The family-run Thurlestone Hotel is celebrating success after it was named Large Hotel of the Year in the South West Tourism Excellence Awards.

Known as the 'tourism Oscars', the awards celebrate 'the best in the South West', and aim to promote and reward quality in the tourism industry.

The Thurlestone Hotel has been owned and run by the Grose family since 1896 and has already accumulated a long list of honours over the years.

Its list of achievements include an AA rosette for cuisine, which it has maintained for 4 years, a West Country Tourist Board Gold Award and an English Tourism Council Silver Award for England for Excellence.

The RAC 4-star hotel has also earned an Investor in People award and Certificate of Best Employment Practise by the British Hospitality Association.

The hotel was one of several businesses to win a tourism Oscar and will now go on to represent the region at the national EnjoyEngland Excellence Awards in London next year.

Entrants had to demonstrate an exceptionally high quality of customer care and continual improvement of facilities. Sustainability, accessibility for disabled customers, use of regional produce and investment in the local community were also factors taken into account.

Malcolm Bell, chief executive of South West Tourism, said: "Quality is at the core of South West England's new regional tourism strategy 'Towards 2015', and I would like to congratulate all of the award winners for investing in their products and services, to provide a customer experience that exceeds expectations.

"All are contributing towards reinforcing the South West's position as a world class holiday destination."