The AA announces the winners of the 2009 B&B awards

Jun 12, 09 | 1:56 am

The AA, celebrating the best in hospitality for over 100 years, has announced the winners of the AA B&B Awards 2009, at a ceremony at The Langham in London.

With prizes provided by AA Hotel Services' long-standing partner Villeroy & Boch, the AA B&B Awards will recognise and reward the excellent services provided by the UK's very best B&B establishments.

Winners of The AA B&B Awards 2009 are:

• AA Friendliest Landlady of the Year - Carole Edney of West Marden Farmhouse, West Sussex
• AA Funkiest B&B - Windermere Suites, Lake District
• AA London B&B of the Year - The Sumner, London
• AA Guest Accommodation of the Year, England - Chatton Park House, Northumberland
• AA Guest Accommodation of the Year, Scotland - Loch Ness Lodge, Inverness
• AA Guest Accommodation of the Year, Wales - Tan-Yr-Onnen Guest House, Denbighshire

Sponsored by online leisure company eviivo, the winner of the AA Friendliest Landlady of the Year award, judged by the AA's expert panel of inspectors and selected from a shortlist of 20 establishments is Carole Edney of West Marden Farmhouse, Chichester.

Carole Edney and her husband, Martin, have been welcoming guests to their 16_^th century Farmhouse and two holiday cottages since 1995. The West Marden Farmhouse is nestled in a small village in the South Downs. Classed as an area of outstanding natural beauty, the spacious property is on a working arable farm which has been in the Edney's family for several generations.

Carole goes to great lengths to ensure that she sources  the best of everything, from the finest toiletries and Egyptian cotton bed linen to meat sourced from the most reputable local producers, to make sure that her guests feel as relaxed and ‘re-charged' as possible. She is always happy to offer guests advice on the local area and recommend the best pubs and restaurants to visit.

The AA Funkiest B&B for 2009 is Windermere Suites in the Lake District.

Windermere Suites is a unique B&B based in the Lake District that also acts as a designer showcase of the very best cutting edge furniture, furnishings and accessories. Each of the 8 suites has its own lounge and dining area, where guests take their breakfast and room service, as well as large walk-in wardrobes and stunning bathrooms combining oversized air baths with chromotherapy lighting and TVs, under floor heating, double LED showers and waterfall taps with LED powered lights within.

Run by husband and wife team Vicky and Colin Monk, who both have a background in design, Windermere Suites is not just a normal B&B, also offering guests the chance to order everything within the suites, from a Kartel Phillippe Starck Ghost Chair to a Villeroy & Boch crockery set. Vicky and Colin Monk will be launching an interiors website in the coming months to support the living showroom.

The second London B&B of the Year Award has gone to The Sumner in London's West End.

Established in 2006, The Sumner is a townhouse B&B located in the heart of London, just minutes from the hustle and bustle of Oxford Street. Part of an 1820s Georgian Terrace, The Sumner has been fitted to the highest standards whilst also preserving many of the buildings historical characteristics.  The independent establishment combines tradition with modern comfort, and all 20 rooms are designer decorated and luxuriously appointed. The Sumner's centrepiece is an intimate and elegant sitting room with an original fireplace and timber flooring, ideal for enjoying a drink before or after any excursion into the centre London.

The winner of the AA Guest Accommodation of the Year for England is Chatton Park House in Northumberland.

Chatton Park is a luxury Northumberland estate offering luxurious bed and breakfast accommodation in the main house and a separate private detached 5 star self catering cottage in its own grounds. Run by husband and wife team Paul and Michelle Mattinson, Chatton Park House is a beautiful Georgian property nestled in 4 acres of private, tranquil, gardens, which offers uninterrupted views over the Northumberland countryside to the Cheviots hills.

Amid the spectacular Northumberland countryside, Chatton Park offers the perfect base for rest, peace and tranquillity, based within close proximity to stunning white sand beaches, historic castles, (one of which played a major part in Harry Potter movies) idyllic walks and cosy village pubs. This elegant house was once the former home of the current Duke of Northumberland, whose family seat is Alnwick Castle.

The winner of the AA Guest Accommodation of the Year for Scotland is Loch Ness Lodge, in Inverness.

Loch Ness Lodge is an elegant and intimate exclusive-use retreat in the heart of the Scottish Highlands overlooking the mysterious and beautiful Loch Ness. A small family-run business, Loch Ness Lodge brings together the very best of traditional Scottish architecture and contemporary design, boasting seven bedrooms, elegant reception rooms, a spa and therapy area, and fine dining.

Each of the Lodge's bedrooms has been individually styled and inspired by the natural beauty of the surrounding Highlands, each named after a well-loved Highland loch or glen. The property features all the luxuries of a five star lodge, with each room offering a view of the loch and hills beyond. Scott Sutherland and team plan to develop a large Kitchen garden so chefs can ensure they have the freshest local produce.

The winner of the AA Guest Accommodation of the Year, Wales is Tan Yr Onnen Guest House in St Asaph, Denbighshire.

Husband and wife team Patrick and Sara Murphy, of Tan Yr Onnen in St Asaph have been welcoming guests to their guesthouse since 2006. Set in the heart of North Wales in the Vale of Clywd, this welcoming property is within easy reach of all the local attractions. In 2008 Patrick and Sara expanded their guesthouse to a 9-bedroom property, with ensuite facilities in all rooms.

Sara and Patrick go to every effort to make sure that their guests enjoy their stay, ensuring that food is sourced locally where they can, and offering customers everything they might require  before they know that they need it, from providing a lift to a good pub or  spending five minutes chatting over a cup of tea.

http://AAhospitalityawards.com/bb.htm

About The B&B Awards

The B&B Awards recognise all establishments under the Guest Accommodation category including B&Bs, guest houses, guest accommodation, farmhouses, inns and restaurants with rooms.


About The AA

The AA has been recommending and acknowledging hotels since 1908, and last year celebrated 100 years of excellence in the hospitality industry. AA Housekeeper of the Year is a branch of the AA's well-established Hospitality Awards, which cover the finest of all AA-inspected and rated hotels, restaurants, and B&Bs. These accolades are presented in recognition of all-round excellence, unfailing standards and outstanding service, as well as acknowledging the vital role played by those individuals who work to maintain the highest of standards within the industry. The 2009 AA Hospitality Awards event will take place at the London Hilton on Park Lane on 28 September 2009.

AA Publishing produces a series of lifestyle guides, covering every aspect for planning leisure pursuits - from hotels, pubs, B&Bs and restaurants, to days out, golfing, caravanning and camping, or family and pet friendly accommodation - the guides feature over 14,000 inspected, selected and recommended establishments; offering the UK traveller an unparalleled choice of places to stay, eat, drink or play a round of golf in England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and the Channel Islands.