Prestigious award for Jesmond Dene
A privately owned, North East hotel has won a glittering national award, and helped turn the spotlight on Newcastle upon Tyne.
The city’s Jesmond Dene House Hotel was named City Hotel of the Year 2013 at the Good Hotel Guide’s annual César awards ceremony at Daunts Books in Holland Park, London.
The much-coveted awards, considered the Oscars of the hotel industry, are given to outstanding hotels across 10 different categories, each selected from hundreds of competing hopefuls throughout Great Britain and Ireland.
To celebrate, the hotel is offering all its Facebook followers (current and new) an exclusive 30 per cent discount on meals chosen from the Dinner menu.
Desmond Balmer, joint editor of the Guide, said: “In well-maintained gardens in a wooded suburb of the city, Peter Candler has created an exceptional hotel with a country house feel.
"The Arts and Crafts mansion has been beautifully furnished with a contemporary touch yet in keeping with the period. The bedrooms are generously equipped and well serviced. In the restaurant, the superb meals are served at a fair price. The attentive service by a young staff is particularly praised by our readers.”
The key difference with the Guide’s awards, compared with other industry accolades, is that hotels within the Guide are nominated by customers not by hotel owners or industry professionals. Only hotels that have received genuinely positive and praiseworthy feedback from guests are selected for inspection, and potential inclusion within the Guide.
Peter Candler says: “Any award is wonderful to receive, but we are particularly proud to receive this one because it shows we are pleasing the people who most count: our guests. Without them, we wouldn’t be in business. It’s a great morale booster for the staff and great to bring an award home to a northern city.”
The César award, named after celebrated hotelier César Ritz, adds to numerous honours won by Jesmond Dene House including AA Hotel of the Year 2008/09 and the North East Tourism Small Hotel of the Year 2008.
The Good Hotel Guide 2012: Great Britain & Ireland, price £20, is available for £19 including p&p from The Good Hotel Guide, 50 Addison Avenue, London W11 4QP. Tel/Fax 4182, email , www.goodhotelguide.com