Leading UK Travel Pundit Names Anglesey, Wales a Top Destination for 2011

Leading UK Travel Pundit Names Anglesey, Wales a Top Destination for 2011

Anglesey Tourism Association Recognizes its Brightest Stars

New York – January 31, 2011 - Simon Calder, BBC TV host and a Senior Travel Editor at The Independent newspaper (a major British daily), has named Anglesey, Wales one of his 11 best places on the planet to visit during 2011.  Confirming what Anglesey residents, HRH Prince William of Wales and Kate Middleton already seem to know, Calder recently characterized Anglesey as “a little corner of heaven.”

Now the Anglesey Tourism Association (ATA) has burnished the brightest stars in its firmament with the 2011 Anglesey Tourism Awards, celebrating the best of the Island’s tourism sector and providing a showcase for tourism industry best practice and the top performing tourism businesses.  A total of 19 accolades were presented during the glittering black tie gala on January 28^th, giving North Americans even more reasons to visit this year.  Visit www.visitanglesey.co.uk to see what’s on offer.

The annual awards recognized the best of the best in areas as diverse as accommodation, adventure holidays, food and arts and crafts, with the accent on heritage, culture and ‘green’.  The complete list of awards categories (at the end of this document) hints at the variety in accommodation and attractions to be experienced in this quiet North Wales community. Here is a sampling.

Ryder Cup 2010 introduced ‘golf as it should be’ to a new …global …. audience, but golf is not new to Wales.  Bull Bay Golf Club’s (Best Activity Operator) motto is “Her deg ar hen dir” meaning “An honest challenge on ancient land.”  Golf has been played at Bull Bay for nearly 100 years and it offers 18 holes of championship golf, with a practice ground and putting green and a modern clubhouse.  The Club hosted the Ryder Cup Wales, Open Young PGA Championship in 2008 and 2009

The Iowa State Fair?  No, it’s The Anglesey Show (Best Event), which attracts 60,000 visitors from all parts of the UK and beyond.  Last year marked the 123^rd Annual Show.  In addition to the spectacle of superbly presented livestock, the Show provides so much more - equestrian events, a flower marquee, food hall of the best local produce, craft displays and a shopping arcade.

Plas Newydd (Best Visitor Attraction) is a 15^th century mansion, spectacularly situated on the edge of the Menai Strait and one of the most important historic buildings in the area.  Plas Newydd boasts an important collection of Rex Whistler’s work and they are committed to the “going local” ethos of the National Trust which commits them to promoting links with the local community, use of local produce and services.

Glan Morfa Lodge (Best Self-Catering Establishment) is Anglesey’s environmentally friendly holiday rental cottage complex and wildlife park comprised of seven properties, 37 acres of land, two lakes, bird hides and boathouse.  The cottages are heated by solar and wind power with a reed bed system for the waste water. Glan Morfa is ideal for those that are passionate about wildlife and the environment or for those that want a haven of peace and tranquility.

The mystery guests couldn’t decide on the Best Bed & Breakfast / Guesthouse, so they acknowledged two very different hostelries. Hen Bont Farm B&B is a successful sheep farm and farmhouse B&B offering quality accommodation with a homely and friendly atmosphere. Llwydiarth Fawr is a palatial Georgian 5 Star B&B on 850 acres of farmland and woodland and a perfect base for exploring the island’s coastline.

The ethos behind Lastra Farm Hotel (Best Bistro / Brasserie and Best Small Hotel) is to create a dining and hospitality experience rather than just a good feed!  Local suppliers are championed in every menu as “Food Heroes”: Lastra sources local ingredients, believing in a creative journey from field to plate.  Judges were impressed with the hotel’s Sense of Place and the glowing comments on Trip Advisor.

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