Hotel staff celebrate success at county tourism and hospitality awards

Karolina Drazewska, of Stapleford Park Hotel, won the award for best waiting staff

The venue was named ‘best large hotel’ at the 2023 Tourism and Hospitality Awards at a glittering ceremony in Leicester’s Athena.

The hotel’s Karolina Drazewska was also named winner of the ‘best waiting staff’ category at the 12th edition of the annual awards, organised by Leicestershire Promotions.

In addition, Stapleford Hotel’s Marta Matzutzi was commended by judges in the ‘rising star’ class, behind winner Tom Marden (College Court Conference Centre and Hotel).

Stapleford Park Country House Hotel, winner of best large hotel

Upper Broughton’s Tap & Run, which reopened this year after a devastating fire, was highly commended in ‘pub of the year’, with The Griffin Inn named winner.

Both pubs are owned by former cricketers Stuart Broad and Harry Gurney within The Cat and Wickets Pub Company.

The awards, which were this year sponsored by Pear Communications, are organised to recognise excellence in hotels, bed and breakfast establishments, restaurants, pubs, events and visitor attractions in the county.

Martin Peters, chief executive of Leicestershire Promotions, said: “The visitor economy has many reasons to celebrate together.

Harry Gurney (left) and Stuart Broad - their pubs were both recognised by judges in the awards

"The resilience, determination and relentless hard work shown by my colleagues across the industry is remarkable and I take my hat off to all the finalists and winners.”

Among the other winners were Holywell House, Winstanley House, The Spa at Breedon Priory, Brook Meadow, The Griffin Inn and Cosby Yarn Bomb.

This was the regional heat of the national VisitEngland Awards for Excellence and many of the winners will go forward as Leicestershire’s nominations for the national awards.