Lakeside sauna and world's deepest hotel among winners at North Wales Tourism Awards

An iconic heritage railway, lakeside sauna, and the world’s deepest hotel were among those hailed as stars of the tourism industry in North Wales. The Go North Wales Tourism Awards was held on Thursday night at Venue Cymru in Llandudno.

The glittering annual event organised by North Wales Tourism celebrates the dedication, skill and achievements of the region’s tourism and hospitality industry.

Among the biggest winners were Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways in Porthmadog, the Plas Dinas Country House Hotel in Bontnewydd, Bearded Men Adventures in Llangollen and Go Below Underground Adventures in Eryri. Meanwhile, the blue riband Service to Tourism Award went to Adam Williams, the owner of Llandudno Pier and Tir Prince Amusement Park in Towyn.

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This year the ceremony was hosted by former BBC journalist Sian Lloyd and the headline sponsor once again was Harlech Foodservice which supplies many of the region’s hotels, guest houses and restaurants. Most of the winners will go forward to the National Tourism Awards for Wales next March, hosted by Visit Wales.

The Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways, the second oldest and longest heritage railway in Britain, was named as the Go Attraction of the Year. The railway is on track to celebrate the 70th anniversary of its preservation next year and contributes more than £20 million to the Gwynedd economy every year, annually transporting 150,000 passengers through the beautiful landscape of Eryri.

One of newcomers to pick up an award was Sawna Bach – The Scenic Sauna - which has wood fired saunas next to an Anglesey beach and Llyn Padarn, Llanberis. It was named New Tourism Business of the Year.

Another jewel in the region’s tourism crown is the Plas Dinas Country House Hotel in Bontnewydd which came away with two top awards. It was honoured as Hotel of the Year for a record-breaking fourth time while its acclaimed Gunroom Restaurant won the Go Eating Out Experience category

The leasehold for Plas Dinas Country House was bought by Daniel and Annie Perks in 2019 after they fell in love with the former royal retreat. Back in the 1960s, it provided a bolthole for Lord Snowdon, formerly Anthony Armstrong-Jones, and Princess Margaret, hidden away from the glare of London life.

It was also where Lord Snowdon used as a base to mastermind Prince Charles’s investiture at Caernarfon Castle in 1969.

Also celebrating an awards double was Bearded Men Adventures whose adrenaline-fuelled activities include white water rafting, canoeing across the world famous Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and axe throwing. The outfit, which describes itself as the Hairiest Adventure Company in North Wales, won the Go Activity or Experience award while 18 year old team member Hugh Owen was named as the Rising Star in the Tourism and Hospitality Category.

Go Below Underground Adventures went up in the world when they won the gong as the Go Glamping, Camping, Caravanning and Holiday Park of the Year. Deep Sleep is located in a disused Victorian slate mine 1,375ft below Snowdonia and is accessible only by hike, zip lines and flooded chambers.

Guests can stay in log cabins or slate-roofed chambers - dubbed “the deepest sleep in the world”.

The unique subterranean hotel sees people venture down through an abandoned Victorian slate mine to reach the remote off-grid camp.

There was a special award for entrepreneur Adam Williams who bought Llandudno’s historic pier in 2015 and six years later bought the adjacent pier pavilion which had .been derelict for more than a quarter of a century. The 1,234ft, Grade II listed pier first opened in 1877 and was voted national Pier of the Year in 2005.

According to head judge, Jim Jones, the chief executive of North Wales Tourism, Adam Williams was an “irrepressible force of nature”.

He said: “Adam is a real-life hero of the tourism and hospitality industry in North Wales whose drive and ingenuity are helping to turbo charge the visitor economy as well as preserving a precious part of our tourism heritage.

“I would like to congratulate Adam and every single one of the winners but I would also like to stress that all the nominees have played an absolutely vital role in rebuilding tourism sector in the aftermath of the Covid pandemic.

“This event really showcases the very best of North Wales and we have seen so many amazing entries, all of which underlines why this is a truly world class destination for visitors.”

It was a sentiment echoed by David Cattrall, the Managing Director of headline sponsors Harlech Foodservice.

He said: “We are delighted to once again be the headline sponsor of this wonderful awards ceremony and it’s very much a vote of confidence in the tourism and hospitality sector which has endured such a difficult time in recent years. This is our opportunity to give something back and celebrate the achievements of our core customers.

“The impact of Covid and its aftermath have made things very difficult for everybody and tourism and hospitality is one of the sectors that has suffered the most in terms of economic impact. But as the awards have shown tonight we are a resilient lot thanks to an army of heroes who work on the front line in this important sector.

“It is important that we continue to celebrate our many achievements and there are reasons to be optimistic about the future.”

Full list of winners at the Go North Wales Tourism Awards

New Tourism Business of the Year Award sponsored by Guestline

• Sawna Bach – The Scenic Sauna

Go Resilience and Innovation Award sponsored by Plas Dinas Country House Hotel

• Anglesey Sea Zoo Marine Conservation Centre

Go Marketing & Media Recognition Award sponsored by Heart North and Mid Wales

• SF Parks

Go Pet Friendly Award sponsored by holidaycottages.co.uk

• Waterloo Hotel

Go Accessible and Inclusive Tourism Award sponsored by Hafan y Môr Holiday Park

• Tŷ-Pren

Go Rising Star in Tourism & Hospitality Award sponsored by Coleg Llandrillo Menai

• Hugh Owen – Bearded Men Adventures

Go B&B, Inn and Guest House of the Year sponsored by Aber Falls Distillery

• The Bull’s Head Inn

Go Hotel of the Year sponsored by Castell Howelll Foods

• Plas Dinas Country House Hotel

Go Self Catering of the Year sponsored by Pario Leisure Group

• Hafan Y Mor Holiday Park

Go Glamping, Camping, Caravanning and Holiday Park of the Year sponsored by Carbon Zero Renewables Ltd

• Go Below Underground Adventures

Go Cruise North Wales Award – The Best Immersive and Sustainable Tour sponsored by Cruise Wales

• Atgof – Making Memories in Wales

Go Attraction of the Year sponsored by SF Parks

• Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways

Go Activity or Experience of the Year sponsored by Snowdonia Hospitality & Leisure Ltd

• Bearded Men Adventures

Go Best Event of the Year Award sponsored by Penderyn Distillery Llandudno

• Gŵyl Fwyd Caernarfon

Go Eating Out Experience Award sponsored by Office Equipment Systems Ltd

• The Gunroom Restaurant – Plas Dinas Country House

Go Tourism Supplier of the Year Award sponsored by Booking.com

• Wild Horse Brewing Co

Go Ethical, Responsible and Sustainable Tourism Award sponsored by Development Bank of Wales

• Hafan Y Môr Holiday Park

Go North Wales Tourism Service to Tourism Award sponsored by Tir Prince Leisure Group

• Adam Williams, owner of Llandudno Pier