A WEST Devon hotel has been named as one of the top in the country, following the presentation of a prestigious award by the AA.
Lewtrenchard Manor has been given three red stars for its accommodation, along with two AA rosettes for the high quality of its food.
Just 200 hotels throughout Britain and Ireland were awarded red stars rather than the normal black ones for 2003.
Lewtrenchard?s coveted place in the top 200 was thanks to the very high marks awarded by the AA?s inspectors for the outstanding levels of comfort, quality, cleanliness and customer care offered at the hotel.
Albert Hampson, the AA?s hotel services business manager, said: ?Stars are a record of the facilities and services offered at each hotel, but on top of this, our inspectors carry out a unique quality assessment of every establishment on our books.
?This gives us an individual quality score for more than 4,000 establishments. By bringing together the quality score, the official star
rating and the AA food assessment, we have been able to identify this year?s top 200 hotels, awarded them red rather than the usual black stars.?
Mr Hampson said competition to be included in the new list of the AA?s top 200 hotels would be ?intense? and hoped it would raise standards to new heights across the country.
The owners of the Lewtrenchard Manor, James and Sue Murray, said they were ?absolutely delighted? that the hotel had been chosen as one of the country?s premier places to stay.
Hotel general manager Sarah Harvey said the AA inspectors generally visit around three times a year to make their assessment ? and they are carried out anonymously, with no warning.
?They arrive mid-afternoon, have their evening meal, stay the night and don?t announce themselves until they go next morning!? she said.
?To be one of the top 200 hotels is a superb award and to have three red stars as well is a great achievement.?