Guesthouses across the north have swept up at this year’s AA B&B awards. Bed and breakfasts in Lancashire, Cumbria and North Wales all scooped awards which celebrate the very best of Britain’s B&Bs.
Among the winners were The Fylde International in Blackpool, named the AA Friendliest B&B of the Year and The Punch Bowl Inn & Restaurant in Crosthwaite, Cumbria, which was named the AA Inn of the Year. Meanwhile The Old Vicarage in Corris, Gwynedd won the award for AA Breakfast of the Year for Wales.
Several B&Bs in the north were shortlisted in the AA's top 15 friendliest B&Bs for 2023, including the Bianca Guesthouse in Blackpool and The Edwardene in Cumbria. This year’s awards spanned eight categories: Friendliest B&B of the Year; Inn of the Year; Guest Accommodation of the Year for England, Scotland and Wales; and Breakfast of the Year for England, Scotland and Wales.
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The Fylde International in Blackpool was named the friendliest B&B of the Year thanks to its “spacious lounge and dedicated children’s area”. Owners Vicky and Kate Easley, commented: “To say we are shocked is an understatement. We are very proud and humbled to have won the award.
“After owning and Managing The Fylde International Blackpool for the past 18 years this is an incredible achievement. Our customers are the forefront of our business, and we aim to provide them with excellent customer service, quality and clean accommodation and a homely atmosphere."
Bagging the AA award for Inn of the Year, The Punch Bowl Inn & Restaurant in Crosthwaite impressed inspectors with its “excellent standards of comfort and facilities”. The AA inspector said: “Its sumptuous bedrooms have a wealth of thoughtful extras, and imaginative food is served in the elegant restaurant or in the rustic-style bar with its open fires. A warm welcome and professional service are assured.”
Richard Rose, owner of The Punch Bowl, said: “We’re hugely grateful to the AA for this award. I’ve been running the Punch Bowl for almost 20 years, and I’ve said on many occasions that it takes a special kind of person to really thrive in this line of work. Well, I’m very lucky to have a whole team of special people who always go the extra mile for our guests, so this award is for every single one of them."
The Old Vicarage in Corris, picked up the award for Breakfast of the Year for Wales. The AA inspector said: “There's a spacious comfortable guest lounge, which is the setting for home made afternoon tea cakes. Memorable breakfasts ensure a great start to the day and a warm welcome is assured. It's an ideal base for walkers, cyclists and wildlife enthusiasts.”
Kirsty Busfield, owner of The Old Vicarage, said: "We are still new to the industry, having moved to Corris in 2021; so, we’re completely humbled to have been chosen, especially given the high calibre of B&Bs in our country. We are incredibly lucky to have some phenomenal producers in and around the Dyfi Biosphere. It really makes our job very easy when designing our seasonal breakfast specials.”
The winners in the other categories were Parc-le-Breos House in Parkmill, Swansea which scooped the award for Guest Accomodation of the Year for Wales; The Crusoe in Leven, Fife, which was named Guest Accomodation of the Year for Scotland; Market Cross Guest house in Belford, Northumberland, which was named Guest Accomodation of the Year in England; The Holcombe in Holcombe, Somerset was awarded AA Breakfast of the Year for England; and Craigadam, Castle Douglas, Dumfries & Galloway was awarded AA Breakfast of the Year for Scotland.
The AA top 15 friendliest B&Bs for 2023:
- Runner-up: The Chudleigh, Essex
- Southpark House, Dumfries & Galloway
- Bianca Guesthouse, Lancashire
- Braithwaite Hall Bed & Breakfast, North Yorkshire
- Market Cross Guest House, Northumberland
- The Auld Kirk, Aberdeenshire
- The Edwardene, Cumbria
- The Emsworth, Hampshire
- The Firs Guesthouse, North Yorkshire
- Trefloyne Manor, Pembrokeshire
- Lion House Bed and Breakfast, Devon
- Kingston House Torquay, Devon
- Hill View House, Dartmouth, Devon
- Stone's Throw Cottage, Mevagissey, Cornwall
