VisitEngland Awards Chawton House ‘Hidden Gem’ Accolade for the Third Year

Posted: 29th November 2021

Chawton House, Hampshire, November 2021. VisitEngland has announced that Chawton House has won a ‘Hidden Gem’ award as part of their 2020-2021 Visitor Attraction Accolades for the third year in a row.

Of the awards, VisitEngland Director Andrew Stokes says:

“I’m so pleased to see our visitor attractions back in the spotlight with these accolades that recognise the amazing experiences available across the country. They also acknowledge the people that bring the attractions to life through their unparalleled customer service.”

Like many visitor attractions, Chawton House was greatly affected by the pandemic, but adapted to ensure that it still had a role in the local community during these challenging times. From delivering Mother’s Day Afternoon Tea Boxes to creating new Parkland walks, and developing an exciting virtual event programme, Chawton House’s grounds became a much-loved space for local visitors to explore and escape to, and digital festivals, talks and interviews attracted a global audience online.

Louise Ansdell, Chair of the Chawton House Board, writes: “The award is a testament to the continued hard work and commitment of the staff and volunteers who make Chawton House a special place that people want to visit, and to come back to, and who have worked tirelessly over the last year to ensure that visitors feel safe during their time here.”

This accolade follows Tripadvisor’s ‘Travellers’ Choice’ award to Chawton House in 2021- Chawton House was ranked one of the top 10% of attractions on Tripadvisor after receiving consistently positive reviews from visitors.

Chawton House is now preparing to reopen its doors after a short period of closure on Wednesday 1 December for the festive season. Celebrating Chawton House’s Christmas traditions, visitors will see the House beautifully decorated with a new festive installation, The Twelve Knits of Christmas, displayed throughout the House, and an exhibition on Literary Gifts: Books Given as Presents.