General News
9 February, 2022
Heytesbury House joins hall of fame
COBDEN’S not-so-hidden gem – Heytesbury House – has received yet another accolade.
COBDEN’S not-so-hidden gem – Heytesbury House – has received yet another accolade.
Last week the popular bed and breakfast took out the Victorian Tourism Awards Hosted Accommodation category for the third year in a row, placing the business in the Victorian Tourism Awards Hall of Fame.
Heytesbury House owners Andrew and Kathryn Stubbings were “absolutely thrilled” with the win.
“I was in shock,” Mrs Stubbings said.
“We’re just so honoured and thrilled.
“We’re really excited for Cobden, this is why we did it, for Cobden.
“Cobden is an excellent place to be.”
The pair has owned the bed and breakfast for more than 11 years and have spent time during the lockdowns renovating the historic building.
“We came in here with no experience and no concept of what it (running a bed and breakfast) would involve,” Mrs Stubbings said.
“We fell in love with this place, with the history and everything about it.”
The pair said they will continue to work to improve the experience of visiting the historic building for guests.
“We’re not finished, we’re not going to sit back,” Mrs Stubbings said.
“We’ve got plans for the outside spaces and further renovations for the interior.
“We’re really keen to get people back in again, we’re planning for our Africa night.
“We’re just looking forward to the future.”
The Victorian Tourism Awards, hosted annually by the Victoria Tourism Industry Council (VTIC), honours business excellence and performance within the industry.
VTIC chief executive Felicia Mariani said the awards showcase some of the most compelling businesses in Victorian tourism.
“VTIC is proud to deliver such an important event for our industry, that highlights the innovation and passion our operators exhibit every day in creating magical moments for their visitors,”she said.
“This year’s celebration feels especially meaningful. We not only look to reward operators for their business excellence, but we want to recognise and celebrate the innovation, resilience, and commitment they have exhibited to weather the storm of the past two years.
“We congratulate all our Gold, Silver and Bronze category winners, along with all this year’s finalists.”
Across the 32 categories 119 submissions were made all vying for an award across the various categories.
“This has been the toughest of years and, despite all the adversity, these operators found the energy and stamina to prepare submissions and to enter this important recognition process,” Ms Mariani said.
“Operators in Victoria have encountered more obstacles in their businesses than any other state in the country, having to press pause and restart to accommodate six lockdowns and more than 260 days under restrictions during the pandemic.
“But in testament to the pure grit and determination of Victorians, our industry rose to the challenge and relished the opportunity to win Gold in Victoria, earning the right to compete with their counterparts on the national stage at the 2021 Australian Tourism Awards.
“We congratulate all our Gold winners and wish them every success in representing Victoria at the national awards on the Sunshine Coast in March.”