THE WINNERS of the Cumbria Tourism Awards were last night revealed at a glittering ceremony in Kendal's Castle Green Hotel.

Hundreds of the county's top tourism professionals eagerly gathered to hear Canadian comedian Sean Collins announce the results.

The Tourism Awards recognises the cream of the crop across a wide range of Cumbria's £2.4 billion tourism industry, such as holiday parks, hotels and visitor attractions.

Among the winners was 22-year-old Patricia Torre, of Windermere's Cedar Manor Hotel, who scooped the Sheila Hensman Award for Outstanding Customer Service.

Patricia, who arrived from Spain three years ago, was described as 'a real treasure' by hotel owner Caroline Kaye, who went on to say: "She is singled out by so many of our guests for her kindness, thoughtfulness and her cheerful smile day and night.

"We are absolutely thrilled for her that she has won this award and that her efforts have been officially recognised."

Other winners included the Laura Ashley The Belsfield Hotel, Bowness-on-Windermere, as Large Hotel of the Year.

The Kirkstile Inn, Loweswater, won Tourism Pub of the Year which was voted for by the public for the first time in the awards' 13 year history.

Ian Stephens, Managing Director of Cumbria Tourism, said: "Last night Cumbria’s £2.4 billion tourism industry annual awards ceremony was a true celebration of the very best of what Cumbria has to offer and a fantastic showcase of why the county is the nations’ favourite destination.

"The winners of the 2015 Cumbria Tourism Awards are our newest ambassadors for Cumbria’s tourism industry and we are all incredibly proud of their achievements. 

"I would like to thank them all for the tremendous amount of hard work and energy they put into making their business such a success and attractive visitor offer for all to enjoy and experience.”

The majority of the winners from the awards will go on to represent the county at the Visit England Awards for Excellence in 2016. Cumbria has seen a great deal of success at national level in recent years, resulting in fantastic media promotion for the winning businesses and Cumbria - the Lake District as a quality visitor destination.

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Cumbria Tourism Awards 2015 Full List of Winners:

Guest Accommodation of the Year (Sponsored by Lamont Pridmore)
Hazel Bank Country Guest House, Keswick

Holiday Park of the Year (Sponsored by NatWest Commercial Banking)
Castlerigg Hall Caravan & Camping Park, Keswick

Large Hotel of the Year (Sponsored by Armstrong Watson)
Laura Ashley The Belsfield Hotel, Bowness-on-Windermere

Large Visitor Attraction of the Year (Sponsored by Burnetts)
Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway

Small Visitor Attraction of the Year (Sponsored by H&H Reeds Printers)
WINNER - Keswick Museum
SPECIAL AWARD - Maryport Maritime Museum

Self-Catering Holiday of the Year (Sponsored by Cumberland Business)
The Hyning Estate

The Sheila Hensman Award for Outstanding Customer Service
Patricia Torre, Cedar Manor Hotel

Small Hotel of the Year (Sponsored by Colliers International)

WINNER - Holbeck Ghyll

HIGHLY COMMENDED - The Leathes Head


Tourism Event of the Year (Sponsored by G1Creative) (voted by the public)
Westmorland County Show

Sustainable Tourism Award
WINNER - Appleby Manor Country House Hotel
HIGHLY COMMENDED - Woolpack Inn

Taste Cumbria Award (Sponsored by Enterprise Answers)
WINNER - Askham Hall

HIGHLY COMMENDED – The Bridge, Kirkby Thore

Tourism Experience Award (Sponsored by Cumbria Tourism)
Upfront Puppet Theatre

New Tourism Business Award
Caffe Riva

Tourism Pub of the Year (voted by the public)
Kirkstile Inn, Loweswater

Business Innovation Award
Lake District Search & Mountain Rescue Association