SWINTON Park, the ancestral home of the Cunliffe-Lister family and now a luxury hotel, has been awarded four stars by the Automobile Association.

The 20-bedroom hotel, which only opened in April, received four stars for the quality of its rooms and service and two rosettes for Samuel's, the hotel restaurant.

"There are fewer than 60 hotels in the North that have achieved four-star status, and most of these are long-established operations," said Mr Sean Boyce, general manager of Swinton Park.

"To be included in this elite group only weeks after opening is a huge success for the staff and owners of Swinton Park. The Cunliffe-Listers' vision of a high quality, exclusive hotel has been superbly realised by them and my team."

The hotel was found to be above average in categories including food quality, bedroom design and functionality, public areas and general hospitality.

Samuel's restaurant was immediately given two rosettes, the highest award that can be given by AA inspectors. It has also been put forward for a higher award, but that would have to be ratified by a final review panel which meets once a year, in the spring.

The report said Swinton Park was "an impressive hotel providing the highest standard of quality and comfort in both bedrooms and public areas. Hospitality throughout my stay was warm and friendly, and dinner was memorable in terms of menu content and execution. This hotel warrants a strong four star rating."

In addition to Samuel's and the 20 individually designed and decorated bedrooms - including three suites and one room spread across two floors of the castle's turret - Swinton Park offers a spa and fitness areas, a private cinema, a tournament-size snooker table and a Victorian games room.

The family have also turned their attention to the 200-acre estate surrounding the hotel; a full range of outdoor activities from horse riding to clay pigeon shooting are on offer to guests at Swinton Park.