HOTEL inspectors have recognised the hard work of the staff at a North-East venue during a recent surprise inspection.

The Hardwick Hall Hotel, near Sedgefield, County Durham, has been reclassified as a four-star hotel by the AA and given a rosette for its food.

Operations manager Matthew Osborne said it puts the previously threestar hotel among the region’s elite.

He said: “It has always been a high quality hotel but we have raised our own bar in terms of the service we provide for our customers.

“These things can be taken away though, and the challenge for us is not just to maintain the standards but to build upon them.”

AA inspectors visit hotels anonymously and test the facilities during an overnight stay before announcing their presence and the results.

“It’s a real heart-stopping moment when you find out the inspector has been in,”

said Mr Harrison.

“But you have just got to hope that everything you have strived for is what they are looking for too.”