Battlesteads Hotel & Restaurant in Wark, Northumberland, is one of the three finalists to be shortlisted for the Sustainable Tourism Award at the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2017.

Battlesteads was named the winner of the three categories at the North East England Tourism Awards in November 2016 – Sustainable Tourism, Tourism Pub and Taste – and was subsequently put forward along with the winners from all of the other UK regions to the VisitEngland judging panel.

The eco hotel’s outstanding green credentials shone through, and it will now go up against the Blencathra Centre in Keswick and the National Marine Aquarium in Devon at the final of the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence, with the winner announced at a ceremony on 24 April.

Katie Meyrick-Scott, general manager of Battlesteads Hotel and Restaurant, said: “Winning three golds at the North East Tourism Awards was a fantastic achievement, but to reach the final three of the national awards in the sustainability category is amazing news. Over the past 10 years we’ve worked hard to create a sustainable tourism experience that provides inspiration to both our guests and the rest of the hospitality industry, and it’s fantastic to see that rewarded with the recognition from VisitEngland.”

In 2016 Battlesteads won numerous industry awards for its commitment to sustainability, including the Hotel Catey Award for Best Sustainable Hotel, the AA Hospitality Award for Eco Hotel of the Year, the People.Energy.Action award for eco-friendly travel business and the Good Hotel Guide Editor’s Choice Award for Best Green Hotel.

Award-winning Northumberland eco hotel, Battlesteads, is offering guests and local visitors the chance to try their hand at something new, with a packed calendar of experience days over the coming months.

From floristry workshops to polytunnel growing for beginners, the experiences available at the Wark hotel in March and April will appeal to green-fingered guests as well as anyone looking to experience something new.

Celebrating Mother’s Day on Saturday 25 March, Kate Norris from Northumbrian Flowers (and Battlesteads’ head gardener) will be inviting guests to learn how to create and wrap a beautiful bouquet of flowers, including British-grown flowers and foliage, at a short floristry workshop.

The workshop, which starts at 12pm, will include a glass of fizz and canapés on arrival and will be followed by a sumptuous afternoon tea, with Kate on hand to answer any further questions about flower arranging. Tickets are £55 per person.

For keen gardeners and those more interested in growing produce they can use in the kitchen, the Polytunnel Growing for Beginners experience day on Saturday 1 April will provide the perfect introduction to growing your own vegetables, herbs and salads.

Running from 9am – 4.30pm, the full-day event will also be presented by Kate Norris, who first started Battlesteads’ polytunnel growing systems back in 2007. Kate will cover the best design for polytunnels, which herbs, salads and vegetables will grow best, crop rotation and soil care, water management, maintenance and care and seasonal variations, with a practical session sowing seeds to take away.

Polytunnel Growing for Beginners will also include a tour of the Battlesteads grounds, materials for seed sowing, refreshments and a delicious three-course lunch with garden produce, all for £80 per person.

Katie Meyrick-Scott, general manager of Battlesteads Hotel said: “We know that guests visiting Battlesteads love having the opportunity to get stuck in to hands-on activities, and love learning new skills, which is why throughout 2017 we are organising regular experience days covering a huge range of topics and skills. Our head gardener Kate has fantastic expertise in gardening and floristry and can’t wait to help locals and visitors from further afield to try something new.”

Other workshops coming up at Battlesteads include a photography composition masterclass on Saturday 18 March and hot and cold smoking courses every Friday.

Award-winning Northumberland hotel and restaurant Battlesteads, near Wark, is inviting visitors to discover Britain’s brilliant dark skies at its Dark Sky Observatory during the National Parks Dark Skies Festival.

Taking place from Saturday 18 to Sunday 26 February, the National Parks Dark Skies Festival is now in its second year and aims to encourage more people to discover the fantastic stargazing opportunities in Britain.

Battlesteads, the only hotel in the UK with an on-site observatory, is offering budding astrologers the chance to enjoy a two or three-night break at the hotel, with tickets to the observatory and the hotel’s famous 8-course local produce tasting menu, from just £95 per room, per night.

The observatory is a Designated Dark Sky Discovery Site, meaning it’s one of the few places in the UK free enough from light pollution to see the Milky Way with the naked eye or even watch the Northern Lights.

Events and courses take place at the observatory throughout the year, from ‘get to know your telescope’ sessions to aurora hunting and deep sky astro-photography, with something for all levels of stargazer.

Katie Meyrick-Scott, general manager of Battlesteads Hotel said: "Since opening our observatory in 2015, we’ve been offering guests the chance to discover the beauty of Northumberland’s dark skies, which offer some of the best stargazing in the country. Our exclusive two and three-night packages, including bed and breakfast, observatory tickets and 8-course tasting menu, are available throughout the week of the National Parks Dark Skies Festival and throughout March."

Two night's bed and breakfast with an 8-course tasting menu on the first night and observatory tickets to use on the second night start from £95 per person, based on two sharing. A three-night package is available from £137.50 per person.

Both packages can be upgraded to accommodation in one of Battlesteads’ five new luxury eco lodges for £30 per room per night, and matched wines can be added to the tasting menu for £25 per person.

Award-winning Northumberland hotel and restaurant Battlesteads, near Wark, has completed a £400,000 refurbishment of its restaurant, including a brand-new extension.

The new extension has added more lounge-style seating and dining space, increasing the restaurant capacity by 40 covers and creating an area perfectly designed for private dining and small parties.

Designed by Nanu Soda, the refurbishment has also transformed the existing restaurant and bar, giving it a stylish, cosy and contemporary new look while remaining in-keeping with the history and heritage of the former 18th century farmhouse building.

Battlesteads Restaurant is open to both hotel residents and non-resident guests, serving seasonal menus which feature only the very best local Northumbrian and home-grown produce.

From light lunches to Battlesteads’ famed eight-course tasting menu, head chef Eddie Shilton sources prime local ingredients for maximum freshness and flavour, with seasonal vegetables, salads and herbs grown in Battlesteads’ own two-acre gardens and polytunnels.

Katie Meyrick-Scott, general manager of Battlesteads Hotel said: "We are delighted with the new restaurant extension, which allows us not only to welcome even more diners to enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner, but also creates a space for private dining. The extension can be sectioned off from the main restaurant, so it’s a great size with a fantastic atmosphere for small family parties or get-togethers."

After a record-breaking year of local and national awards success, Battlesteads Hotel & Restaurant is celebrating once again after being named Sustainable Hotel of the Year at the Hotel Cateys. 

The prestigious hotel industry award was presented to Battlesteads on Friday 25 November at a ceremony attended by more than 750 leading industry figures held at London’s Park Plaza Westminster Bridge.

The Hotel Catey award is the 11^th award to be won by Battlesteads in 2016, making it their most successful year to date. 

Known as one of the UK’s top sustainable tourism destinations, Battlesteads has won several awards for its sustainability and eco-friendliness including the AA Hospitality Award for Eco Hotel of the Year, the People.Energy.Action award for eco-friendly travel business and the Good Hotel Guide Editor’s Choice Award for Best Green Hotel. 

Battlesteads also won the 2016 Good Hotel Guide Cesar Award for Best Value, was named the Best Pub in the North East at the National Pub & Bar Awards and won five trophies at the North East Tourism Awards: three Gold Awards for Sustainable Tourism, Tourism Pub and the Taste Award; Bronze Award for Hotel of the Year and Highly Commended Award for Dog Friendly Business. 

Richard Slade, owner of Battlesteads Hotel and Restaurant, said: “I am delighted that Battlesteads has been named Sustainable Hotel of the Year at this year’s Hotel Cateys; it’s the perfect end to an award-winning year. I would like to thank all the team at the hotel for their hard work which has contributed to our success and I look forward to seeing what 2017 has to hold for Battlesteads.” 

We are now celebrating after winning a record three Gold awards at the 2016 North East Tourism Awards.

We achieved the Gold Awards for Sustainable Tourism, Tourism Pub and the Taste Award, as well as winning a Bronze in the Hotel of the Year category and a Highly Commended Award for Dog Friendly Business. 

This is the first time in the history of the awards that a business has won three Gold Awards in the same year. 

Katie Meyrick-Scott, general manager of Battlesteads Hotel and Restaurant, said: “We are absolutely over the moon to have won not just one but three North East Tourism Gold Awards. To also receive Bronze and Highly Commended awards in two further categories is a huge achievement for us and is fantastic recognition for the hard work of all the team. We’re now looking forward to representing the North East at the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence in 2017”.

Organised and delivered by the NewcastleGateshead Initiative in partnership with the Northern Tourism Alliance, the North East England Tourism Awards showcase the high quality tourism businesses and experiences on offer to visitors to the region. The winner of each category is automatically entered into the annual VisitEngland Awards for Excellence, which will take place in April 2017.

Sarah Stewart, Chief Executive at destination management and marketing organisation NewcastleGateshead Initiative, said “A huge congratulations to Battlesteads Hotel & Restaurant for winning three golds at this year’s North East England Tourism Awards. As always the businesses shortlisted were of an extremely high standard so to not only win one gold award but three is a great achievement. The North East of England has a fantastic tourism offer, and Battlesteads Hotel & Restaurant are one of many businesses playing a key role in welcoming visitors to the region.”

More information about the awards can be found at www.NorthEastTourismAwards.com.