The cream of the crop in the family travel industry were out in force last night for the inaugural Family Traveller Awards.
The event took place at The View from the Shard – a spectacular venue on the 69th and 72nd floors of Europe's tallest building. The Family Traveller team were thrilled to host over 200 guests from all corners of the family travel industry – from campsites in Cornwall to luxury Caribbean hotels and everything in between.
The winners were chosen by a panel of experts in family travel: Family Traveller Editor, Jane Anderson, special columnists Mariella Frostrup and Simon Reeve, Jane Knight, Travel Editor of The Times and Sue Ward-Davies, Travel and Lifestyle Editor of Elle magazine. The other very important judge was YOU – 26,000 of you to be precise! Our valued readers voted in their thousands for these awards, which just goes to show how important family travel is.
Presenting the awards was Heart FM DJ and much-loved former Blue Peter presenter, Katy Hill. Katy is also a lifestyle blogger and a busy travelling mum, so she knows better than most what makes a family holiday work and her passion for family travel shone through as she announced the winners.
The winners of each category are listed below. Did your favourite pick up a prize? Share your thoughts on Twitter @familytraveller using #FTAwards15
Congratulations again to everyone who took home one of our fabulous trophies!
The full list of Family Traveller Awards winners is published below. Did your favourite make the cut?
Awesome For Families Award
Winner: Trunki
Highly Commended: i-escape for kids
Best City Break For Families (Outside of Europe)
Winner: New York City
Best Destination For Families - Domestic
Winner: Isles of Scilly
Highly Commended: Isle of Wight
Best Destination For Families - Long-Haul
Winner: Mauritius
Highly Commended: Mexico
Best Destination For Families - Short-Haul
Winner: Ibiza
Highly Commended: The Algarve
Best European City Break For Families
Winner: Rome
Best Family Airline
Winner: Virgin Atlantic
Best Family Cruise Line
Winner: P&O Cruises
Highly Commended: Royal Caribbean International
Best Family Eco Holiday
Winner: Reef and Rainforest Tours
Highly Commended: Eagle Brae, Scottish Highlands
Best Family Educational Holiday
Winner: Wilderness Safaris
Highly Commended: Hands Up Holidays
Best Family Ferry Operator
Winner: Brittany Ferries
Highly Commended: Wightlink Isle of Wight Ferries
Best Family Festival
Winner: Camp Bestival
Best Family Ski Operator
Winner: Peak Retreats
Highly Commended: Mark Warner
Best Family Tour Operator
Winner: Family Adventure Company
Highly Commended: Abercrombie & Kent
Best Long-Haul Accommodation For Families
Winner: Soneva Fushi, Maldives
Highly Commended: Turtle Beach by Elegant Hotels, Barbados
Best Short-Haul Accommodation For Families
Winner: Martinhal, Algarve
Highly Commended: Sani Resort, Greece
Best UK Accommodation For Families
Winner: Bedruthan Steps Hotel, Cornwall
Highly Commended: Center Parcs
Best UK Day Out For Families
Winner: Warwick Castle
Highly Commended: Warner Bros. Studio Tour London: The Making of Harry Potter
Well done to everyone who walked away with a Family Traveller Awards trophy. If you have won an award, or were highly-commended in your category, and would like a copy of the Awards logo to let your fans know about your success, please contact the editorial team.