A team from Best Western’s headquarters has beaten 10 other hotel groups to win the first ever hotels rounders tournament. First Option, the leading hotel booking specialist and a part of the lastminute.com group, hosted the inaugural hotels rounders tournament at Crewe Hall on Sunday 1st August 2004. Best Western displayed true fighting spirit to gain a place in the semi-finals as best runner up and then, having beaten Principal Hotels in the semi-final, won a nail-biting final with Campanile Hotels by only11/2 rounders. 
To celebrate their 10th Anniversary, First Option organised an international hotels rounders tournament amongst the various international hotel groups operating in the UK. Over 350 people attended the event and 12 teams started the tournament. While the hotel teams progressed through the tournament, families and supporters were entertained by bouncy castles, bungee running and other fairground attractions as well being treated to an all day buffet provided by Crewe Hall.

The teams’ entry fees were used to raise money for both the Anthony Nolan Trust - UK Leukaemia Charity and the National Rounders Association. Each organisation received a cheque for £1000.

Kevin Wayt, General Manager - Corporate, of First Option, explains, ‘We wanted to celebrate our 10th birthday with the hotel groups with which we have worked for over a decade. Rounders is one of the fast growing sports in the country and is game which can be played by people of all ages, sexes and abilities, so our tournament was attractive to all. The National Rounders Association referees and England team players we employed to oversee the games said that the standard of all the players was very good and they were impressed by the competitive spirit in each team. I was, obviously, an impartial and inexperienced observer but even I could see that Best Western’s team worked hard to secure their victory. I am happy to say that we fully achieved our twin goals of having a fun day out with our hotel partners and raising the profile of Rounders.’
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