Two Warwickshire hotels named among best in AA ratings

Both hotels won Small Hotel Group of the Year as part of the Eden Hotel Collection
-Credit: (Image: Reach Publishing Services Limited)


Two boutique hotels in Warwickshire have been named among the best small hotels in the UK for the second time in a decade. Arden Hotel in Stratford-upon-Avon and Mallory Court Hotel and Spa in Leamington won the Small Hotel Group of the Year at the AA Hospitality Awards.

The win follows a year that has seen the business invest more than £3 million in venue refurbishments and colleague welfare initiatives, as well as adopting sustainability projects around food production. This includes the recent £1.5 million refurbishment of 19 bedrooms at Mallory Court.

The Eden Hotel Collection, which operates both hotels, is also commencing its 'Inspired By' programmes which bring to life the story of each hotel's character for visitors, such as Mallory Court's 'Inspired By Our Gardens' initiative'.

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The initiative sees the hotel's workforce sharing knowledge with guests about how the hotel’s ten-acre gardens influence every aspect of the visitor experience from dining through to décor. The group’s focus on growing its own produce on-site and utilising local suppliers has also continued to develop, following the success of the kitchen garden and its tours at Mallory Court.

Investment has also stretched to Eden's 500-strong workforce, including the launch of an app-based employee recognition programmes called 'The Happy Hub', which includes activities that help to promote positive hormones, such as the ability to recognise a colleague with an e-card, an employee of the month initiative, and monetary recognitions for long service.

General Manager at Mallory Court Hotel and Spa, Josefine Blomqvist, said: "It takes something special to be recognised in this way by the AA, and underlines the great attention to detail we pay to providing a memorable experience for our guests, whether they are locals sampling our award-winning food, or visitors from further afield staying in our new-look luxury bedrooms.

"The hotel is a fantastic well-rounded asset to the local area not just because of the beauty of the building and grounds, but also by providing a great place for people to develop their careers, along with environmentally-friendly approaches such as growing our own produce in our kitchen garden and utilising local suppliers," he said.

Managing Director at The Eden Hotel Collection, Mark Chambers, added: "The AA awards are the holy grail for any hospitality business, so to be recognised as the best in our field for the second time in a decade is a testament to our people and the consistent delivery of excellence across all of our hotels.

"Reputation and recommendations are key tools to success for any hospitality business, so this latest award win provides a fantastic launchpad for each of our five hotels to build on the great work they are already doing in their communities to attract guests from the local area and further afield."

To find out more about all the award winners, visit the AA Rated Trips website. For more information about the Eden Hotel collection, click here.

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