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
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