A New Forest hotel is celebrating after claiming gold at yet another awards ceremony this week.

The Balmer Lawn Hotel & Spa is nestled in the heart of the New Forest - recently voted the best National Park in Europe by Tripadvisor.

On Monday (April 25), the 4-star hotel picked up it’s fourth award so far this year in the Resilience & Innovation category at the Beautiful South Tourism Awards.

The win follows earlier success at the Southampton Hospitality Awards, Guide for Brides Customer Service Awards, and the recent Springboard Awards for Excellence 2022.


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Hampshire Chronicle: Balmer Lawn Hotel & Spa has received four awards so far this year. Picture: Balmer Lawn Hotel & SpaBalmer Lawn Hotel & Spa has received four awards so far this year. Picture: Balmer Lawn Hotel & Spa

The Hampshire business received the award for its positive influence within the tourism industry throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, in addition to demonstrating innovation, resilience and adaptation, along with support for its local New Forest community.

Judges were impressed with Balmer Lawn’s ‘The Lodge’, built specifically to be a COVID-compliant environment to welcome guests safely back during the pandemic. The ambitious project served 7,812 covers after five weeks of outside dining in April 2021.

Further innovation included the development of an in-house, geo-located food ordering app that delivered sales of over £10,000 in its first quarter, completely transforming their food and drink offering to cover previously unserviceable areas of the gardens and grounds.

Hampshire Chronicle: General Manager at Balmer Lawn Hotel & Spa, Michael ClitheroeGeneral Manager at Balmer Lawn Hotel & Spa, Michael Clitheroe

Michael Clitheroe, General Manager at Balmer Lawn Hotel & Spa, said: “The Beautiful South Tourism Awards celebrate the best of the best and we are incredibly proud to take home the gold and be recognised as a leading innovator in tourism following the pandemic.

“With tourism in the UK being hit hard over the past two years, we knew we had to come up with new and innovative ways for the business to survive and further offer support to our local New Forest community.

“It really has been an incredible start to the year for everyone connected with Balmer Lawn.”

The Beautiful South Tourism Awards recognises excellence in the tourism industry and are organised by Tourism South East.

For more information on Balmer Lawn, visit www.balmerlawnhotel.com.