The Westcountry is home to some of the most beautiful and welcoming places to stay in the country, according to the latest edition of the UK travellers' bible – The Good Hotel Guide 2012.

There are 85 main entries listed for Devon and Cornwall or 18.8 per cent of the total of hotels, bed and breakfasts and inns rated as the best of their type in Great Britain and Ireland by the guide's authors.

A romantic Art Deco hotel on a tidal island in Devon and a large Cornish hotel overlooking a golden sandy beach, are among the ten hotels of the year named today by the Good Hotel Guide.

Burgh Island Hotel at Bigbury-on-Sea in South Devon, has been named the most romantic hotel of the year.

The large, white Art Deco hotel has been meticulously restored by its owners, Tony and Deborah Orchard, who put a winning bid in for the hotel after falling in love with the place when they got married there some ten years ago.

The guide's authors, Desmond Balmer and Adam Raphael, said the "period atmosphere had remained without a hint of stuffiness".

Mrs Orchard said: "We are exceptionally delighted to be recognised by a guide that doesn't take payments for its entries and is solely based on the clearly complimentary comments of our customers. We've always thought Burgh Island is a romantic place, ever since we got married here.

"It's really fitting to be recognised for this award now as we have just celebrated our tenth wedding anniversary. This award means a lot to us – we have been listed consistently in the guide since we took over the hotel, but to be awarded for our romantic strengths is just in another league."

Bedruthan Steps, in Mawgan Porth, Cornwall, has been named as the family hotel of the year by the guide.

Above a golden beach, the hotel is said to be a great place for all generations of visitors. Owned and managed by three sisters, it provides many facilities for young guests without neglecting the comfort of its seniors, the authors of the guide said.

Both the Bedruthan Steps and Burgh Island Hotel will receive a Cesar award – named after Cesar Ritz, the most celebrated of all hoteliers, and are said to be the Oscars of hotel-keeping.

Guide author Mr Balmer said: "A couple of our favourite hotels are in the Westcountry without question, including the two which have won our Cesar award. The standards in the South West are consistently very high, in terms of food, accommodation and service. The region has as many hotels listed as Scotland."

Half of the guide's "This Year's Discoveries" – places the authors have stumbled across and fallen in love with – are in Devon and Cornwall, including The Cary Arms at Babbacombe, The Beach At Bude, Pendragon Country Hotel in Camelford, Town Barton in Doddiscombleigh, and South Sands in Salcombe.