Horseshoe Inn WIns a New Award

Congratulations to award-winning member's the Horseshoe Inn at Eddleston. Head chef, Patrick Bardoulet, has now been named Rural Chef of the Year 2009 at the Scottish Chef Awards in Glasgow on 10th May.

Bowhill gets Gold for Going Green

Congratulations to Bowhill House who are the latest member of the Tweed Valley Consortia to get a Green Tourism Award, theirs is the gold award.

Caddon View Wins ‘Guest House of the Year 2009’ at the Scottish Hotel Awards

At the sixth annual Scottish Hotel Awards, Innerleithen Guest House Caddon View was named as ‘Guest House of the Year 2009’. The Awards ceremony took place at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Glasgow on the evening of Sunday 1st March and was attended by several hundred of Scotland’s leading hoteliers.

Owners of Caddon View, Lisa and Steve Davies, were delighted to receive the accolade at their first attempt, beating off stiff competition from all over Scotland.

‘Since taking over Caddon View almost two years ago we have worked very hard to create a place where our guests can relax in comfort and enjoy the best food that the Borders can offer’ says Lisa Davies. ‘It’s good to know that our efforts in launching the restaurant and refurbishing the rooms have been recognised. Receiving this award judged by a panel of people who are extremely experienced in the hospitality industry is a real honour’.

‘We just treat people the way we would like to be treated when we stay away’ added Steve. ‘A friendly smile and a warm welcome cost nothing but make the difference’.

Vivien Devlin, Co-Chairman of the awards committee, commenting on Caddon View’s award says "From the warm welcome at the front door, a pot of tea and homemade cake by the fire, to pre-dinner G &T and superb, innovative good food, Caddon View offers an exceptional standard of hospitality. With Steve and Lisa's personal touch and welcoming, homely ambience, they certainly deserve the accolade of Guest House of the Year 2009."

Traquair Celebrates a Silver Green Tourism Award and the Return of the Red Squirrel

Traquair has been awarded a prestigious Silver Award from the Green Tourism Business Scheme in recognition of the work undertaken in the fields of energy saving, recycling and sourcing of local products.

Catherine Maxwell Stuart commented, "We are thrilled to have gained a Silver Award on our first grading and have worked hard last year to implement a range of new energy saving and recycling initiatives. We are also looking to introduce biomass heating system for the main house in the near future".

As if to celebrate Traquair' new green award red squirrels also been sighted in the Traquair grounds for the first time in a generation and it is hoped they will re-establish themselves in the ancient woodlands.

The efforts to control the grey squirrels which were damaging a number of trees at Traquair seem to have finally paid off and at least one pair of red squirrels have made their home at Traquair again.

Traquair Wins Silver for Green Tourism

As a member of the Green Tourism Business Scheme Traquair has been assessed for its' environmental credentials, energy saving measures, energy efficiency, recycling and environmental interpretation. We have been given the prestigious Silver Award. Next time we are going for Gold!

Dawyck Botanic Garden becomes first five star garden in Scotland

Dawyck Botanic Garden has officially been awarded VisitScotland five star status making it the first garden in Scotland to achieve world class recognition.

The Garden, near Peebles, has reaped the benefits of a new £1.6m visitor centre to join an elite band of five star visitor attractions in the Scottish Borders and become the first five star garden in Scotland.

Scottish Borders Awards 2008 nomination

The Tweed Valley website has been shortlisted in the Scottish Borders Awards 2008 in the “Award for Best Use of IT in a Tourism Related Business” category.

The winners will be announced at the Awards Dinner on Friday 3 October at Springwood Hall, Border Union Showground, Kelso.

Caddon View Wins Awards

Steve and Lisa at Caddon View are pleased to report that they have received a number of awards from Hotel Review Scotland following a visit by Gary McLean, the Editor.

They have received a Silver Plate Dining Award, a Breakfast Rosette awarded to hotels that provide a truly excellent breakfast and a Hospitality Award which is 'awarded on merit to extra-friendly hotels, ones where we feel especially confident guests will receive real hospitality'.

We are very proud to have achieved this within a year of us taking over the hotel.

You can see the full review here.

And this month there is a focus on the Borders, and several Tweed Valley members are featured, with Caddon View featured as Guest House of the Month.