Three South East tourism businesses have been recognised among England’s very best after winning national honours at the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2026.
Representing the region were The Grand Brighton, Bletchley Park and Cedar Hollow @ The Oaks, all of whom secured national awards at the prestigious ceremony held at Aerospace Bristol on 3 June.
These businesses earned their place on the national stage after first winning through the Tourism South East Beautiful South Tourism Awards, the only route into the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence for businesses in the region.
Their success follows a rigorous judging process involving hundreds of businesses from across England. This year’s VisitEngland Awards for Excellence worked with 21 regional competitions, with 369 winning businesses put forward for national consideration.
The South East winners were:
- Bronze Large Hotel of the Year – The Grand Brighton, Brighton
- Silver Large Visitor Attraction of the Year – Bletchley Park, Buckinghamshire
- Silver Self-Catering Accommodation of the Year – Cedar Hollow @ The Oaks, Oxfordshire
Fran Downton, Chief Executive of Tourism South East, said, “To see three South East businesses recognised among England’s very best is a fantastic achievement and a real credit to the teams behind them. Their success highlights the exceptional visitor experiences being delivered across the region and we congratulate them all. All three businesses began their journey through the Beautiful South Tourism Awards, which are the gateway to the national awards. If you would like the opportunity to represent the South East next year and compete in the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2027, you must first enter the Beautiful South Tourism Awards 2026.”
Rebecca Foy, Director of Public Engagement at Bletchley Park Trust, said, “We are beyond proud to have been awarded Silver and to be recognised as one of the best visitor attractions across England. As an independent museum and charity, for Bletchley Park to place in the Large Visitor Attraction category is recognition of the work of the staff and volunteers of Bletchley Park Trust, front of house or behind the scenes, to provide the best visitor experience possible.”
The deadline for entries is midnight on 26 June 2026.
To start your entry click here.
