Bovey Castle clinched the gold award in the Large Hotel of the Year category at the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence.The five star property, which has 60 elegant bedrooms, 22 self-catering lodges and a 160-strong workforce, made it through to the national awards after being named Best Large Hotel in the Devon Tourism Awards earlier this year.The VisitEngland Awards for Excellence have been championing the best in England’s tourism industry for more than three decades and celebrate quality, innovation, best practice and exceptional customer service.In an anonymous visit, judges praised Bovey Castle as “the perfect hotel to escape from it all; whether that is relaxation and pampering, to fine dining or country pursuits.”It comes as the property continues to invest in its guest experience; including £160,000 in upgrading golf facilities, including a brand-new Golf Shop, Members’ Lounge, and TrackMan-powered Driving Range; resulting in a rise in female golf members.The hotel also champions its community by offering over 15 outdoor activities for guests, as well as using local and estate grown produce to provide an authentic guest experience.It is the second year in a row that Bovey Castle’s owners, Eden Hotel Collection, are celebrating the national accolade, after another of their hotels – Mallory Court Hotel and Spa – took home the same title last year.Dean Gunston, General Manager at Bovey Castle, said: “This is the third time we have been crowned as Devon’s Large Hotel of the Year, so it is amazing to go one step further and land the national title.“The VisitEngland Awards for Excellence are the cream of the crop when it comes to hospitality awards – so I am extremely proud of my whole team, as without them, this would not be possible.“These are exciting times for Bovey Castle. We are continuing to see growth in our occupancy levels, and have some exciting plans up our sleeve to expand how our guests can experience the beautiful Dartmoor countryside.”For more information about Bovey Castle visit www.boveycastle.com