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JOY AS NORFOLK HOTEL'S 'WORLD CLASS SERVICE' SCOOPS NATIONAL AWARD

1 Feb 2010

Broad House Hotel was named as the UK's Best Small Hotel for Excellent Customer Service

Joy as Norfolk hotel's 'world class service' scoops national award 
 
Staff at a Norfolk luxury hotel are celebrating after winning a national award for their "world class" service. 
 
Broad House Hotel at Wroxham was named as the UK's Best Small Hotel for Excellent Customer Service at the HRS.com Hotel Excellence Awards at a gala ceremony in London on Wednesday<Jan 28, 2010>. 
 
The award is made annually to the top small hotel which judges feel "consistently achieves outstanding levels of world class service, providing a warm welcome to guests and exceeding customer expectations".  
 
Director Philip Search, who runs the nine-bedroom boutique hotel beside Wroxham Broad with wife Caroline, said: "We're overjoyed. For us to be recognised nationally as the best small hotel for customer service is absolutely amazing and all the team at Broad House Hotel have been blown away and feel really proud. We have fantastic, caring members of staff who always go the extra mile for our guests, and this award is a fine tribute to their hard work and dedication.  
 
"Last year we were named Small Hotel of the Year 2009 for the eastern region in the Enjoy England Awards for Excellence, so this latest win is another boost for our hotel, the Norfolk Broads, the county's tourism industry and the World Class Norfolk campaign." 
 
The award comes as Broad House Hotel prepares for its busiest year since Mr and Mrs Search transformed the 18th century Queen Anne residence into a boutique country house hotel and launched their business in autumn 2007.  
 
"We have at least 10,000 guests and visitors a year and 2010 is set to be our busiest year to date, with turnover expected to reach £1 million. I'm delighted that Broad House Hotel is still growing when the industry nationally is going through tough times, and we firmly believe our excellent customer service is central to that growth," said Mr Search. 
 
"Last summer we employed 50 staff - people who are all passionate about delivering excellent customer service to our guests, whether they are visiting us for a cappuccino, a meal in our award-winning restaurant or attending a wedding or staying overnight. You can just walk in and you will get a smile." 
 
The HRS.com Hotel Excellence Awards are held in association with the Best Practice Forum and the British Hospitality Association and are supported by the Institute of Hospitality and the Meetings Industry Association.  
 
Mr and Mrs Search received their award during the ceremony in Altitude, at the top of the Millbank Tower, from Simon Calder, one of Britain's leading travel correspondents and travel editor of The Independent. 
 
"It was great to be in the presence of such esteemed company overlooking the Houses of Parliament and central London. We were thrilled when Simon Calder said he was going to adopt one of the finalist hotels' slogans - and picked ours!" said Mrs Search.  
 
"'Where doing nothing is never a waste of time' comes from our customers saying that Broad House does not feel like a hotel: it's like a home. As their lives are so busy and they hardly get any time together, they just love coming to us and doing nothing, except walking, talking, eating and sleeping." 
 
Broad House Hotel: Call Philip Search on 01603 783567. www.broadhousehotel.co.uk 
 
Courtesy of Ian Bullock, Ian B Communications

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