Two women in the hotel sector came up trumps at the annual Shine Awards for women's achievements in the travel, tourism and hospitality sector.
Avril Owton, owner of the Cloud hotel in Brockenhurst in the New Forest, scooped the title of Shine Woman of the Year.
Owton picked up her award at a ceremony at the Jumeirah Carlton Tower in London last week. She was recognised for the way she developed the Cloud hotel's business following the sudden death of her husband.
The judges commended her efforts and said: "She has taken herself out of her comfort zone."
Owton said: "I am thrilled to receive this award. I am passionate about raising the profile of the hotel sector, about raising standards and about encouraging women to reach as high as they can. It takes a long time to become an overnight success."
The other notable winner from the hospitality sector was 26-year-old Kelly Colebatch, business development manager at Accor UK Hotels in Birmingham. She won the Young Achiever of the Year award for her part in the "astonishingly quick turnaround in the fortunes of Novotel".