The category honours the crème de la crème in the hospitality industry who offer unrivalled facilities and an unsurpassed customer experience. The award is a huge coup for the boutique hotel which has already been the recipient of this award in 2019 before lockdown and boasts a five gold star AA rating too. As the winner of the Perfect Stay Award, The Fence Gate Lodge will now automatically be entered into the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2023 representing Lancashire in this category.
Kevin Berkins, owner of Fence Gate Lodge said: “To win this award against such esteemed finalists is a great achievement and I am fiercely proud of the team that has made this happen. We pride ourselves on the unsurpassed customer journey we offer; the personal touches and attention to detail and to have this recognised by Marketing Lancashire is the cherry on top as we celebrate our 40th year in hospitality.
“To build on the offering of Fence Gate, we opened the lodge itself in 2017. Formerly six cottages which were later converted to a public house, Fence Gate Lodge is now a 24-bedroom hotel with suites, an apartment and a function room which we feel exudes quality and charm; and which retains and enhances many of the original features including exposed brick walls and woodwork.
“Key to our vision was to create a bespoke offering that captures attention to detail and quality throughout a seamless customer journey and winning this award against such tough competition is the affirmation needed that we have achieved our goals.”
Fence Gate Lodge attracts both leisure and corporate guests to the area and has emerged from the pandemic even stronger. Often being described as a ‘hidden gem in Pendle’, Fence Gate Lodge is renowned for its bedroom furnishings and bathroom décor where guests can enjoy wet rooms finished with granite tops, Villeroy & Bosch double sinks in every bathroom, Temple Spa toiletries and luxurious fabrics and bed linen, all in rooms which are fully accessible.
The rigorous judging process of the Lancashire Tourism Awards left no stone unturned in getting to understand the business, the business model and team behind the venue. Those finalists in the Perfect Stay award were also subjected to a mystery-shopper before facing an expert panel of judges.
Rachel McQueen, Chief Executive of Marketing said: “Success in 2022 was hard fought, hard won, against, quite literally, all the odds. But successes there were, and significant ones too.”
On the finalists this year she said “What came through loud and clear from the judges and our mystery shoppers was the tremendous hard work, determination, entrepreneurship and vision demonstrated by our tourism businesses.
“There is absolutely no shortage of pride, passion and ambition in this room, and myself and the Marketing Lancashire team look forward to working with you to support the county’s tourism and hospitality sector to thrive.”
The winners of the Lancashire Tourism Awards 2023 were announced at a black-tie ceremony at Blackpool’s Winter Gardens with celebrity host, Steve Royle.
