The AA Hospitality Awards were held on Monday night in London, 25th September 2023. Every year AA recognises the best hotels and restaurants in the UK across twenty-six categories. At Paramount Personnel we’ll give you the lowdown of all the winners including top chefs, restaurants, and hotels.
AA Chefs’ Chef
Paul Ainsworth won Chefs’ Chef of the Year this year. After working in some of London’s best kitchens, Ainsworth moved to Cornwall to work at No.6 and then later took over the business relaunching it as Paul Ainsworth at No. 6. The popular restaurant in Padstow has a 4 Rosette Award for Culinary Excellence and features of the AA Notable wine list.
AA Restaurants of the Year
England – The Old Stamp House Restaurant, Ambleside, Cumbria – A small restaurant located in Cumbria inspired by Cumbria. This charming, Michelin Star restaurant can be found at the heart of the Lake District Village of Ambleside and is definitely worth the visit.
London – Chutney Mary – This Indian restaurant based in the heart of London on St. James Street offers food rich in flavour and history. The restaurant also holds a 3 Rosette Award for culinary excellence.
Wales – The Jackdaw, Conwy – This Welsh restaurant by Nick Rudge also has been awarded a 3 Rosette Award for culinary excellence. It’s famous for its Scandinavian vibes and seasonally evolving menus and this venue is worthy of its new award!
Scotland – Cail Bruich, Glasgow – Described by an AA inspector as “Modern Scottish cooking with lots of luxury ingredients.” This restaurant also was awarded with 3 Rosette Award for culinary excellence.
AA Hotels of the Year
England – Forest Side, Grasmere, Cumbria – This hotel has not only been awarded Hotel of the Year in England, but a 4 star Inspectors Choice Hotel Award, an AA Breakfast Award, and a 4 Rosette award for culinary excellence.
London – The Lanesborough, London – Set in Knightsbridge with views of Hyde Park this hotel also was awarded a 4 star Inspectors Choice Hotel Award, an AA Breakfast Award, and a 3 Rosette award for culinary excellence.
Wales – Penally Abbey Hotel, Tenby, Pembrokeshire – This charming hotel won Hotel of the Year in Wales, AA 3 star Small Hotel award and a 3 Rosette award for culinary excellence.
Scotland – Fingal, Edinburgh – This luxury hotel in Edinburgh has been described as unlike any other, the hotel is a converted ship owned by The Royal Britannia Trust. The hotel has been awarded 5 stars, Hotel of the Year Scotland, and a 2 Rosette award for culinary excellence.
Northern Ireland – Killeavy Castle Estate, Newry, County Armagh – This 19th-century castle has been awarded 4 stars, Hotel of the Year Scotland, and a 2 Rosette award for culinary excellence.
AA Restaurants with Rooms of the Year
England – The New Inn, St Owen’s Cross, Herefordshire – This charming inn located in Herefordshire has also been awarded a 5-star Restaurant with Rooms award, an AA Breakfast Award, and a 3 Rosette award for culinary excellence.
Wales – Ynyshir Restaurant and Rooms, Eglwys Fach, Ceredigion – This picturesque hotel was once owned by Queen Victoria, they’ve been awarded a 5-star Restaurant with Rooms award, an AA Breakfast Award, and a 5 Rosette award for culinary excellence as well as winning the Restaurant of the Year Award Wales.
Scotland – The Witchery, Edinburgh – This historic building at the gates of Edinburgh Castle has two luxurious suites. The Witchery has been awarded a 5-star Restaurant with Rooms award, an AA Breakfast Award, and a 2 Rosette award for culinary excellence as well as winning the Restaurant of the Year Award Scotland.
AA Spa Hotel of the Year
South Lodge, Lower Beeding, West Sussex – This luxury spa has a state-of-the-art gym and spin studio, indoor pool, outdoor hydrotherapy pool, wild swimming, and a thermal suite. With plenty of treatments on offer too this spa is well worth checking out!
AA Group of the Year
The Coaching Inn Group – The Coaching Inn Group is an independent operator with a passion for bringing historic coaching inns back to their former glory, with a few modern-day twists. The Coaching Inn group now has 32 properties spanning across England and Wales.
AA Small Hotel Group of the Year
Crear Hotels – Crerar Hotel Group has been targeting the Scottish luxury market and has 8 properties all of which embody the spirit of Scotland. The group holds AA Four Star awards for its five Hotels and Five Star Inn awards for its two smaller properties. Furthermore, each of the hotels holds an AA Rosette and the two inns are working towards the same.
AA Accessible Award
Pan Pacific London – Located in the City of London this hotel has 24 ccessible rooms, with two being specifically adapted with tracking hoists. Other provisions include plenty of accessible toilets, an assistive listening system in the Ballroom event space, a pool hoist in the Sensory Wellbeing spa and gym facilities, and an accessibility management training plan for all employees.
AA Sustainable Award
THE PIG Hotel Group – With everything starting from its kitchen gardens and an approach to sourcing as local as possible, it’s evolved a wonderful holistic approach that is core to the operation of THE PIG Hotel Group.
AA Food Service Award
The Strathearn, Gleneagles, Auchterarder, Perth & Kinross
Finalists:
Woven by Adam Smith, Coworth Park, Ascot, Berkshire
Arkle, The Chester Grosvenor, Cheshire
AA Wine Award
England and Overall winner – Allium at Askham Hall, Askham, Cumbria
Wales – Palé Hall Hotel & Restaurant, Bala, Gywnedd
Scotland – The Little Chartroom, Edinburgh
AA College Restaurant of the Year
@thirty-four, Exeter College, Devon – Well done to our local college on achieving this award!
Finalists:
Senara Restaurant, Truro & Penwith College, Cornwall
The Classroom, Cardiff & Vale College
AA Lifetime Achievement Award
Jonathan Raggett, CEO, Red Carnation Hotels – Raggett has taken the portfolio of hotels from 4 to 20 across the globe, developing the organization into a world-class hotel group and gaining numerous awards along the way. With a career spanning over 35 years in hospitality, Jonathan is both a leading hotelier and a prominent industry leader.
AA Outstanding Contribution Award
Angela Hartnett, OBE – Hartnett has helped, supported, and inspired so many, including aspiring chefs and students, as well as organisations and charities. Above all, she is one of the UK’s leading chefs, highly respected by her peers and loved by the public.
AA Housekeeper of the Year
Nicola Burton from Hartwell House & Spa, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire – Nicola knows this landmark hotel better than most, having worked at Hartwell House for 27 years. Starting out as a chambermaid, she steadily worked her way up through the ranks to the position of Head Housekeeper. She ensures the highest standard is always provided to guests of the hotel.
Congratulations to all of this years winners from us here at Paramount Personnel.
For more information on the winners visit the AA website.
For hospitality job vacancies click here.
