A TOTAL of three Cotswolds Tourism award winners have been short-listed as finalists at the prestigious national VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2015.

The Manor House Hotel, Moreton-in-Marsh and Ellenborough Park Hotel near Cheltenham have both been nominated for the VisitEngland Large Hotel category after winning gold and silver respectively in the Cotswolds Tourism awards.

Also, Cotswolds Tourism gold winner The Cotswold Show, held in Cirencester, is a contender for the VisitEngland tourism event of the year.

All finalists will be reviewed by a panel of expert judges at a glittering VisitEngland Awards Ceremony which will be held on Monday, May 11 at the Sage Gateshead.

The VisitEngland Awards attracted a total of 345 applications, and all 75 finalists are guaranteed to receive either a Gold, Silver, Bronze or Highly Commended Award.

James Berresford, chief executive of VisitEngland said: “It’s been another successful year for our Excellence Awards as we’ve received hundreds of applications of an extremely high standard.

"That’s why all the finalists should be incredibly proud that they’ve been short-listed against such tough competition."

Speaking on behalf of Cotswolds Tourism Sally Graff said: “Tourism is a vital industry for the Cotswolds – it’s worth £1 billion to the local economy and accounts for 8% of employment – and we believe our regional awards help to publicise and boost the standards of the accommodation and attractions on offer, encouraging even more visitors to the destination."

Simon Stanbrook manager of The Moreton House Hotel is looking forward to the national event: “We are thrilled to have been shortlisted for the Large Hotel of the year award which is a testament to the hard work and dedication from the entire team at The Manor House Hotel.

"The VisitEngland awards for Excellence showcase the best in England's tourism industry and we are honoured to be within such good company.”

Earl Bathurst, the Cotswold Show’s President, hosts the annual Show in Cirencester Park. He said: “This is very exciting for the show. There is a lot of hard work that goes on behind the scenes to get ready for the gates to open and we’re delighted that this has been recognised."

Ruth Owen-Overton, sales and marketing director of the Ellenborough Park Hotel is hoping for success: “It’s testimony to the hard work and dedication of all staff at Ellenborough Park that we are shortlisted for this prestigious award.

"In the past 12 months we have gone from strength to strength with an innovative and creative five-star offer for guests, plus more awards for our executive head chef, David Kelman, and the restaurant teams. We're are up against very strong competition and every hotel deserves recognition."