West of Scotland Thistle winners announced

The winners of the west of Scotland regional Scottish Thistle Awards 2024 were last night announced at a ceremony in Glasgow.

An impressive list of businesses, events and individuals were crowned regional winners, celebrating with their colleagues and friends as they were recognised for their hard work and dedication to the sector and their business.

The Scottish Thistle Awards, with headline sponsor Johnstons of Elgin, celebrate the very best of the tourism and events industry. They've become an annual celebration of excellence, collaboration and innovation within one of the country's most important sectors.

Read on for the winners of each category.

Group photo of west of Scotland Thistle Award winners 2024. Credit: Connor Mollison.

Best B&B or Guest House

Dumfries House Lodge (The King's Foundation), Ayrshire

Dumfries House Lodge is an exclusive 5 Star country guest house offering luxury accommodation.

"We are delighted to be recognised as the Best B&B or Guest House Experience. The 5 Star Dumfries House Lodge is the jewel in the crown of the Dumfries House Estate. We are so delighted to have a fantastic team who ensure all guests are treated like royalty."

Best Bar or Pub

RED Sky Bar, Glasgow 

The iconic RED Sky Bar is a rooftop bar and terrace which boasts panoramic views across Glasgow.

“This recognition means a lot because our amazing staff work hard to innovate with RED Sky Bar - it's again been voted one of the world’s top rooftop bars. International stars like Marti Pellow, Tom Walker and Callum Beattie perform and world-class DJs play for us and most importantly our guests really embrace and support what we do - thank you all.”

Best Hotel Experience

Glenapp Castle, Ayrshire

Glenapp Castle is a 5 Star 21-bedroom luxurious Relais & Chateaux Hotel tucked away on the breath-taking Ayrshire coast.

"We are honoured to have been chosen for this award as Best Hotel Experience. What makes Glenapp Castle and our Hebridean Sea Safari unique is our ability to deliver distinctive experiences to our guests, showing that our very special part of South West Scotland has a diverse range of breath-taking sights and fascinating wildlife, all which can be enjoyed in traditional Glenapp style."

Best Outdoor Adventure

Blackstone Clydesdale, Ayrshire

Blackstone Farm is home to 33 magnificent Clydesdale Horses and farmyard friends and delivers unique hands-on experiences including Private ides on farm and Walking Farm Tours.

“We are both honoured and humbled to receive the Scottish Thistle Regional Award. To our amazing team, visitors and followers who are helping us preserve the stars of this award the Scottish Clydesdale, recognised as the Work Horse of the World and a breed with a true legacy worthy of preservation.”

Best Self-Catering or Unique Stay

The Boathouse at Littlemill, Isle of Arran

The Boathouse is a unique and charming self-catering property situated in the picturesque village of Kildonan on the Isle of Arran. They offer self-catering breaks in a property crafted to extremely high standards, which guests love because it is unique, unusual, comfortable, private and incredibly romantic. 

"Max and I are absolutely thrilled to have won this award. The Boathouse is a partnership in the truest sense of the word. we're incredibly fortunate to live in such a beautiful location, and it gives us enormous pleasure to be able to share it.”

Best Visitor Attraction

Glasgow Science Centre, Glasgow

Opened in 2001, Glasgow Science Centre is an award-winning education charity and Glasgow’s most visited paid attraction, welcoming over 320,000 visitors each year.

"We are over the moon to receive this amazing accolade. This is a hugely valued industry endorsement which will be appreciated by every member of our staff whose commitment and passion to delivering memorable experiences for all our visitors is at the heart of this achievement."

Celebrating Thriving Communities

Friends of Dundonald Castle SCIO, Ayrshire

Dundonald Castle and Visitor Centre, incorporated as Friends of Dundonald Castle SCIO in 2001, is an award-winning, community-led tourism charity which welcomes around 25,000 domestic and international visitors every year. 

"This recognition highlights our charity’s dedication to encouraging community spirit, and to promoting a sense of ownership, engagement and pride in our national heritage. We thank all our supporters and partners for making this achievement possible."

Climate Action Award

Glasgow Science Centre, Glasgow

Glasgow Science Centre are recipients of a Green Tourism Gold award and were the first Science Centre in the UK and the first visitor attraction in Scotland to receive Green Key accreditation.

"It's a real honour to be recognised for the effort and commitment we are putting into our ongoing sustainability journey.  Our team have worked exceptionally hard to not only use our unique position to help inform and educate our visitors about climate change and empower them to be advocates for action, but to look at how we adapt our own business practices and engage with partners to improve our local environment."

Innovation in Tourism

Little's Chauffer Drive, Glasgow

A family business established by brothers George & Mike Wills, Little's has been a pioneer in luxury chauffeur services since 1966. Recognising a market gap, they introduced the first advance booking service for taxis in Glasgow. 

"We are thrilled to receive this Innovation in Tourism award, recognising our 58-year legacy and dedication to innovation. Thanks to our Tours and Innovation teams for their hard work, Little's continues to grow and offer unparalleled service, and this award is a testament to our commitment and passion for Scottish tourism.”

Outstanding Cultural Festival or Event

Glasgow Film Festival, Glasgow 

Glasgow Film Festival (GFF) celebrated its 20th edition in 2024, showcasing the best of Scottish film, and shining a light on world cinema. Across the 12 days, over 34,000 people attended the critically and publicly acclaimed programme of films, events, talks and panels held in cinemas and venues across the city.

“We're so delighted to win this award in recognition of our hugely successful year, but also of what we have achieved in the last 20 years. Our incredibly loyal and engaged audience are at the heart of what we do, and we are proud to bring the very best of UK and world cinema to Glasgow, as well as championing current and future Scottish filmmaking talent."

Rising Star Award

Hannah Cochrane, Scottish Event Campus

“I'm ecstatic to be named the 2024 Rising Star at this year’s Thistle Awards 2024. This means so much and is very personal. My journey in hospitality began with this very event as a waitress at 16, which then ignited my lifelong passion for the industry. Since then, I’ve been fortunate to learn from incredible mentors and worked for some outstanding businesses. I really hope this can inspire others as they have inspired me.”

Tourism and Hospitality Employer of the Year

SEA LIFE Loch Lomond, West Dunbartonshire

Opened in 2006, SEA LIFE Loch Lomond is a journey through the shores of Loch Lomond to the depths of the world oceans in seven themed zones.

"This is a testament to our ongoing commitment to the inspiring and supportive work environment we provide for our team at SEA LIFE Loch Lomond. We pride ourselves on being a truly inclusive and inspirational place to work. I want to extend a huge thank you to my amazing team and to the Scottish Thistle Awards for this recognition."

Tourism individual of the year

Fiona Campbell, ASSC

“It is a real honour to be recognised in this way, which I attribute to the collective efforts of the hard-working team at the Association of Scotland's Self-Caterers (ASSC). 

Our sector showcases the very best that Scotland’s tourist industry has to offer, and despite numerous challenges over recent years, continues to rise above to provide visitors with the very best experiences across our beautiful country. On behalf of the ASSC, I would like to thank the organisers and wish all the nominees the best of luck.”