Attraction awarded

Mount Stuart has been recognised as an outstanding heritage destination after winning an award for customer satisfaction.

Kathleen Martin and Stephanie Jenkins collect the CIE Award of Excellence on behalf of the Mount Stuart team.

The Award of Excellence was given to the Bute attraction by Irish coach tour operator CIE Tours International, in recognition of receiving a greater than 90 per cent customer satisfaction rating during 2017.

Louisa Davidson, visitor experience manager for the Mount Stuart Trust said: “This is fantastic news for the team at Mount Stuart.

“Creating an outstanding visitor experience is at the very heart of what we do and I am delighted that the dedication and passion shown by our team has been recognised.

“Mount Stuart has a successful and long-standing relationship with CIE and we look forward to welcoming their customers throughout the 2018 season and beyond.”

The awards were presented at House for an Art Lover in Glasgow last month.

Mount Stuart House is a neo-gothic Victorian mansion. The lavish palace boasts a marble hall, a white marble chapel, luxurious accommodation and ornate reception rooms. The grounds include a private beach stretching the length of the grounds.

The Mount Stuart team have also recently been awarded ‘World Host Recognised Business’ status which recognises a commitment to excellent customer service.

The venue also has a visitor centre, Bute Kitchen, two gift shops, arts exhibitions, self-catering properties available to rent and restored historic buildings.

CIE launched its UK awards five years ago, replicating its long running awards in Ireland. Since then, the numbers of venues and attractions achieving a higher than 90 per cent satisfaction rating in the UK has grown from 32 to 50.

In 2017, the company enjoyed a 10 per cent rise in visitors on their UK tours bringing 15,000 visitors to the UK. During the year, its tours visited 100 visitor attractions and 60 hotels across the UK.