South West ‘County Champion’ announced as hotel group seeks to shine a light on county’s hidden gems  

A Devon local has been named as the county’s first ‘County Champion’, having been appointed by a hotel collection seeking to celebrate the best that the South West has to offer.

The Coast & Country Hotel Collection, which includes seven South Westerly hotels, had been on the hunt for a local enthusiast to highlight the very best that the county has to offer and came across Rebecca Searle from Devon, who revealed some of her hidden gems for visitors to enjoy.

Having whittled down the applicants, the hotel collection was amazed by Rebecca’s extensive knowledge and unrivalled passion for the area she lives in.

As part of her status as ‘County Champion’, Rebecca agreed to create a travel guide looking at the best experiences the South West has to offer, of which there are many. The hotel collection will then share these recommendations with its guests to offer a real insight into what makes the area such a great place to visit – helping them to create an entertaining itinerary for when they stay.

Commenting on the champion, Paul FitzGerald, Managing Director of the Coast & Country Hotel Collection, said: “Rebecca is so knowledgeable about the South West and has so much to recommend for every type of holiday. From those who want a walking holiday, to paddle boarding adventures or a coastal escape – she knows it all and has kindly shared it with us.”

Speaking of her status as County Champion, Rebecca said: “I was raised in Devon and moved away when I was 18, I travelled extensively and lived in many places including New Zealand, Norfolk, Brazil and Hampshire but I’ve always come back to Devon and I love the South West more than anywhere I have seen in my life.”

“My entire family are from Devon for as long as we can trace our lineage back. My grandfather was in the Dartmoor mountain rescue team and knew it like the back of his hand. I spent many evenings and weekends exploring it with him when I was a child. My father is also a keen sailor and I have sailed much of the South West, seeing it from all angles and I appreciate the beauty and diversity of the area.”

The search for county champions coincided with the Coast & Country Hotel Collection’s launch of its Explore & Stay package last year, which seeks to encourage intrepid holidaymakers to discover some of the extraordinary sights, experiences and attractions situated near its extensive range of hotels, located in some of the UK’s most iconic tourist hotspots.

Paul FitzGerald concluded: “It’s not just the South West that has a lot to be proud of, but elsewhere in Britain too, and we’re hoping to tap into the knowledge of those fully immersed in each location as we extend our search for champions in other regions. We’ve already crowned champions in Yorkshire and Scotland, but we’re slowly hoping to showcase the very best of every corner of the UK. “

To see what Rebecca has to say about the South West, please visit: https://bespokehotels.com/coast-country-collection/2023/10/12/exploring-devon/. 

And to find out more about the Coast and Country Hotel Collection, please visit https://bespokehotels.com/coast-country-collection.