and Spa, Devon

Silver - Bredon View Glamping Retreats, Worcestershire

Bronze - Kaya at Blackhill Farm, Herefordshire

Gold - Blacksmithing Experience Days, Oldfield Forge, Herefordshire

Silver - The Wizard Walk of York, York

Bronze - Make Your Own Distilled Spirit, Shed One Distillery, Cumbria

International Tourism Award

Gold - The Beatles Story, Liverpool

Silver - Castle Howard, York

Bronze - Kents Cavern Prehistoric Caves, Devon

Gold - Bovey Castle, Devon

Silver - Watergate Bay Hotel, Cornwall

Bronze - The Grand Brighton, Brighton

Large Visitor Attraction of the Year

Gold - Jimmy’s Farm & Wildlife Park, Suffolk

Silver - Bletchley Park, Buckinghamshire

Bronze - Attwell Farm Park, Worcestershire

Gold - The Kirkstyle Inn and Sportsman’s Rest, Northumberland

Silver - The Tickled Trout, Barlow, Derbyshire

Bronze - The Tollemache Arms, Northamptonshire

Regenerative Tourism Award

Gold - Eight at Gazegill by Doug Crampton, Lancashire

Silver - Gladwins Farm - Self Catering Holiday Cottages, Suffolk

Bronze - Edgbaston Park Hotel and Conference Centre, Birmingham

Self-Catering Accommodation of the Year

Gold - Bosinver Farm Cottages, Cornwall

Silver - Cedar Hollow @ The Oaks, Oxfordshire

Bronze - Rowley Farm Holidays, Worcestershire

Small Hotel of the Year, sponsored by Booking.com

Gold - The Tempus , Northumberland

Silver - Peak Edge Hotel, Derbyshire

Bronze - Farlam Hall Hotel & Restaurant, Cumbria

Small Visitor Attraction of the Year

Gold - Morgan Experience, Worcestershire

Silver - Ad Gefrin Anglo-Saxon Museum & Whisky Distillery, Northumberland

Bronze - National Justice Museum, Nottinghamshire

Gold - Carriages Restaurant, Herefordshire

Silver - Eight at Gazegill by Doug Crampton, Lancashire

Bronze - Blackfriars Restaurant, Newcastle

Outstanding Contribution to Tourism Award