NORTH-EAST England’s best large and small hotel are in the Tees Valley, according to judges of a regional tourism award.

The sector’s best businesses were recognised with gold awards at the 2009 North-East England Tourism Awards, at The Hilton, in Gateshead, last night.

Gisborough Hall Hotel, in Guisborough, North Yorkshire, was named large hotel of the year, as well as picking up a bronze medal in the Business Tourism award category, while Headlam Hall Hotel, near Gainford, County Durham, was named small hotel of the year.

Tourism is worth almost £4bn to the North-East economy and employs just over 60,000 people in the region.

A Darlington ice cream business which opened as a visitor attraction also picked up the top award in one category and was recognised in another.

Archer’s Jersey Ice Cream won the Taste of North-East England award and received a bronze medal in the Small Visitor Attraction of the Year category.

There was also success for Sunderland Football Club, which picked up the top Business Tourism award, and Peterlee Tourist Information Centre, which was named Tourist Information Centre of the Year.

Hartlepool Maritime Experience was named Large Visitor Attraction of the Year and employee Wendy Clarke received a bronze medal for Outstanding Customer Service.

The awards were organised by regional development agency One North East.

The organisation’s chief executive Alan Clarke said: “This year has been challenging for the region’s economy, but the tourism industry has continued to see a growth with occupancy levels at many of the region’s accommodation providers showing an increase on last year.”

The winners are: Access for All Tourism Award: Gold – North Music Trust (The Sage Gateshead).

Silver – Calvert Trust, Kielder, Northumberland. Bronze – Hedley Hall Cottages, Sunniside, Tyne & Wear.

Bed & Breakfast/Guest Accommodation of the Year: Gold – The Old School B&B, Newton-on-the-Moor, Northumberland. Silver – Chatton Park House B&B, Chatton, Northumberland.

Bronze – St Cuthbert’s House, Seahouses, Northumberland.

Best Tourism Experience: Gold – Gateshead Millennium Bridge. Silver – Hall Hill Farm, Lanchester, Co Durham. Bronze – Calvert Trust, Kielder, Northumberland Business Tourism Award of the Year: Gold – Sunderland Football Club. Silver – The Hilton, NewcastleGateshead.

Bronze – Gisborough Hall Hotel, Guisborough.

Caravan/Holiday Park of the Year: Gold – Seafield Caravan Park, Seahouses, Northumberland. Silver – Haggerston Castle Holiday Park, Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland. Bronze – Heathergate Country Park, Hexham, Northumberland.

Large Hotel of the Year: Gold – Gisborough Hall Hotel, Guisborough. Silver – The Hilton, NewcastleGateshead.

Bronze – The White Swan Hotel, Alnwick, Northumberland.

Large Visitor Attraction of the Year: Gold – Hartlepool’s Maritime Experience. Silver – Bamburgh Castle, Northumberland. Bronze – Belsay Hall, Castle and Garden, Northumberland.

Outstanding Customer Service Award: Gold – Stuart Buglass, The Marriott, Gosforth Park Hotel, Tyne & Wear. Silver – Jeffrey Bishop, Thistle Middlesbrough. Bronze – Wendy Clarke, Hartlepool’s Maritime Experience. Bronze – Brian Collins, English Heritage Self-catering/Serviced Apartment of the Year: Gold – Doxford Cottage, near Alnwick, Northumberland. Silver – Southlands Farm Cottages, Gunnerton, Northumberland.

Bronze – Hunting Hall, Beal, Northumberland.

Small Hotel of the Year: Gold – Headlam Hall Hotel Spa & Golf, near Gainford, Co Durham.

Silver – Langley Castle Hotel, Langley, near Hexham. Bronze – Seaham Hall Hotel & Serenity Spa, Seaham, Co Durham.

Small Visitor Attraction of the Year: Gold – WWT Washington Wetlands Centre, Tyne & Wear. Silver – Tynemouth Priory. Bronze – Archers Jersey Ice Cream, Darlington.

Sustainable Tourism Award: Gold – Hunting Hall, Beal, Northumberland. Silver –The Hilton, Newcastle-Gateshead.

Bronze – WWT Washington Wetlands Centre.

Taste of North East England: Gold – Archers Jersey Ice Cream, Darlington. Silver – Seaham Hall Hotel & Spa, The White Room, Seaham, Co Durham. Bronze – Cream Restaurants Ltd, Tees Valley.

Tourism Event of the Year: Gold — Bupa Great North Run.

Silver – AV Festival 08 - Broadcast, Tyne & Wear. Bronze – Eat! Newcastle-Gateshead.

Tourist Information Centre of the Year: Gold – Peterlee Tourist Information Centre. Silver – Stanhope Tourist Information Centre. Bronze – Barnard Castle Tourist Information Centre, Co Durham.