A guesthouse in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, has been named the best bed & breakfast in the world for the third year running.
The Toulson Court was given the accolade yet again by Trip Advisor in their Traveller’s Choice awards, based on more than 2,000 ‘excellent’ reviews on the travel site, surpassing stays in Brazil, Italy, Morocco, Australia, Ireland and US states including Vermont and Massachusetts.
The bed and breakfast is family owned by James Rusden and his wife Angela, who first opened the hotel in 2016.
Guests have praised their B&B for offering a warm welcome, excellent service and little extras – including James the 'singing chef' who entertains customers as he makes breakfast.
The Toulson Court was given the accolade for a third year in a row
GB News
Speaking to GB News, owner James Rusden said: “We’re delighted, we’re over the moon, it’s a fantastic achievement not to just do it once, that was unbelievable, but to do it twice and now three times, and nobody’s done it three times which makes it even more special for us.
“We didn’t expect it the first time – we never thought that an ordinary bed and breakfast in Scarborough could become the best B&B in the world.
“It just goes to show what we can offer and what Scarborough can offer everybody.”
The description for The Toulson Court on the TripAdvisor website reads: “Multi award winning Bed and Breakfast. Whatever your ideal holiday, you’ll find it here. At Toulson Court, we strive to provide the perfect base from which to enjoy it all!
“The entire guest house has been tastefully decorated and lovingly refurbished to the highest standards, with your comfort in mind. We pride ourselves on being able to provide you with all the comforts of home, with a warm and friendly atmosphere - a real home from home!”
This was echoed by owner Angela Rusden who told GB News that their guests are like friends and family.
She said: “If it’s their [the guests’] birthday they’ll get a little present or anniversary we’ll make a fuss and maybe put some flowers on the table. We always try and go that extra mile for our guests.
James Rusden said that the bed and breakfast gets a lot of repeat business and that a lot of business comes through word of mouth, but firmly believes it’s the location of the guesthouse as well as what it offers that makes The Toulson Court such a desirable place to stay.
“There’s just so much to do and as a location, you can go to York, Filey, Bridlington, Whitby, so it’s a central location but there’s loads of free things you can do, which is very important in the current marketplace.
“There’s fantastic walks, there’s lovely beaches, there’s lots of free entertainment and lots of entertainment in the evening for you to see shows. The list is endless of things to do.”
Every year TripAdvisor awards the best of the best businesses that have received a high volume of above-and-beyond reviews and opinions from the public over a 12-month period. Every winner has passed TripAdvisor’s trust and safety standards and less than one per cent of TripAdvisor’s eight million listings are awarded Best of the Best, symbolising the highest level of excellence in hospitality.
The Scarborough guesthouse beat B&Bs in Brazil, Italy, Morocco, Australia, Ireland and the US
Flickr
British hospitality did very well in the rankings, with four out of the Top 10 B&Bs in the world found in the UK.
Making their debut on the global list, Highcliffe House, Lynton, on the Exmoor coast, comes in at number four, Gloucester House, Weymouth, at number six and Glencoe Guest House, Keswick, in the Lake District, at number 10.
The rest of the Top Hotels UK list comprises The Resident Covent Garden, London (second), Hotel 41, London (third), The Montcalm Royal London House, London (fourth), The Milestone Hotel and Residences, London (fifth), Dakota Manchester, Manchester (sixth), Aviator Hampshire, Farnborough (seventh), Claridge's, London (eighth). The Chesterfield Mayfair, London (ninth), and Tynedale Hotel, Llandudno (tenth).
Rambagh Palace in Jaipur, India, was named best hotel in the world. The palace-turned-luxurious hotel is known for its polo bar, historic suites, and high tea. In second place was Ozen Reserve Bolifushi in the Maldives, followed in third place by Hotel Colline de France, in Gramado, Brazil.
Sarah Firshein, Head of Editorial at Trip Advisor, said: “It’s clear that our community ventured far and wide in the last year: our 10 winning subcategories encompass 37 regions around the world and include a wide range of amazing places to stay.
“An opulent palace in Jaipur topped the charts, while hotels ranging from a ‘glamping’ retreat in Patagonia to a rock ‘n’ roll–themed boutique in Boston made their mark as well. As our savvy reviewers know, hotels can sometimes be the entire reason for the trip—I’m personally very excited to consult this list as I plot out the next year of holidays with my own family.”