AN iconic Teignmouth bed and breakfast business has won a prestigious award.
Minadab, the thatched home on the main Dawlish Road, is a well known landmark, and seen by thousands of passing motorists and bus passengers every day.
Now the owners, Andy and Anne Johnson, have received a Visit England Rose award, an industry honour in recognition of establishments that provide the warmest welcome.
They previously lived in Lincolnshire and have owned Minadab Cottage for five years.
They had not run this type of business before, so it was a steep learning curve.
Minadab achieved a rating of 4* Gold with a breakfast award.
‘We are really pleased because it is not just an accolade for us, but Teignmouth as well,’ said Mr Johnson.
‘Minadab is so well known because we are on a main road, and we have guests staying from all over the world. We also had a couple from Shaldon come here because they just wanted a weekend away, but not too far.’
The B&B may only have three letting rooms, but according to the testimonials from guests, both online and in person, the welcome is huge.
One declared: ‘Breakfasts were to die for, and there were scrumptious homemade cookies in a cookie jar in our room, refilled each day.’
Nominations are triggered following the annual Visit England quality assessment visit and observations by the assessor, but other evidence, including online customer reviews are taken into account. The final judging panel also looks for innovation that sets the business apart. This includes facilities or services offered to make the customer’s stay really special.
Visit England’s head of industry development Pam Foden said: ‘From glamping in the valleys to cosy B&Bs in the hills, the sheer number of accommodation providers recognised for going the extra mile in this year’s awards demonstrates the outstanding quality of service and innovation of products on offer to visitors across the country.’
Another local B&B, The Beeches on a clifftop at Dawlish, run by Christine and Ian Bourne, also won a similar award.