eviivo Awards 2019

Hidden Gems & Star Amongst Stars Award

2019 Star Amongst Stars

Old Church Farm

Bristol, Gloucestershire

About the Property

Old Church Farm can trace its noble history back to Medieval times when it was owned by King Harold of Wessex prior to the Norman Conquest in 1066. More recently it was owned and run by Rolls Royce PLC as a private hotel and now is now in private hands and open to the public for the first time in its history. 

Seven en suite rooms with Hypnos beds ensure a comfortable stay in the South Gloucestershire countryside. Following an AA inspection in August 2018 Old Church Farm was awarded the Gold Award with 5 Stars – the highest accolade in Great Britain. 

The Judges Said

 This recently-opened property is housed in a building with a substantial history, which dates back to pre-Norman England, and has been owned by a number of monarchs in its time. 

The food at this property has won AA awards, in part because of the excellent produce from their garden, and in part because of the high standard across the daily-changing menu.

The judges especially liked how the current owners have transformed this property into a real hidden gem, and were impressed by the whole new start they’ve created.”

2019 Regional Hidden Gem Winners

About the Award

The Hidden Gems and Star Amongst Stars Award are for brilliant businesses that leave all their guests demanding an encore (after all Diamonds are Forever…).

We asked all entrants to tell us their story, about why they should be a winner and what makes them the kind of place that once people find them, they never want to leave

These nine properties were announced on the night, with one overall winner crowned Star Amongst Stars.

The Winners

The Grotto – North East

Nella Vista Lodge – North West

Old Downton Lodge – The Midlands

No. 27 Birghton – South East

Old Church Farm – South West

The Old Deanery – Yorkshire

Fields Lodge B&B – Wales

All Seasons B&B – Northern Ireland

The Spey – Scotland

Shortlisted Properties

 

North West


Waddington Arms – Clitheroe, Lancashire

Shakespeare Inn – Kendal, Cumbria

Bella Vista Lodge – Blackpool, Lancashire

The Lakehouse – Slaidburn, Lancashire

Paramount Aparthotel – Lytham St. Annes

 

North East


Percy Arms – Chatton, Northumberland

The Grotto – South Shields, Tyne and Wear

Dowfold House B&B – Crook, Co. Durham

Burnhopeside Hall – Durham, Co. Durham

Chestnut Tree House – Longhouton, N’land

Yorkshire


The Old Deanery – Rippon, N. Yorks

Brickfields Farm – Kirkbymoorside, N. Yorks

Acorn Lodge – Harrogate, N. Yorks

The Queens Head – Finghall, N. Yorks

Wally’s Wagon – Grn. Hammerton, N. Yorks

 

The Midlands


The Rectory – Louth, Lincolnshire

The Old Crown – Birmingham, W. Midlands

Old Downton Lodge – Ludlow, Shropshire

Beldon House – Brigg, Lincolnshire

Oaks Lane Farm B&B – Ashover, Derbyshire

 

South West


Highcliffe House – Lynton, Devon

Old Embassy House – Fowey, Cornwall

The Somerset House – Weymouth, Dorset

Old Church Farm – Bristol, Gloucestershire

The Courtyard – Salisbury, Wiltshire

South East


The Bell Inn – Diss, Norfolk

Manor Farm – Knodishall, Suffolk

No.27 Brighton – Brighton, East Sussex

Hamiltons Boutique – Southend, Essex

Staunton Hotel – London, Greater London

Scotland


The Spey – Grantown on Spey, Highlands

The House on the Shore – Arbigland, Dumf.

Creeside Escape – Barrhill, Ayrshire

Castle Walk B&B – Stirling, Stirlingshire

EscapeToEdinburgh@AbercrombyPlace – Mid.

 

Wales


Holland Hotel – Llanfachraeth, Gwynedd

Greylands GH, Llandrindod Wells, Powys

Glan y Gro – Bala, Gwynedd

Fields Lodge – Milford Haven, Pembs

Llwyn Helyg – Llanarthne, Carmarthenshire

 

Northern Ireland


All Seasons B&B – Portrush, Co. Antrim

Shelleven Guest House – Bangor, Co. Down

Station B&B – Derry, Londonderry

Ivanhoe Hotel – Belfast, Co. Down

Village Cottage – Bushmills, Co. Antrim

 

The Hidden Gems and Star Amongst Stars Award are for brilliant businesses that leave all their guests demanding an encore (after all Diamonds are Forever…). We will be selecting an initial shortlist of nine regional winning properties – the UK’s Hidden Gems. These nine properties will be announced on the night, and then one overall winner will be named Star Amongst Stars! Our decision will be based on a combination of indicators (performance online, guest reviews, etc.) and information from the property about what makes them unique. We ask properties to tell us their story, about why they should be a winner and what makes them the kind of place that once people find them, they never want to leave.

Multi-Property Wizard Award judging criteria

  • We will use data about the property’s performance online and review scores to decide.
  • Judges will look at what makes the property unique and special.
  • We would like to know how the property came to be guest accommodation and how did the hosts get into the wonderful world of hosting.

Meet the expert helping judge this category

Mark Palmer

Travel and Property Editor at the Daily Mail

Mark Palmer is a Fleet Street veteran. He has worked as a gossip columnist on the Evening Standard; News Editor of the Sunday Telegraph; columnist on The Times and Executive Editor of the Daily Express. He is currently Travel & Property Editor at the Daily Mail where he has been for the past 11 years, and is the author of two books.

Read More