A NORTH East hotel is celebrating, after becoming the first in the region to receive a new award given out by a leading recognition scheme.
This year the AA has introduced its Silver Star award for hotels which achieve particularly high standards.
And Ramside Hall Hotel, near Durham, is the only four star hotel in the area to have been awarded the new accolade.
AA inspectors gave Ramside Hall – which has benefited from a £16m investment in the last two years – the Silver Star for its “high standards of hotel keeping, superior level of quality, hospitality, service and cleanliness.”
To qualify, hotels also need to have a current Rosette award for “culinary excellence.”
The new entry in the AA guide for Ramside praises it for combining “the best of both worlds – convenience and tranquillity.”
It goes on to praise the variety of restaurant options and adds that, “bedrooms are furnished and decorated to a very high standard and include some stunning suites. A new addition to the property in 2015 is their spa and leisure facility; one of the finest in the country.”
John Adamson, owner of Ramside Hall Hotel, said he was “delighted” that the hotel had achieved the new award.
“We have invested heavily in the hotel and our new wing of rooms, second championship golf course and, now, our multi-million spa have all gone towards helping us achieve this Silver Star,” he said.
“It is great to hear our high standards of service and customer care being acknowledged in this way by such a prestigious organisation.
“To be one of the first to get the Silver Star and to get an 84 per cent rating from the AA, which is one of the highest in the region, is testament to all the hard work and investment which have taken place at Ramside Hall.”
For further information on the hotel visit www.ramsidehallhotel.co.uk andwww.ramsidespa.co.uk